Rory Medcalf

Head, National Security College, Australian National University

Professor Rory Medcalf AM has been Head of the National Security College (NSC) at the Australian National University since 2015. He has led the expansion of the College into policy contestability, futures analysis, parliamentary engagement, international dialogue and capacity-building, as well as its foundational work in executive development, academic education and research. It is now a go-to institution in Australia's security policy landscape. His professional background involves three decades of experience across diplomacy, intelligence analysis, think tanks, academia and journalism, including as founding Director of the International Security Program at the Lowy Institute. Professor Medcalf has been recognised as a thought leader internationally for his work on the Indo-Pacific concept of the Asian strategic environment, as articulated in his book Contest for the Indo-Pacific (released internationally as Indo-Pacific Empire and translated into Japanese and Chinese).

Professor Medcalf was a member of the expert panel providing independent advice on the Australian Government’s 2016 Defence White Paper. He concurrently holds an affiliation as Adjunct Fellow (non-resident) at the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washingtonm DC. He is a member of the ASEAN Regional Forum Register of Experts and Eminent Persons, and the scientific advisory council of the Finnish Institute for International Affairs (FIIA). In 2022 he was appointed a Member of the Order of Australia for services to international relations and tertiary education. That year he was also recognised with a commendation from the Japanese Foreign Minister for services to Australia-Japan relations.