President and Vice-Chancellor

Professor Colin J Stirling is President and Vice-Chancellor of Flinders University.

A distinguished academic leader, Professor Stirling has spearheaded the transformation of Flinders University to become the fastest growing research institution in Australia.

Born and educated in Scotland, Professor Stirling studied for his honours degree at The University of Edinburgh, followed by a PhD in Genetics from the University of Glasgow. He was then awarded a NATO Research Fellowship at the University of California, Berkeley, before returning to the UK to take up an academic position at The University of Manchester.

In 2011, Professor Stirling moved to Australia to join Curtin University as Deputy Vice-Chancellor Academic, and was then appointed as Flinders University’s 8^th President and Vice-Chancellor in 2015.

Throughout his career, Professor Stirling has been the recipient of numerous prestigious accolades, including the Royal Society Wolfson Research Fellowship, and The University of Manchester Distinguished Achievement Medal for ‘Researcher of the Year’.

Under Professor Stirling’s leadership, Flinders University has undergone a profound transformation, marked by groundbreaking initiatives and significant capital investments. Research income at Flinders has more than doubled in just five years while in education, the university is recognised as number one in South Australia’s for student experience.

Flinders University’s strategic investments, including the new City Campus at Festival Plaza, the Health and Medical Research Building at Bedford Park, and the Factory of the Future at Tonsley, representing transformative steps in a journey that will make Flinders a powerhouse in the Australian university sector.

Professor Stirling is also an experienced company director, and is currently a director of Education Australia Ltd., and IDP Education Ltd. (ASX100: IEL).