Ramsay role for ex-uni chief Glyn Davis

Glyn Davis declared the freedom-of-speech crisis in universities was a “confected ­calamity” as he awaited the official announcement of his next big job.

Glyn Davis, who is set to head up the Ramsay Foundation. Picture: Stuart McEvoy

Academic leader Glyn Davis last night declared the freedom-of-speech crisis in universities was a “confected ­calamity” as he awaited the official announcement, possibly as early as today, of his next big job, leading the $3.6 billion Ramsay Foundation.

Professor Davis, who stood down two months ago after 14 years as vice-chancellor of the University of Melbourne, told an Australian National University conference that the evidence for suppression of speech in universities was “a small number of ­anecdotes repeatedly retold, warnings about trends in the United States, implausible readings of university policies, and unsourced claims that staff and students feel oppressed”.

Recently appointed to the ANU’s Crawford School of Public Policy, Professor Davis will have a major career change when he takes over the position of CEO of the Ramsay Foundation, making him one of the most powerful figures in Australian philanthropy.

He will replace Simon Freeman, who announced his departure on Friday and said in a tweet he would move on and give his successor “a clear run at the best job in the country”. The Ramsay Foundation, which is “committed to identifying the root causes of disadvantage and implementing strategic solutions”, funds a range of initiatives fulfilling the goals of the late businessman Paul Ramsay who funded it.

The Ramsay Centre for Western Civilisation, also funded from the Ramsay bequest, is attempting to establish a Western civilisation degree course at top Australian universities but has become embroiled in claims of political interference. It is distinct from the Ramsay Foundation. Professor Davis has also been linked to the vacant position of chair of the ABC but last night said: “No one has ever talked to me about the ABC job.”

However, he did not deny his expected appointment to the Ramsay Foundation job.

In his speech at ANU, which opened the ANU’s academic freedom and autonomy summit, Professor Davis said that those asserting a free-speech crisis in universities “have provided no systematic evidence of a meaningful, sustained and growing threat to free speech on campus”.

“You cannot take isolated events and inconsequential statements and argue that somehow they sum to a case,” he said.

He said he was puzzled by calls from two think tanks, the Institute of Public Affairs and the Centre for Independent Studies, for regulations to ensure freedom of speech in universities.

“Once right-leaning groups were wary of the coercive power of the state. They argued laws should be used sparingly and framed cautiously to avoid unintended consequences,” he said.