University of Melbourne Professor Chris Edmond sacked amid serious misconduct

An economics professor has been sacked after a probe revealed he persistently discriminated against, intimidated and bullied a woman in his field for 12 years after their relationship ended.

Economist Professor Chris Edmond was dismissed from his role at the University of Melbourne this week.

A University of Melbourne economics professor has been sacked after an investigation into his behaviour revealed serious misconduct.

Professor Chris Edmond, who is an expert in economics with ties to the Reserve Bank of Australia, has been dismissed from the university after engaging in serious misconduct in contravention of university policies.

Prof Edmond engaged in a brief relationship with a former student 13 years ago.

It’s understood a recent incident occurred in early 2023, with the victim deciding to make a formal complaint to the university.

The Herald Sun has been told the specific misconduct relating to Prof Edmond’s sacking occurred in the years after the relationship with the former student.

It’s believed there were about 20 instances of misconduct over a period of 13 years and the majority of these were substantiated by the investigation.

Professor Chris Edmond taught macroenoncomics at the prestigious Melbourne university.

Prof Edmond has been sacked following an investigation. Picture: Daniel Pockett

According to the Australian Financial Review, Prof Edmond sent an email to staff outlining his version of events.

He said he ended the relationship with the student, but he continued as her adviser “as was her wish”.

Prof Edmond added that he sent “several emails” to the victim that were angry and unprofessional.

But also that on several occasions he failed to declare his conflicts of interest with the former student.

“I made terrible mistakes and in trying to deal with that mistake made yet more mistakes,” he wrote.

The victim, who asked not to be identified, told the Herald Sun: “Chris’ statement is very misleading and minimises his misconduct. He barely mentions the true reasons behind my complaint.”

“I made a formal complaint about him after a recent event in early 2023 where he tried to prevent me from giving a seminar at his university yet again,” she said.

“For me, this was the final straw.

“My complaint described a systematic pattern of deliberate and persistent discrimination, intimidation, and bullying by exclusion that has occurred over a period of 12 years after I finished my PhD and continued through to this year.”

The woman said she has almost felt forced to leave the field of economics due to “deliberate and persistent discrimination” by the University of Melbourne professor. Picture: NCA Daniel Pockett

“On many occasions, I came close to leaving the field of economics due to his ongoing behaviour.

“I have never received any apology from him regarding his conduct over the past 12 years. “His actions have greatly saddened me and had a profound effect on my career, my mental health, and my physical health for more than a decade now.”

A University of Melbourne spokesman said: “We can confirm that the University of Melbourne has terminated the employment of Professor Chris Edmond.”

“‌This follows an independent investigation conducted this year which led to findings that Prof Edmond had engaged in serious misconduct in contravention of university policies,” he said.

“The behaviour that was investigated was deliberate and persistent over a period of more than ten years and involved Professor Edmond denying the complainant professional opportunities.

‌ "The University of Melbourne does not tolerate behaviour that fails to meet expected standards of professionalism. We thank the complainant for raising the matter and giving the University the opportunity to take action.”

Prof Edmond has taught at the University of Melbourne for more than two decades, according to his CV, which also shows he did a five-year stint as an Assistant Professor of Economics at New York University’s Stern School on Business between 2005 and 2010.

Prior to his career in teaching, he was an economist at the Reserve Bank of Australia between 1998 and 2002. Later in 2013, he won the Economic Society of Australia’s “Young Economist Award”.

According to a now-deleted University of Melbourne academic profile, Prof Edmond’s work has featured in journals including the American Economic Review, the Quarterly Journal of Economics and the Review of Economic Studies.

While at the University of Melbourne, he taught undergraduate and PhD studies in Macroeconomics.

The Herald Sun attempted to contact Prof Edmond for comment.