The Reverend Dr Michael J. Spence (born 10 January 1962) is an Australian-born academic. Dr Michael Spence began as the 25th Vice-Chancellor and Principal of the University of Sydney on July 11, 2008.

Contents 1 Career 1.1 Education 2 Personal life 3 References

[edit] Career

[edit] Education

Dr. Spence is an alumnus of the University, having graduated with first class Honours in English, Italian and Law (BA (Hons)’85 and LLB (Hons)’87). Before leaving for the University of Oxford in 1988 to undertake doctoral studies, Dr Spence lectured in law at the University and also worked for the Australian Copyright Council.

At Oxford, Dr Spence obtained his DPhil and continued to develop his career over the next 20 years. He became a Fellow of St Catherine’s College and a Lecturer of the University of Oxford in 1992. Three years ago he also obtained a Postgraduate Diploma in Theology from the University of Oxford.

During his time at Oxford, Dr Spence became internationally recognised as a leader in the field of intellectual property theory. His work includes articles and books on both intellectual property law and the law of obligations, with a critical focus on suggested ethical and economic justifications of the existing regimes. He remains a consultant to the London law firm, Olswang and serves as a WIPO Arbitration and Mediation Centre Panelist. He has lectured on intellectual property-related topics around the world, and held a number of visiting appointments in Boston, Munich and Siena. He has twice been a Parsons Fellow at the University of Sydney Law School.

He served as head of the Law Faculty at the University of Oxford and most recently, was Head of the Social Sciences Division, one of the four divisions that make up the University. Dr Spence oversaw significant growth of research activity and funding in the Social Sciences, and the strengthening of links between the social science departments, and between them and the University more broadly.

One of Dr Spence's priorities at Oxford was actively to encourage fundraising and substantial sponsorship from benefactors and corporate groups. He was a driving force behind the establishment and financial support of a number of Oxford's new research centres and institutes, such as the Oxford Centre for Educational Assessment and the Smith School of Enterprise and the Environment. His responsibilities included oversight of some of the University of Oxford's most innovative research units, including the James Martin 21st Century School and the Oxford-Man Institute for Quantitative Finance.

[edit] Personal life

Dr Spence is an ordained Anglican priest having trained for the priesthood at St Stephen's House, Oxford.

[edit] References

• New voice has plenty in reserve, The Australian, July 16, 2008
• Fees for rich, help for poor, The Sydney Morning Herald, July 12, 2008
• Ecclesiastical touch in the secular stone, The Sydney Morning Herald, June 2, 2008
• Oxford academic lands top uni position, The Sydney Morning Herald, October 17, 2007
• Former Oxford Homepage
• Oxford Law: Michael Spence
• University of Sydney: Sydney Appoints A New Vice-Chancellor