Former Federal Liberal MP Petro Georgiou has been appointed Vice-Chancellor’s Professorial Fellow at Monash University and the University of Melbourne in a joint appointment.

Georgiou will contribute to various aspects of public life at the two universities including delivering graduate and post graduate seminars, participating in public debate through workshops and public lectures, undertaking academic research and providing advice to relevant faculties, schools and centres.

“I’ll be doing some teaching, some public lectures and I’ll be doing some writing on Australian politics and issues of general interest,” Georgiou told Neos Kosmos. “I’m looking forward to that, especially teaching students having been away from that sort of interaction for a very long time.”

The former federal member for Kooyong, in Victoria, believes his personal political experience will benefit students interested in the field. “I think there are some really interesting things that could be emphasised a bit more from someone who has actually experienced politics firsthand in a large variety of different roles,” he said. “I’m looking forward to working out the most effective way of communicating that and I’m working on it now.”

University of Melbourne Vice-Chancellor Professor Glyn Davis stressed that Mr Georgiou’s appointment would add tremendous expertise and insight into the political landscape.

“To have Mr Georgiou working within the university will add immense knowledge and gravitas to not just the School of Social and Political Sciences, but to the University overall,” he said.

“Students, staff and the community generally will benefit from the political nous and intimate knowledge of politics that only those who have experienced longstanding and eminent careers in Government can attest to.”

Monash Vice-Chancellor Professor Ed Byrne said Monash was pleased and privileged Mr Georgiou has accepted the role of Fellow. “His vast experience within the Australian political landscape will bring enormous depth of knowledge and understanding to the education and research areas of political and social inquiry at Monash,” he said.

“Mr Georgiou’s political career has spanned some of the most interesting eras in Australian political history, his work on multiculturalism, immigration policy and civil liberties is well-documented and this, combined with an early career start in academia is breadth of experience that will be of tremendous benefit to both university communities.”

Georgiou, who graduated from the University of Melbourne with a Bachelor of Arts (Hons) with a major in Political Science in 1975, begins his appointment this week.

During his term serving as the Federal Member for Kooyong from 1994 until 2010, Georgiou was Chair of the Joint Standing Committee on Electoral Matters, Chair of the Joint Standing Committee on Science and Innovation and Deputy Chair of the Joint Statutory Committee on Public Accounts and Audit. He has been a senior advisor to Malcolm Fraser, Andrew Peacock and John Hewson. He was also the Founding Director of the Australian Institute of Multicultural Affairs, State Director of the Liberal Party in Victoria from 1989 to 1994 and Director of the Liberal Policy Unit from 1985 until 1989.