The University of Melbourne has named its next vice chancellor. Duncan Maskell, now at the University of Cambridge will take over at Parkville next October.

According to UniMelb, Professor Maskell’s present role, senior PVC (planning and resources) “is the closest equivalent” to provost at Cambridge. A Cambridge graduate his research field is bacterial infectious diseases in humans and animals. He is a co-founder of three start-ups, including Arrow Therapeutics, which sold for US$150m in 2007.

Hs appointment means Australia’s original universities will have VCs from their English equivalents, with Michael Spence (ex Oxford) at UniSydney.

Other UK imports among the Group of Eight are Dawn Freshwater at UWA and Ian Jacobs at UNSW.