Event to celebrate life of first V-C

5 November 2001

A celebration of the life of the first Vice-Chancellor of the University of Wollongong, Emeritus Professor (Lindsay) Michael Birt, will be held at the University on Thursday 8 November. Professor Birt died on 28 October at the age of 69.

UOW Vice-Chancellor, Professor Gerard Sutton, described Professor Birt as an outstanding scholar and researcher who gave the fledgling University of Wollongong a unifying structure and vision.

Professor Birt was appointed as the Vice-Chancellor designate at the then Wollongong University College in 1973 and was responsible for preparing the way for the establishment of the independent University of Wollongong on 1 January 1975.

Professor Sutton said Professor Birt came to an institution which still had a prevailing engineering and technology emphasis. "When he left in 1981, the University had diversified into a well-rounded institution with increasing strengths in the humanities, social sciences and commerce," Professor Sutton said.

The University bestowed upon this scientist the Honorary degree of Doctor of Letters in 1981 as a tribute to his breadth of learning and also to acknowledge him as a champion of the humanities in the University and a committed supporter of the arts in the community.

Media please note: The University would appreciate any advance notice of this celebration of Michael Birt's life to help alert those interested in attending. Journalists are also welcome to the event to be held at 5.30pm in Function Room 1 of the UniCentre.

For further information contact Bernie Goldie on (02) 4221 5942 or 0412 454 124