Speeches, presentations and lectures

On this page are transcripts of some significant speeches delivered at, or on behalf of, the University of Melbourne.

"A university should always be a forum for the debate of ideas. That’s why each year, the University of Melbourne hosts around 200 public lectures and every day of each semester, faculties and departments offer seminars, symposiums, colloquiums and forums which are open to the public."
--Professor Glyn Davis AC, Vice-Chancellor

Professor Glyn Davis - Garran Oration

19 June 2008

Transcript of speech by Professor Davis: (Word 116 kb) : (PDF 64 kb)

Professor Glyn Davis - AFR Higher Education Conference. 'The Search for a Stable Centre'

13 March 2008

Transcript of speech by Professor Davis (Word 60 kb)

Chancellor's Human Rights Lecture - The Protection of Women and Children During Armed Conflict. Whose Responsibility?

13 November 2007

A lecture delivered by Radhika Coomaraswamy, Under-Secretary-General and the Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Children and Armed Conflict.

You can listen to a recording of this public lecture.

Transcript of speech by Radhika Coomaraswamy (PDF 192 kb)

International Public Lecture - Unravelling Einstein's Secrets

13 November 2007

A lecture delivered by Professor Roy Kerr, University of Canterbury, New Zealand.

You can listen to a recording of this public lecture.

The Emerging Dominance of the West in America's Economy, Culture and Politics

26 November 2007

A lecture delivered by Leadership Dialogue Scholar David M Kennedy, Donald J. McLachlan Professor of History & Co-Director, Bill Lane Center for the Study of the North American West, Stanford University. Presented by the University of Melbourne in partnership with the Australian American Leadership Dialogue.

You can listen to a recording of this public lecture.

The Age Australians All series of 'Essays on the Nation'.

31 October 2007

Essay by Vice-Chancellor Glyn Davis (Microsoft Word 56 kb) "The end of the gatekeeper".

Will the Town Vote for the Gown? Universities in the 2007 Election

19 September 2007

Speech by Vice-Chancellor Glyn Davis (Microsoft Word 68 kb) at Alumni Event held at the University of Melbourne

Where to, Zimbabwe?

27 August, 2007

A lecture delivered by Morgan Tsvangirai, President of the Zimbabwe Opposition Party.

You can listen to a recording of this public lecture.

Climate Change and Nuclear Power in Australia

12 June, 2007

A lecture delivered by Dr Ziggy Switkowski, Chair of the Australia Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation.
Presented by the University of Melbourne in association with the Australian Institute of Physics.

You can listen to a recording of this public lecture.

Transcript of speech by Dr Switkowski (Microsoft Word 92 kb)

International Public Lecture - Does Pre-School Matter?

7 June, 2007

A Conversation with Professor David Kirp, University of California, Berkeley, USA and Mr Tom Bentley, Director of Applied Learning from the Australian and New Zealand School of Government (ANZSOG)

You can listen to a recording of this public lecture.

Seizing the Opportunities: A policy framework of balanced incentives for Higher Education and University Research

6 June, 2007

Transcript of Speech by Vice-Chancellor Glyn Davis (PDF 100 kb) National Press Club on behalf of the Group of Eight

Fairness, Fees and Equity in Higher Education

3 April, 2007

Speech by Vice-Chancellor Glyn Davis (Microsoft Word 136 kb) AFR Higher Education Summit

A Different Kind of Hero

26 January, 2007

Speech by Vice-Chancellor Glyn Davis (Microsoft Word 76 kb) Australia Day, Parliament House, Melbourne

Earlier years

2006 : 2005