Farewell to Dr John Ballard

Associate Vice-Chancellor (Victoria) Dr John Ballard will leave ACU on 30 November after nine and a half years of service.

Dr Ballard joined ACU in 2012 as Associate Vice-Chancellor after a 30-year career in senior leadership roles with health organisations, including 11 years as CEO of Mercy Health.

During his time at ACU, Dr Ballard has overseen significant development of the St Patrick’s Campus (Melbourne) to support growing student numbers and improve the student experience. He has supported major capital works projects such as the St Teresa of Kolkata Building and projects made possible through partnerships with other organisations, such as the Mary Glowrey Museum.

Professor Hayden Ramsay said: “As AVC, John has brought a great deal of skill and imagination to questions of campus development, playing a key role on numerous university committees and making an excellent contribution to university planning.”

During his time as Associate Vice-Chancellor, student enrolments at the Melbourne Campus has grown significantly from 17,884 EFTSL in 2012 to 23,917 EFTSL this year.

In his farewell to ACU’s Melbourne staff, Dr Ballard said that working with talented colleagues who were committed to creating the best possible outcomes for our students was a defining experience.

Dr Ballard has played a key role in building ACU’s relationships with the health sector in his time here. He has also been an important liaison between the university and the Archdiocese of Melbourne, and he has fostered relationships with other important stakeholders in the wider community.

In addition to his role at ACU, Dr Ballard has continued to serve on the boards of several other organisations, including Djerriwarrh Health Services and the Catholic Development Fund for the Archdiocese of Melbourne, Diocese of Sale (Vic) and Diocese of Bunbury (WA). He is a Member of the Risk and Audit Committee at the University of Divinity, and a Trustee of the Committee for Economic Development.

Professor Ramsay said Dr Ballard had been a stabilising force for the Melbourne Campus over the past decade, with a readiness to listen and show support to staff.

“He has carried the Christian virtues of generosity, kindness and patience back to the university and this has helped greatly in building the culture of the campus.”

We thank Dr Ballard for his contribution to ACU and wish him well for the future.