Meet the team

Meet the team

Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Research)

Professor Sakkie Pretorius is responsible for the development and strategic enhancement of Macquarie University's research and innovation profile.

The portfolio responsibility includes developing and implementing strategies for improving research quality, capacity and capability across the University while maximising research funding streams, collaborations and higher degree research enrolment and completions.

In addition to consulting with the University community on the creation of the Strategic Research Framework (2015–2024), the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Research) promotes the framework’s four research objectives and five research priorities.

The DVCR is supported by Research Services and Pro-Vice Chancellor research management team:

Pro Vice-Chancellor (Graduate Research)


This portfolio incorporates the Graduate Research Academy (GRA)  which oversees research training at Macquarie University, working in collaboration with faculties and the University’s broader research community to deliver an exceptional experience for Higher Degree Research (HDR) candidates. The GRA is responsible for:

  • providing academic and strategic leadership of the University’s HDR programs
  • developing the policy framework for research training
  • developing tailored support and development programs to ensure candidates are world-ready and highly employable
  • providing opportunities for career-enhancing exposure to industry and the community
  • developing programs to build outstanding supervisory expertise and mentorship
  • providing operational management of the candidate lifecycle, including recruitment, admission, progression, and completion
  • overseeing scholarship investment to attract high potential candidates in areas of research strengths and developing relationships with external funding agencies
  • building and maintaining research training partnerships, including Australia’s largest cotutelle, joint PhD and Master of Research exchange program.

Pro Vice-Chancellor (Research, Innovation and Enterprise)

This portfolio provides strategic leadership on all matters relating to research & development, research innovation, translation and commercialisation. The portfolio:

  • leads the development and delivery of internal policy, processes and guidelines within the context of research innovation and research-related industry engagement
  • leads the University’s approach to research translation, development and commercialisation
  • fosters and maintains strategic partnerships and alliances, and leads activities across the University to promote and build the University’s national and international reputation within industry, government and business
  • leads major research initiatives involving industry partners
  • oversees the development of research consultancies and contract research in the interests of the University through Access Macquarie
  • oversees the Intellectual Property Commercialisation Advisory Committee (IPCAC)
  • through the Office of Commercialisation and Innovation
    • supports staff and students with commercialisation and entrepreneurial endeavours, including identifying innovations, intellectual property protection and commercialisation strategies (including start-ups)
    • facilitates the take up of the University’s intellectual property by external parties.

Pro Vice-Chancellor (Research Performance and Development)

This portfolio supports the University’s vision for an accelerating and impactful performance in discovery and provides strategic leadership to improve our research fitness and adaptability in a challenging and changing environment. The portfolio:

  • identifies, nurtures and harnesses areas of research strength, supporting existing and emerging groups on trajectories to significant external success via the Macquarie University Research Centre scheme
  • oversees the implementation of new policy, infrastructure and training to future proof research practices in collaboration with the Director of Data Science and eResearch
  • leads initiatives to ensure optimal support for research and researchers in collaboration with faculties and offices
  • fosters and supports an evidence-based approach to strategic research decisions
  • leads exercises in research reputation including ARC ERA and ARC Engagement/Impact, and promotes the translation of research reputation into new opportunities.

Pro Vice-Chancellor (Research Services)

Research Services works in partnership with colleagues across the University’s research ecosystem to deliver the following research support services:

  • Pre Award
    The Pre Award Team help researchers in identifying grant funding sources, supports the establishment and maintenance of collaborative research partnerships, provides guidance on the development of high-quality research funding proposals, ensures that applications comply with funding rules, and manages all research funding submissions on behalf of the University.
  • Post Award & Reporting
    The Post Award & Reporting Team assist with managing the life cycle of funded research projects including variations, amendments and reporting. The Team also provides reporting of research management data for internal and external purposes, and training for all Research Systems.
  • Research Ethics & Integrity
    The Research Ethics & Integrity Team promotes and supports the embedding of research integrity into researchers’ everyday practice; promotes adherence to the Macquarie University Code for the Responsible Conduct of Research; manages the assessment and approval process for animal and human research through the Human Research Ethics Committees and Animal Ethics Committee; manages integrity allegations and investigations and provides training and advice for Researcher and HDR Students in all of these areas.
  • Research Policy, Contracts, Compliance & Biosafety
    The Research Policy, Contracts, Compliance & Biosafety Team reviews and maintains research related policies, negotiates and arranges execution of research contracts and ensures that the University complies with biosafety and defence trade controls legislation and policy via the Institutional Biosafety Committee and Defence Trade Controls panel.
  • National Security and Defence
    The National Security and Defence team assists staff to understand and comply with their obligations under ‘security focused’ Australian legislation. This is part of ensuring that the University’s academics conduct their research with integrity and in compliance with all security-focussed laws. The team works to ensure that research at Macquarie is conducted in a secure environment and free from foreign interference.

Content owner: DVC - Research Last updated: 06 Sep 2022 3:11pm

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