Victoria University (VU) announced the appointment of Professor Karen Dodd as the inaugural Pro Vice-Chancellor of VU Delhi NCR ahead of the campus’ first student intake in August 2026.
Professor Dodd joins the role from VU’s College of Sport, Health and Engineering where she is leading as Executive Dean. She will provide academic leadership and governance oversight for the campus, which is among the first international university campuses established in India under the country’s National Education Policy (NEP), a key strategic initiative for the University.
The appointment underlines the next phase of VU’s India expansion as it prepares to deliver Australian higher education locally through the globally recognised VU Block Model®.
VU Vice-Chancellor Professor Adam Shoemaker said Professor Dodd’s appointment reinforces the university’s commitment to building a world-class academic institution in India.
“Karen’s leadership will be critical to successfully establishing the campus and ensuring it reflects our commitment to inclusive, high-quality education, while supporting growth in new and emerging international markets. Her invaluable contribution to VU in strengthening the College of Sport, Health and Engineering, has put it in a position for future success and this experience will be critical in setting up VU Delhi NCR,” VU Vice-Chancellor Professor Adam Shoemaker said.
Professor Dodd will lead the delivery of VU programs in India, ensuring academic quality, regulatory compliance and a student experience aligned with the Australian campuses. She will also play an important role in strengthening partnerships, expanding VU’s presence in India.
Commenting on the development, Professor Karen Dodd said: “It’s a privilege to be appointed the first Pro Vice-Chancellor, VU India – I’m excited to be there from the beginning to see VU’s global strategy in action. Bringing the VU Block Model® to India is an incredible opportunity, and I’m sure it will be key to student academic success, as well as providing the best student experience possible,” she said.
A trained physiotherapist, Professor Dodd has enjoyed a successful career in academia, spending 26 years at La Trobe University in teaching and research, and then moving into senior leadership. In 2017, she started at Victoria University as the Dean of the then College of Health and Biomedicine.
The VU Delhi NCR campus based at Gurugram will offer undergraduate and postgraduate courses taught exclusively in the VU Block Model® across business and IT and will emulate the successful and modern design of VU’s vertical City Tower in Melbourne. Internationally renowned, the award-winning VU Block Model® sees students’ study one subject at a time, across four-week blocks in small, workshop-style classes. VU is the first Australian university to introduce this unique learning model and remains the largest university to do so. The Model will be adapted to the local context to support students’ success and meet the needs of the Indian market.
