Governance, Policies and Forms

Tricia Vilkinas PhD., M.Psych., Dip. Psych., B.Comm., B.Sc

Tricia has held a number of positions at the University of South Australia, including, Adjunct Professor, Foundation Professor of Management, Head of the International Graduate School of Management and was a long-standing member of several of the university’s key governance bodies such as Academic Board

Prior to working at the University of South Australia, Tricia was the Associate Director at the Graduate School of Business, University of Adelaide. In her earlier career she held academic positions at the University of Newcastle, Griffith University, Queensland University of Technology, and Queensland University. She has not always been in academia spending some years in the clothing industry as a change agent.

Tricia has also consulted to many organizations delivering executive and management development programs as well as strategic planning. Some of the organizations employing her services were DSTO, Telstra, MOBIL, the Commonwealth public service senior executive program, and several government departments.

Tricia is involved in ongoing research centered on leadership and is currently publishing in this area as well as receiving research funding.

Rob has a strong history of leadership and a proven track record of performance across a wide range of industries.

Starting his career with PriceWaterhouseCoopers before moving through the retail, mining and technology industries, Rob has focused his attention on the domestic and international education sectors for the past decade.

Having worked with Kaplan since 2006, Rob has held various executive positions including Chief Financial Officer of the international business based in London and most recently heading up the Australia/New Zealand operations.

Rob believes in the transformative power of education so that people can achieve their potential.

Doctor of Philosophy, Master of Business Administration and Bachelor of Economics

Dr Michael Evans is an independent academic consultant. Prior to Mike’s retirement from Kaplan Higher Education in August 2018, he was responsible for the Academic oversight of all Kaplan Higher Education operations in Australia. This includes driving the academic strategic direction of all areas of Kaplan’s higher education business including Kaplan Business School, Murdoch Institute of Technology, Bradford College and Kaplan Professional’s online postgraduate finance courses.

Prior to joining Kaplan Mike was a Professor of Management and Pro Vice Chancellor of the Faculty of Business and Law at Southern Cross University in Australia. Mike has a wide range of business experience, with skills in managing, consulting, teaching and research. His recent research has focused on regional development and the business implications of climate change. He also has interests in valuation, innovation, commercialisation, and value creation within organisations. He has undertaken a wide range of applied research and consulting assignments for clients including reviews of strategic planning and implementation, performance measurement and evaluation, valuation and financial analysis.

Mike has also been actively involved in executive education activities, with a focus on accounting, finance and strategy. He has consulting, research and teaching experience across Australia, in Asia and in Europe. Mike has a wealth of experience in Asia, having been involved in business development for universities since 1987, focused on Singapore, Malaysia and China. He has managed academic and business activities across 10 countries.

Mike’s qualifications include a Bachelor of Economics, Master of Business Administration and Doctor of Philosophy. Mike also holds a prestige Fellow of CPA Australia (FCPA) designation.

Qualifications

• Doctor of Philosophy
• Master of Business Administration
• Bachelor of Economics

Kaplan contribution

• Chair, Kaplan Higher Education Academic Board
• Chair, Kaplan Business School Academic Board
• Member, Kaplan Higher Education Corporate Board
• Member, Kaplan Business School Corporate Board

Career overview

Dr Michael Evans is an independent academic consultant. Prior to Mike’s retirement from Kaplan Higher Education in August 2018, he was responsible for the Academic oversight of all Kaplan Higher Education operations in Australia. This includes driving the academic strategic direction of all areas of Kaplan’s higher education business including Kaplan Business School, Murdoch Institute of Technology, Bradford College and Kaplan Professional’s online postgraduate finance courses.

Prior to joining Kaplan Mike was a Professor of Management and Pro Vice Chancellor of the Faculty of Business and Law at Southern Cross University in Australia. Mike has a wide range of business experience, with skills in managing, consulting, teaching and research. His recent research has focused on regional development and the business implications of climate change. He also has interests in valuation, innovation, commercialisation, and value creation within organisations. He has undertaken a wide range of applied research and consulting assignments for clients including reviews of strategic planning and implementation, performance measurement and evaluation, valuation and financial analysis.

Mike has also been actively involved in executive education activities, with a focus on accounting, finance and strategy. He has consulting, research and teaching experience across Australia, in Asia and in Europe. Mike has a wealth of experience in Asia, having been involved in business development for universities since 1987, focused on Singapore, Malaysia and China. He has managed academic and business activities across 10 countries.

Mike’s qualifications include a Bachelor of Economics, Master of Business Administration and Doctor of Philosophy. Mike also holds a prestige Fellow of CPA Australia (FCPA) designation.

Qualifications

• Doctor of Philosophy
• Master of Education
• Bachelor of Education
• Bachelor of Arts
• Diploma of Teaching

Kaplan contribution

• Member, Kaplan Higher Education Academic Board
• Member, Kaplan Business School Academic Board
• Member, Murdoch College Grade Ratification and Assessment Committee

Career overview

Emeritus Professor Tania Aspland is the Vice President, Academic for Kaplan Business School and Kaplan Higher Education.

Tania has been employed in higher education and the university sector since 1980. During the past twenty years she has focused her expertise around several areas of scholarship, including teacher education, postgraduate pedagogy and higher education curriculum studies. Tania is a highly respected academic, having recently held the roles of Professor in Teacher Education at the Australian Catholic University in Sydney and Dean, Education Policy and Strategy where she has provided high-level advice on teacher education, governance and policy.

