$5m gift from former UOW vice-chancellor Ken McKinnon and Suzanne Walker

University of Wollongong’s former leader gives back to the university with an astounding $5 million gift from him and his wife.

Former University of Wollongong vice-chancellor Ken McKinnon and his wife Suzanne Walker have given $5m to the university to fund research fellowships. Photo: Michael David Gray

Former University of Wollongong vice-chancellor Ken McKinnon and his wife Suzanne Walker have given the university one of the largest donations in its history – $5m to fund higher degree research fellowships.

Professor McKinnon, who was vice-chancellor from 1981 to his retirement in 1995, said he and his wife were mindful of UOW’s 50th anniversary next year.

“We wanted to make a contribution that would continue to serve the university, its communities and the nation well into the future,” he said.

Incumbent vice-chancellor Patricia Davidson, who is leaving at the end of June, said Professor McKinnon had a vision for the university of being excellent at a global level while remaining rooted in its local community.

“It is a legacy that we continue to honour and that we are dedicated to living up to,” Professor Davidson said.

Professor McKinnon became vice-chancellor of UOW only six years after the university split off from the University of NSW.

Australia was in recession and the university – then closely linked to the Wollongong steel industry – was struggling as an independent entity. During Professor McKinnon’s vice-chancellorship it became firmly established in its own right. It amalgamated with the Wollongong Institute of Higher Education in 1982, it set up a branch campus in Dubai in 1994, and its green home campus in Wollongong took shape under his leadership.

Professor McKinnon said he and his wife had long intended to make major gifts to UOW and plan to give the university more in their wills. Ms Walker is a graduate of the University of Wollongong.

“We’ve been saving up for many years,” Professor McKinnon said jokingly.

He said other givers were very welcome to add their contribution to the McKinnon Walker higher degree fellowships which their donation is intended to perpetually fund. Professor McKinnon said he and his wife had already made several donations to the university.

In 2016 they gave $1.3m to set up the McKinnon Walker Trust, which uses its income to foster innovation and excellence at the university. They described it then as a gift to water the seeds of innovation, to “give them a bit of money and see what happens”.

Before being appointed to be University of Wollongong vice-chancellor, Professor McKinnon chaired the Australian Schools Commission set up by the Whitlam government in 1973. Later, as an experienced university administrator he went on to help other universities in transition periods, serving as an interim vice-chancellor of both James Cook University and Charles Darwin University.

He also was chairman of the Australian Press Council from 2000 to 2009.