Pro Vice-Chancellor (International)

Professor Ren Yi

The Pro Vice-Chancellor (International) provides a university wide leadership role in international strategy in addition to critical leadership and direction in the UniSQ International Department, broader UniSQ community and beyond together with continuing strategic development of international activities and engagement.

The role leads the development of the University’s international strategies and plans; manages and develops international agreements, relationships and partnerships; creates strategic mobility initiatives; identifies and leverages opportunities to grow research capacity in international markets; and provides high level strategic and operational advice on international regulatory matters, projects and proposals across all domains of University activity.

Background

Ren commenced at UniSQ as Pro Vice-Chancellor (International) in March 2019.

Ren is an experienced international executive and researcher with a keen interest in the effective management of international programs and partnerships. He has been working in higher education for more than 15 years, including positions at the University of Melbourne, University of Queensland, Victoria University and Macquarie University. 

Professor Ren is an expert on internationalisation for the higher education sector. He was one of the special experts for the Australian Council for International Education. He was also commissioned to complete the Australian Postgraduate Research Student Mobilities Report by the Department of Education and Training. In 2015 and 2016, he represented Australia at the Asia Pacific Economic Corporation (APEC) meeting in Indonesia and Peru on APEC Researcher Mobility and completed report on behalf of Australian Government and APEC. 

Professor Ren is actively involved with the research management profession. He is the Past President of the Australasian Research Management Society (ARMS) and is an active member of the International Network of Research Management Societies (INORMS).

He has also been appointed to different research management committees by the Australia Research Council and by Universities Australia. In 2009, Ren was awarded an Australian Endeavour Executive Award by Deputy Prime Minister Hon Julia Gillard. In the same year he won an Award for Excellence from the Australasian Research Management Society for embedding research administration in a regional university. In 2016 he was awarded the Distinguished Service Award to Research Management by the Australasian Research Management Society. 

He has extensive experience as a researcher, completing a PhD at the University of Melbourne in economic geography and international business in 2004. He completed an Australia Research Council Linkage grant in 2015 focusing on international business, social psychology and economic geography. Currently he is a reviewer for the Academy of International Business and the Australian Research Council. 

Memberships and Affiliations

Ren is the Past President of the Australasian Research Management Society (ARMS), and is currently a reviewer for the Academicy of International Business and the Australian Research Council.