Ms Linda O'Brien

Vice-Principal (Information) The University of Melbourne Victoria 3010 Australia Phone:+ 61 3 8344 7257 Fax:+ 61 3 8344 9879 Email: linda.o'brien@ unimelb.edu.au

Qualifications: MPA Canberra, DipCD, DipLibSc KCAE, BEd Syd
Professional Associations: MACS, AALIA, MCDA

The Vice-Principal (Information), Linda O'Brien was appointed to the University of Melbourne in March 2004. The Vice-Principal (Information) is a member of the University's Senior Executive Team supporting the Vice-Chancellor in the overall strategic planning, management and administration of the University with particular responsibilities as Chief Information Officer. The Vice-Principal is the primary source of policy advice to the University on knowledge management strategies, strategic directions for the provision of library and information technology services, provision of high powered computing for academic purposes, support for administrative information systems, best practice in learning management systems, provision of information and communication technology infrastructure and management of the University's websites.

Ms O'Brien has held senior management positions across a number of Australian universities, most recently as Vice-President (University Services) at the University of Newcastle with accountability for University-wide strategic planning, policy, administration and service across the functions of University governance and records management, student administration, student services, human resource management, financial services, facilities management, libraries, information technology, teaching support, marketing, media and community relations and also Secretary to the University Council. Prior to this she held a number of university leadership and senior management positions including that of Executive Director, Information and Education Services Division at the University of Newcastle. This division recognized the synergies between library and information services, teaching and learning support and information technology; integrating planning, policy, services and infrastructure to strategically position the University to respond to demands for flexible learning in a globally competitive higher education environment. Previous management positions focused predominantly on library management and information technology management at the University of Newcastle, the University of Canberra and James Cook University. Ms O'Brien also has experience as a management consultant/management trainer and a tertiary teacher.

Her areas of expertise and research interest include aligning strategic planning and budgeting, particularly the effective integration of information technology into business planning to gain strategic advantage, and organisational change. She is a professional member of the Australian Computer Society, an Associate of the Australian Library and Information Association and a Member of the Corporate Directors' Association. She was awarded a certificate of appreciation for contributions to management training for IT professionals within the Australian and New Zealand university sectors by CAUDIT and EDUCAUSE and a Merit Award by the Australian Library and Information Association for role in the development of a web presence for the Association.

Staff and contact details
7th Floor, Raymond Priestley Building

Personal Assistant
Ms Lynda Gilbert
Phone: +61 3 8344 7257
Email: lgilbert@ unimelb.edu.au

Executive Officer
Ms Sally Newton
Phone: +61 3 8344 7420
Email: s.newton@ unimelb.edu.au