Dr John Howard

Managing Director

John is an expert in policies, strategies and processes for knowledge transfer between higher education institutions, business, government and the broader community. His expertise has been developed over 25 years in advising government, business and higher education institutions on management, innovation, commercialisation, and collaboration in teaching and research.

John has been instrumental in broadening the understanding of knowledge transfer to encompass not only transfer through the sale and licensing of Intellectual Property but also through the business development and engagement strategies of universities and research organisations. He has made a major contribution to building skills and capabilities in this area.

John’s career encompasses three broad phases.

• Firstly, as a policy analyst and adviser in the Australian Public Service, working in the Departments of Treasury, Finance, Urban and Regional Development, and the House of Representatives Committee Office.
• Secondly, as a Government Services Partner in two global professional services firms (Ernst & Young and Coopers & Lybrand - now PriceWaterhouseCoopers), specialising in public policy and management strategy consulting.  
• Thirdly, as Managing Director of his own public policy research and consultancy business (Howard Partners) which he established in 1998.

Through Howard Partners John has researched and produced several influential publications on innovation and knowledge transfer, authored many reports and policy papers for Government and business, and has presented at international conferences and events.

Recently, John worked with the Victorian Government on the IMHE/OECD project on the role of higher education in regional and city development, and for the Government of the Australian Capital Territory on the performance and prospects for the Canberra and Region Innovation System.  He completed an important study for the Victorian Vice-Chancellor’s Committee on Melbourne as Australia’s Knowledge Capital.

At various times John has worked on a contract basis at Universities, including a period as Pro Vice-Chancellor, Innovation at the University of Canberra (2008-2011), Director of the Centre for Industry and Innovation at the University of Western Sydney (2006) and Senior Fellow at the Australian Centre for Innovation (University of Sydney, 2002). He currently holds an appointment as Adjunct Professor in Public Administration and Policy at the ANZSOG Institute for Governance at the University of Canberra. He supervises several PhD students.

John is a board member of the Canberra Business Council and participates in a number of economic development committees and business forums in Canberra and the broader Capital Region. He has been a board member of the Australian Centre of Excellence for Local Government, the Capital Region Development Board, and the Regional Development Australia Committee (ACT).  He maintains strong professional and policy connections with Commonwealth and State Departments and Agencies concerned with innovation and industry development and with key players in the regional innovation systems in NSW and Victoria.

John Holds a PhD from the University of Sydney, a MA from the University of Canberra, and a B.Ec (Hons) from the University of Tasmania.  He is a Certified Management Consultant (CMC) and a Fellow of the Institute of Management Consultants in Australia (FMIC).

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