On 20 August 2017, ACPNS’ founding director Myles McGregor-Lowndes was recognised for his distinguished, important and longstanding contribution to QUT over 35 years with the title of Professor Emeritus.
In recognition of outstanding academic service, Council may choose to confer the title of Professor Emeritus on professors who are retiring from the University.
In considering awarding the title of Professor Emeritus, Council will normally take into account:
- the Professor’s distinguished service to QUT by reference to intellectual and scholarly contributions and leadership
- the length of QUT service, in all levels
- any other factors relevant to the Professor’s service to QUT which may be appropriate to the recognition of distinguished service.
Myles McGregor-Lowndes joined QUT in 1982, advancing to Professor in 2002. He is the Founding Director of The Australian Centre for Philanthropy and Non-profit Studies (ACPNS), which has built a strong national and international reputation for teaching, research and impact on practice, Professor McGregor-Lowndes has written extensively on non-profit tax and regulation, non-profit legal entities, government grants and standard charts of accounts as a means of reducing the compliance burden.
Professor McGregor-Lowndes is a founding member of the Australian Taxation Office Charities Consultative Committee and the Australian Charities and Not for Profits Commission Advisory Board and, in June 2003, was awarded a Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) for “service to the community by providing education and support in legal, financial and administrative matters to non-profit organisations.”
Professor McGregor-Lowndes’ contribution to the Australian and international non-profit sector has been extensive and enduring. His research contributes significantly not only to the academy but also to policy makers and the non-profit and philanthropy sectors. His contribution to the creation of a National Standard Chart of Accounts (NSCOA) for the sector extended the non-profit accounting knowledge base, provided significant savings for the sector and reduced red tape, resulting unanimous adoption of NSCOA by the Council of Australian Governments.
Myles McGregor-Lowndes also has provided compelling evidence to Australia’s judiciary on decisions made when families challenge charitable bequests, and has presented his research by invitation from governments in a range of countries including New Zealand, China, Korea and Canada.
Advisory tools emanating from the research of Professor McGregor-Lowndes and the ACPNS are used extensively in the sector. Among the significant government and sector committees that have sought a particular contribution from Professor McGregor-Lowndes are the Productivity Commission, the Advisory Board for the Australian Charities and Not for Profits Commission, and the Australian Tax Office’s Charities Consultative Committee.
Myles McGregor-Lowndes’ latest book Charity Regulation – the Inside Story (co-edited with CEO of Canada’s Muttart Foundation Robert Wyatt) brings together for the first time the main actors in charity regulation internationally in order to guide policy makers, public administrators and the third sector towards possible future regulatory paths.
Congratulations Myles!
