Martin Betts

Emeritus Professor Martin Betts has spent close to 40 years working in Universities in 3 continents where he has seen the transformational impact they have on individual lives, industry partners, precincts of which they are part, and communities they serve.

He led the disciplines of Science, Engineering, IT, Built Environment and Design at QUT from 2003-2013. He then led a central portfolio of marketing and communications, alumni and development, and various engagement platforms as DVC of Engagement at Griffith University for 6 years until 2020. He has led change management exercises during disruption and transformation in our universities.

His experience of university partnerships includes the largest public event in Australia in a decade, at the GC2018 Commonwealth Games, and in the cultural, leisure, entertainment, health and education precinct of South Bank in Brisbane where he was board chair of trade association BSB. 

He is currently producing thought leadership content for higher education audiences on the new learning economy, and on strategic issues and changes facing the sector.

Martin’s recent roles and projects include:

• Developing an engagement strategy for a South Australian university 
• Coaching support to a Director of Communications, Marketing and Engagement
• Chairing a task force on liveability indices for students and professional migrants for the Committee for Brisbane
• Developing Vision South Bank for stakeholders in the Brisbane South Bank community
• Advising an Edtech start up on business services in alumni engagement
• Producing a podcast series called The Higher Education Experience

Martin is an Emeritus Professor of Griffith University, and holds a Bachelor of Quantity Surveying from the University of Reading and a PhD in Construction Management from the Council for National Academic Awards in the UK.

He is a Fellow of Engineers Australia, of the Royal Society of Arts, Manufacture and Commerce, of the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors, and of the Chartered Institute of Building. He is also a Graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors.