Martin Bean
{{Short description|Australian academic administrator}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}}
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{{Infobox officeholder
| honorific-prefix =
| name = Martin Bean
| honorific-suffix = {{post-nominals|country=GBR|size=100%|CBE}}
| image = 17. Internationales Management-Gespräch-Martin Bean-HSGN 028-00698.jpg
| imagesize = 300px
| smallimage =
| caption = Bean in 1987
| office = Vice-Chancellor and President of the
Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology
| chancellor = Ziggy Switkowski
| term_start = February 2015
| term_end = June 2021
| succeeding =
| predecessor = Margaret Gardner
| successor = Alec Cameron
| birth_date = {{Birth-date and age|26 October 1964}}
| birth_place = Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| alma_mater = University of Technology, Sydney (B.Ed)
University of London (LL.D)
| profession = Education management
}}
Martin George Bean {{post-nominals|country=GBR|size=100%|CBE}} (born 26 October 1964) is an Australian education administrator. He served as the Vice-Chancellor of the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology (RMIT), from 2015 to 2021.{{Cite web|title=Martin's message to RMIT staff: My decision to step down as Vice-Chancellor|url=https://www.rmit.edu.au/news/media-releases-and-expert-comments/2021/mar/stepping-down-as-vice-chancellor|access-date=2021-08-17|website=www.rmit.edu.au|language=en}} He was Vice-Chancellor of Open University from 2009 to 2015.[http://www.timeshighereducation.co.uk/story.asp?sectioncode=26&storycode=404536&c=2 Open Market: Martin Bean is looking to use IT know-how gained at Microsoft to ensure the continued success of The Open University] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120806151109/http://www.timeshighereducation.co.uk/story.asp?sectioncode=26&storycode=404536&c=2 |date=6 August 2012 }} – Times Higher Education
Education and early career
Born in Melbourne, Australia on 26 October 1964, Bean has a bachelor's degree in adult education from the University of Technology, Sydney.{{cite web|last=Elmes |first=John |url=http://www.timeshighereducation.co.uk/news/people/qa-with-martin-bean/2007776.article |title=Q&A with Martin Bean | People |publisher=Times Higher Education |date=2013-10-03 |accessdate=2013-11-14}}{{cite web |url=http://www.ncub.co.uk/higher-education/martin-bean-vice-chancellor-the-open-university.html |title=Martin Bean | Vice Chancellor | The Open University | Higher Education Members |publisher=NCUB |date= |accessdate=2013-06-12 }}{{Dead link|date=March 2020 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }} As a student, he served as president of AIESEC.{{cite web |url=http://aiesec.ehsal.be/alumni/alumninewsletter200708.html |title=Belgium AIESEC Alumni Newsletter |publisher=Aiesec.ehsal.be |date= |accessdate=2013-06-12 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131202230607/http://aiesec.ehsal.be/alumni/alumninewsletter200708.html |archive-date=2013-12-02 |url-status=dead }} Bean worked at companies including Novell, Sylvan Learning, Thomson Learning and New Horizons Computer Learning Centres before joining Microsoft, where he became general manager responsible for product management, marketing and business development in the Worldwide Education Products Group.
University career
Bean's appointment as vice-chancellor of the Open University was the first time a non-academic had been chosen to head the university.{{cite news |author=Jobs |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/jobs/7768764/Open-University-sets-sights-on-transforming-UK-workforce.html |title=Open University sets sights on transforming UK workforce |publisher=Telegraph |date=2010-05-27 |accessdate=2013-06-12 |archive-date=25 September 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150925014238/http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/jobs/7768764/Open-University-sets-sights-on-transforming-UK-workforce.html |url-status=live }} He stated his aim was to use technology in order to provide an education to anyone at low or no cost.{{cite web |author=Christina Slade |url=http://www.theaustralian.com.au/higher-education/open-university-taps-into-tech-appeal/story-e6frgcjx-1226097774045 |title=Open University taps into tech appeal |publisher=The Australian |date=July 20, 2011 |accessdate=2013-06-12 |archive-date=26 July 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110726151548/http://www.theaustralian.com.au/higher-education/open-university-taps-into-tech-appeal/story-e6frgcjx-1226097774045 |url-status=live }} This included the university's iTunes U downloads.{{cite web|author=Lal Tawney |url=http://www.universityworldnews.com/article.php?story=20131023162554457 |title=Adapt to online learning or become obsolete |publisher=University World News |date=2013-10-25 |accessdate=2013-11-14}}
In December 2012, Bean launched FutureLearn, an online initiative supporting a Massive Open Online Course (MOOC) platform, led by The Open University in partnership with 11 other UK universities.{{cite web |author=Claire Shaw |url=https://www.theguardian.com/higher-education-network/blog/2012/dec/20/futurelearn-uk-moocs-martin-bean |title=FutureLearn is UK's chance to 'fight back', says OU vice-chancellor | Higher Education Network | Guardian Professional |publisher=Guardian |date=2012-12-20 |accessdate=2013-06-12 |archive-date=18 September 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130918162800/https://www.theguardian.com/higher-education-network/blog/2012/dec/20/futurelearn-uk-moocs-martin-bean |url-status=live }} Since its launch, FutureLearn has partnered with 15 other universities in the UK, Ireland, Australia and New Zealand, as well as the British Library, British Council and British Museum.{{cite web |url=http://www.pelop.gr/?page=article&DocID=104288&srv=10 |title=Δωρεάν μαθήματα μέσω διαδικτύου από βρετανικά πανεπιστήμια |publisher=Pelop.gr |date= |accessdate=2013-06-12 |archive-date=3 December 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131203031434/http://www.pelop.gr/?page=article&DocID=104288&srv=10 |url-status=live }}{{cite web |url=http://www.afr.com/p/national/education/futurelearn_offers_first_online_vKYbtb13BvAyUzzTTxu6QM |title=FutureLearn offers first online course |publisher=Afr.com |date= |accessdate=2013-11-14 |archive-date=21 November 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131121065358/http://www.afr.com/p/national/education/futurelearn_offers_first_online_vKYbtb13BvAyUzzTTxu6QM |url-status=live }}
In 2013, Bean oversaw the release of OU Anywhere, an app which allows students to access OU undergraduate course materials using smartphones and tablets.{{cite web |last=Kunakornpaiboonsiri |first=Thanya |url=http://www.futuregov.asia/articles/2013/jan/30/uk-university-launches-app-distant-learning/ |title=UK University launches app for distant learning | Articles | FutureGov - Transforming Government | Education | Healthcare |publisher=Futuregov.asia |date=2013-01-30 |accessdate=2013-06-12 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130620002626/http://www.futuregov.asia/articles/2013/jan/30/uk-university-launches-app-distant-learning/ |archive-date=2013-06-20 |url-status=dead }} Bean also oversaw the launch of the Teacher Education through the school-based support in India project (TESS-India), a program in collaboration with the Indian government to bring distance learning teacher education resources to educators in India.{{cite web |url=http://news.bis.gov.uk/Press-Releases/UK-and-Indian-partners-agree-more-than-30-new-education-and-research-deals-after-PM-takes-biggest-e-68826.aspx |title=UK and Indian partners agree more than 30 new education and research deals, after PM takes biggest ever education delegation to India - BIS |publisher=News.bis.gov.uk |date=2013-02-20 |accessdate=2013-06-12 |archive-date=3 December 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131203001446/http://news.bis.gov.uk/Press-Releases/UK-and-Indian-partners-agree-more-than-30-new-education-and-research-deals-after-PM-takes-biggest-e-68826.aspx |url-status=live }}
Under a program of reforms spearheaded by Bean, the Open University has dismantled its presence in mainland Europe. This drew criticism from University and College Union, who claimed this would have a negative effect on OU students based outside the UK.{{cite web |url=http://www.ucu.org.uk/index.cfm?articleid=6116 |title=UCU abhors OU treatment of tutors in CE |website=University and College Union |access-date=14 September 2012 |archive-date=7 November 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121107021327/http://www.ucu.org.uk/index.cfm?articleid=6116 |url-status=live }} The University has maintained that the move will bring support for overseas students into line with that offered to their UK-based counterparts while also making financial savings made necessary by the UK government’s 2012 changes to higher education funding.{{cite web |url=http://www.open.ac.uk/platform/files/platform/file/ecms/web-content/GeneralFAQs230712.pdf |title=Changes to Employment Arrangements in Continental Europe |website=Open University |access-date=15 January 2013 |archive-date=3 December 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131203002946/http://www.open.ac.uk/platform/files/platform/file/ecms/web-content/GeneralFAQs230712.pdf |url-status=live }}{{cite web |url=http://www.cityam.com/article/1384305464/why-it-s-no-time-be-complacent-about-uk-s-inflation-problem |title=Why it's no time to be complacent about the UK's inflation problem | City A.M |publisher=City A.M. |date=2013-11-12 |accessdate=2013-11-14 |archive-date=3 December 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131203003110/http://www.cityam.com/article/1384305464/why-it-s-no-time-be-complacent-about-uk-s-inflation-problem |url-status=live }}
Bean's last controversial move was the announcement by the vice-chancellor's executive that the Open University's south-east regional centre in East Grinstead is to be closed and that the status of the other English regional offices is to be "reviewed". In a letter to The Guardian, Open University staff claim that overall, some 700 jobs could be at risk, almost a fifth of the OU's full-time workforce.{{cite news |url=https://www.theguardian.com/education/2014/jun/18/open-university-regional-offices-review |title=Open university review threatens learning: Letters |newspaper=The Guardian |date=2014-06-18 |accessdate=2014-06-20 |archive-date=30 July 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240730074232/https://www.theguardian.com/education/2014/jun/18/open-university-regional-offices-review |url-status=live }}
On 10 July 2014 he was appointed vice-chancellor and president of RMIT University, and took up the appointment in February 2015.{{Cite press release |title=RMIT announces appointment of new VC |url=http://medianet.com.au/releases/release-details?id=805839 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140714162851/http://medianet.com.au/releases/release-details?id=805839 |archive-date=2014-07-14 |accessdate=2014-07-10}}
He was appointed CBE in the 2015 New Year Honours.
Board positions
Bean is on the Board of Trustees of the British Council, the Board of the Commonwealth of Learning and the British Museum’s Digital Advisory Group.{{cite web |url=http://www.britishcouncil.org/about/martin-bean |title=Martin Bean - Vice Chancellor, The Open University |publisher=British Council |date= |accessdate=2013-06-12 |archive-date=6 October 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131006201052/http://www.britishcouncil.org/about/martin-bean |url-status=live }} In addition, he has served as a member of the Workforce Training and Education Coordinating Board and the National Board of Directors of Jobs for America’s Graduates as well as advising the US Senate on the importance of IT in the Workforce Investment Act.{{cite web|url=http://www3.open.ac.uk/media/fullstory.aspx?id=24962 |title=Vice-Chancellor of The Open University speaks at Breakfast Briefing |publisher=.open.ac.uk |date=2013-01-11 |accessdate=2013-06-12}} He was also part of U.S. Department of Labor delegations to the US/EU Seminar on Local Employment Development and to the Economic and Employment Development Seminar in Hanoi, Vietnam.[http://www.open.ac.uk/about/main/vice-chancellor/career Career] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121212133317/http://www8.open.ac.uk/about/main/vice-chancellor/career |date=12 December 2012 }} – Open University
References
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{{s-bef|before=Margaret Gardner}}
{{s-ttl|title=Vice-Chancellor of RMIT University|years=2015–2021}}
{{s-aft|after=Alec Cameron}}
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External links
- [http://www.open.ac.uk/about/main/vice-chancellor Martin Bean, Vice-Chancellor of the Open University] (Official Open University biography)
{{Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Bean, Martin}}
Category:Australian Commanders of the Order of the British Empire
Category:University of Technology Sydney alumni
Category:People associated with the Open University