Professor McGuire joins La Trobe from The University of Sydney, where he was Deputy Dean of the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences.
La Trobe Acting Vice-Chancellor and Provost Professor Robert Pike congratulated Professor McGuire on the appointment.
“Professor McGuire is a highly regarded, values-driven leader,” Professor Pike said.
“La Trobe’s School of Humanities and Social Sciences has a longstanding international reputation for world-class research and teaching. Under Professor McGuire’s leadership, the School will play a pivotal role in the public understanding of real-world challenges including climate change, political conflict and the societal impacts of AI.”
Professor McGuire said he was passionate about the role arts and social sciences played in understanding, shaping and improving society.
Like many La Trobe students, Professor McGuire was first in his family to attend university, which has fuelled a lifelong belief in the power of education to transform lives.
“Thirty years later, this sense of purpose remains the driving force behind my academic career,” Professor McGuire said.
“Half my career has been at elite, world-class research universities like Sydney and Glasgow; the other half has been at institutions like Western Sydney University, with focus on equity, inclusion and regional engagement.
“This blend of experience uniquely equips me to contribute to La Trobe’s mission of producing world-class research and delivering an outstanding education that transforms students’ lives.”
Professor McGuire will start in the role in November.
About Professor Matt McGuire
Professor McGuire completed his PhD in English Literature at the University of Edinburgh, focusing on contemporary Irish and Scottish literature.
He was made Dean of the School of Humanities and Communication Arts at Western Sydney University in 2021 and attended the Graduate School of Education at Harvard University in 2023.
Professor McGuire has been President of the Australian University Heads of English and a member of the Australasian Council of Deans of Arts, Social Sciences and Humanities.
A successful researcher with an international reputation as a literary studies scholar, Professor McGuire is the author of five books, more than 25 peer-reviewed outputs and two critically acclaimed crime novels.
Media enquiries
Robyn Grace – r.grace@latrobe.edu.au, 0420 826 595
