UOW’s second vice-chancellor Ken McKinnon and wife Suzanne Walker, pictured at the university in 2025. Photo: Paul Jones.
The University of Wollongong’s second vice-chancellor and the man described as a visionary leader, Professor Ken McKinnon, has died.
The university has paid tribute to the work of Emeritus Professor Ken McKinnon AO, who served as vice-chancellor from 1981 to 1994.
The institution said Professor McKinnon, who died on Monday, had “championed access to education, fostered institutional confidence and advanced a model of higher education that connected research, teaching and real-world impact.
“His leadership helped establish UOW as a university that was both globally ambitious and deeply connected to its community.”
Current vice-chancellor Professor Max Lu said Professor McKinnon was a visionary leader whose impact on the University of Wollongong had been long-lasting and deeply felt.
“He had the foresight to build not just an institution, but a culture that values innovation, inclusivity and real-world impact,” Professor Lu said.
“The university we are today is in no small part the result of his leadership, determination and belief in what Wollongong could become.”
Professor McKinnon arrived at UOW in 1981 when it was in its infancy. In 1975 the former Wollongong College of the University of NSW had become an independent university.
“I started here when the university wanted to grow its student cohort and place stronger focus on its future and role in the region,” the 94-year-old professor told UOW publication The Stand last year.
“The first year was about establishing a strategy and an organisation that was clear about where it needed to go.”
Kenneth Richard McKinnon was born in Auburn, South Australia in 1931 and began his career as a teacher.
In 1954 he moved to Papua New Guinea to be a headmaster and later became superintendent of schools.
After completing a prestigious Harkness Fellowship at Harvard University he returned to PNG in 1966 as the director of education.
Back in Australia, he was appointed the inaugural chair of the Australian Schools Commission by the Whitlam government, where he spent eight years.
Professor McKinnon and Sue with Sir Mark Oliphant after a graduation ceremony in 1983. Photo: UOW archives.
In 1981 Professor McKinnon and his wife Suzanne Walker packed their bags and made the move from Canberra to the coast.
The university underwent significant expansion under Prof McKinnon’s tenure, with student enrolments growing from 3104 in 1981 to more than 11,000 by the mid-1990s.
His commitment to creating meaningful student experiences led to innovative initiatives such as the Science Centre and Planetarium (now UOW Science Space), which began without funding but grew into one of the region’s most important educational resources.
“I am very proud of the Science Space. It started without a penny, but was the result of a conversation with a researcher who had big ideas. A conversation then led to the creation of a world-class science centre,” he told The Stand.
He also spearheaded the establishment of UOW’s first international campus in Dubai in 1993. “I wanted to be the first and strongest genuinely international university,” he said of the move.
Professor McKinnon received an honorary Doctor of Letters from UOW in 1994, with the citation highlighting his foresight in educational trends and leadership in advancing the university. He was appointed Emeritus Professor following his retirement in 1995.
However, his connection didn’t end there. He and his wife made significant philanthropic contributions that continue to support students, researchers and new ideas.
In 2016, the couple established the McKinnon Walker Trust with a $1.3 million gift to foster innovation across the university. Their commitment continued with a landmark $5 million donation in 2024 to establish research fellowships, support future generations of scholars and reinforcing UOW’s capacity to address global challenges.
In a ceremony to mark the university’s 50th anniversary last year, 50 native trees were planted across the campus.
Professor Lu appropriately planted the 50th tree on the southern side of the McKinnon Building, named in honour of Professor Ken McKinnon.
“His legacy will endure in the institution he helped build and in the many lives shaped by his leadership, vision and generosity,” the university said.