Tania is also the current President of the Australian Council of Deans of Education and sits on a number of boards for the Australian government. Tania’s research focus has been on educational policy, leadership and reform, higher education curriculum and teacher education.

Qualifications

• Doctor of Philosophy
• Master of Business Leadership
• Bachelor of Arts (Politics and International Relations)

Kaplan contribution

• Academic Dean, Kaplan Business School
• Academic Dean, Kaplan Higher Education
• Chair, KBS Teaching & Learning Committee
• Member, KHE Teaching & Learning Committee
• Member, KBS Academic Board
• Member, KHE Academic Board
• Member, KBS Grade Ratification and Assessment Committee

Career overview

Dr James Adonopoulos’ PhD thesis was centred on the ways in which leaders influence employee engagement during organisational crises and significant change. Prior to his appointment as the Academic Dean at Kaplan Business School and Kaplan Higher Education, he was employed as a sessional member of staff at Macquarie University and the University of Technology, Sydney.

His academic history is supported by practical corporate experience as a leader in a variety of industries, such as financial services and contact centres, at which his most noteworthy achievements were in relation to his employees’ engagement, performance and retention. In combination with his books and fortnightly newsletter, his insights on workplace relations are read by 100,000 people every month.

For more than a decade, he has worked with hundreds of organisations as a speaker, facilitator and consultant, helping them successfully lead change, engage staff, and improve performance. This work has taken him to almost a dozen countries, working with clients that include McDonald’s, American Express, Coca-Cola, Qantas, Optus, Ernst & Young, Gucci, Toyota and many government departments.

Qualifications

• Doctor of Philosophy, USC
• Master of Business, USC
• Bachelor of Business, UQ

Kaplan contribution

• Member, Kaplan Higher Education Academic Board
• Member, Kaplan Business School Academic Board
• Deputy Chair, Kaplan Higher Education Academic Board
• Deputy Chair, Kaplan Business School Academic Board
• Chair, Murdoch College Grade Ratification and Assessment Committee

Career overview

Emeritus Professor Meredith Lawley is currently a Professor of Marketing at University of Sunshine Coast. Meredith has extensive experience in the delivery of higher education programs both within Australia and internationally.

Meredith has a strong academic interest in the areas of marketing, consumer behaviour, international and online education. She is a member of the editorial review boards for both the Asian and European Journal of Marketing and has been an active TEQSA Expert since 2014.

Qualifications

• PhD (Sociology), Flinders University
• BA (Hons), Flinders University

Kaplan contribution

• Member, Kaplan Higher Education Academic Board
• Member, Kaplan Business School Academic Board
• Chair, Kaplan Appeals Committee
• Chair, Kaplan Professional Grade Ratification & Assessment Committee
• Chair, Kaplan Business School Grade Ratification & Assessment Committee

Career overview

Professor Oakley is Head, School of Social Sciences within the Faculty of Arts at the University of Adelaide. The School is divided into four departments: Anthropology and Development Studies; Asian Studies; Geography, Environment & Population; Sociology, Criminology and Gender Studies; and Politics & International Relations. The School is also affiliated with seven research centres, institutes and development units.

Susan’s research expertise is two‐fold: the relationship between planning, governance and urban regeneration; and youth homelessness. Susan is an active member of the Centre for Housing, Urban & Regional Planning.

Qualifications

• PhD (Economics, Public Policy, University of Western Australia
• BA (Hons) Economics, University of Western Australia

Kaplan contribution

• Member, Kaplan Higher Education Academic Board
• Member, Kaplan Business School Academic Board
• Chair, Murdoch College Joint Academic Committee

Career overview

Professor Wood has considerable experience working on boards and committees, often as chair. In addition to chairing the Curtin Business School Executive between 1999 and 2006.

Professor Wood was for six years the chairman of the WA Government Salaries and Allowances Tribunal which sets remuneration for Members of Parliament, the judiciary, senior public servants and local government leaders.

He was the Chair of the Kaplan pathway college, MIT, at Murdoch University and subsequently a member of the MIT-Murdoch Academic Sub Committee until 2021.

He has had considerable experience in the not-for-profit sector, having been Chairman of the Board of Daughters of Charity (W A) Inc. and later Chairman of Members (Trustees) of Ruah Community Services.

Professor Wood has been the voluntary chairman or member of over 60 assessments of business schools around the world over the last 16 years. The assessments provided advice to the European Foundation for Management Development on the accreditation of business schools for the quality of their work. Matters such as strategy, positioning, innovations in teaching and learning, on-line learning, recognition of prior learning, teaching quality, research output, international partners, student feedback and finances were included among the standards reviewed.

Qualifications

• Master of Business Administration
• Post Graduate Diploma in Business Studies
• Bachelor in Communications
• Professional designations include the Certified Financial Planner (CFP) designation, and she is also a Fellow with FINSIA

Kaplan contribution

• Member, Kaplan Higher Education Academic Board

Career overview

Sim Senesi has been employed in financial services since 1988, having worked mainly for large financial institutions such as MLC, BT and AMP, specialising in practice management, training and compliance of financial advisers and businesses. She has also owned her own financial planning firm and has been lecturing/tutoring in Financial Planning and Business subjects with Kaplan since 2005.