Section: Overview
Overview
Key publications
Research funding
Supervising & teaching
Career

Key details

Areas of expertise

  • Economics of development
  • Investment in adolescent health and wellbeing
  • Energy use and climate change
  • Macroeconomics
  • Labour market analysis

Available to supervise research students

Available for media queries

About Peter Sheehan

Professor Peter Sheehan was Founding Director of the Centre (now Institute) for Strategic Economic Studies at Victoria University from 1993 to 2011, and is currently Research Director.

He made substantial contributions to the field of studies of the global knowledge economy, and of its Australian and international ramifications. He has also contributed to both the analysis of new technologies and their application in Australia, and to policy and commercial developments related to the commercialisation of such technologies in Australia.

His research in the health began in 2013 with a study estimating the returns to investing in child and maternal health in collaboration with the World Health Organization (WHO), published in The Lancet in 2014. The work continued, funded by the UNFPA, on the return to interventions to improve the welfare of adolescents aged 10–19 years in 74 developing countries, published in The Lancet in 2017 and the Journal of Adolescent Health in 2019. Further funding was granted for similar studies in India (UNFPA), and Burundi and Syria (UNICEF).

Currently he is leading an investigation on the investment in adolescent wellbeing for the Partnership for Maternal, Newborn and Child Health (PMNCH) (hosted at the WHO) as part of the work for the Global Forum for Adolescents in October 2023. In 2022, he also led an investment case for the WHO to increase its funding levels.

He is also leading a study for the Ford Foundation on exploring ways in which China’s development finance can become more effective in providing equitable development in Global South countries.

In the past, Peter has conducted studies on energy and climate change in China on more sustainable energy use, the transition to a low carbon economy, and investigating policies for improving energy efficient. Some results were published in Nature Climate Change (2014).

From 1982 to 1990, he was Director General, Department of Management and Budget, Victorian Government. In March-April 1983, he was Special Adviser to Australian Prime Minister Bob Hawke, and he previously he was Editor of the Australian Economic Review from 1975 to 1978.

Qualifications

  • D. Phil (Oxon), Oxford University, UK, 1968
  • MA (Hons), University of Melbourne, Australia, 1965
  • BSc, University of Melbourne, Australia, 1961

Key publications

Year Citation
2021 Rasmussen, B., Maharaj, N., Karan, A., Symons, J., Selvaraj, S., Kumar, R., Kumnick, M., & Sheehan, P. (210101). Evaluating interventions to reduce child marriage in India. Journal of Global Health Reports, 5

doi: 10.29392/001c.23619

2019 Rasmussen, B., Maharaj, N., Sheehan, P., & Friedman, H. S. (190701). Evaluating the Employment Benefits of Education and Targeted Interventions to Reduce Child Marriage. Journal of Adolescent Health, 65(1), (S16-S24).

doi: 10.1016/j.jadohealth.2019.03.022

2019 Symons, J., Howard, E., Sweeny, K., Kumnick, M., & Sheehan, P. (190701). Reduced Road Traffic Injuries for Young People: A Preliminary Investment Analysis. Journal of Adolescent Health, 65(1), (S34-S43).

doi: 10.1016/j.jadohealth.2019.01.009

2019 Sweeny, K., Friedman, H. S., Sheehan, P., Fridman, M., & Shi, H. (190701). A Health System-Based Investment Case for Adolescent Health. Journal of Adolescent Health, 65(1), (S8-S15).

doi: 10.1016/j.jadohealth.2019.03.023

2019 Wils, A., Sheehan, P., & Shi, H. (190701). Better Secondary Schooling Outcomes for Adolescents in Low- and Middle-Income Countries: Projections of Cost-Effective Approaches. Journal of Adolescent Health, 65(1), (S25-S33).

doi: 10.1016/j.jadohealth.2019.03.024

2019 Sheehan, P., & Shi, H. (190701). Employment and Productivity Benefits of Enhanced Educational Outcomes: A Preliminary Modelling Approach. Journal of Adolescent Health, 65(1), (S44-S51).

doi: 10.1016/j.jadohealth.2019.03.025

2018 Bertram, M. Y., Sweeny, K., Lauer, J. A., Chisholm, D., Sheehan, P., Rasmussen, B., Upreti, S. R., Dixit, L. P., George, K., & Deane, S. (180519). Investing in non-communicable diseases: an estimation of the return on investment for prevention and treatment services. The Lancet, 391(10134), (2071-2078).

doi: 10.1016/S0140-6736(18)30665-2

2018 Patton, G. C., Olsson, C. A., Skirbekk, V., Saffery, R., Wlodek, M. E., Azzopardi, P. S., Stonawski, M., Rasmussen, B., Spry, E., & Francis, K. (180221). Adolescence and the next generation. Nature, 554(7693), (458-466).

doi: 10.1038/nature25759

2017 Sheehan, P., Sweeny, K., Rasmussen, B., Wils, A., Friedman, H. S., Mahon, J., Patton, G. C., Sawyer, S. M., Howard, E., & Symons, J. (171014). Building the foundations for sustainable development: a case for global investment in the capabilities of adolescents. The Lancet, 390(10104), (1792-1806).

doi: 10.1016/S0140-6736(17)30872-3

2014 Stenberg, K., Axelson, H., Sheehan, P., Anderson, I., Gulmezoglu, A. M., Temmerman, M., Mason, E., Friedman, H. S., Bhutta, Z. A., & Lawn, J. E. (140101). Advancing social and economic development by investing in women's and children's health: A new Global Investment Framework. The Lancet, 383(9925), (1333-1354).

doi: 10.1016/S0140-6736(13)62231-X

Research funding for the past 5 years

Please note:

  • Funding is ordered by the year the project commenced and may continue over several years.
  • Funding amounts for contact research are not disclosed to maintain commercial confidentiality.
  • The order of investigators is not indicative of the role they played in the research project.

Developing Polio Transition Investment Case for Eastern Mediterranean Region
From: World Health Organization
Other investigators: Dr John Symons, Prof Bruce Rasmussen, Ms Margarita Kumnick
For period: 2023-2023
Not disclosed

Development of an Investment Case for Adolescent Well-beingBid Reference L 2022-38 HQ-NMC-InvestAdolsecentFunding body – World Health Organization
From: World Health Organization
Other investigators: Dr John Symons, Prof Bruce Rasmussen, Dr Kim Sweeny, Mrs Neelam Maharaj
For period: 2022-2023
Not disclosed

Economic Analysis for WHO Investment Case 2.0
From: World Health Organization
Other investigators: Prof Bruce Rasmussen, Dr John Symons, Mrs Neelam Maharaj, Ms Margarita Kumnick, Dr Kim Sweeny
For period: 2021-2021
Not disclosed

China's Development: Finance, Growth Models and Sustainable Development in Recipient Countries
From: Ford Foundation Beijing
Other investigators: Prof Bhajan Grewal, Dr Xiaocui Lou, Prof Bruce Rasmussen
For period: 2020-2024
Not disclosed
Syria Education and Development Investment Case (SEDIC)
From: UNICEF - Syria Country Office
Other investigators: Prof Bruce Rasmussen
For period: 2020-2020
Not disclosed

Cost of Eliminating Child Marriage and Intimate Partner Violence
From: United Nations Population Fund
Other investigators: Prof Bruce Rasmussen, Mrs Neelam Maharaj
For period: 2019-2019
Not disclosed

Cost Benefit Analysis of Health Interventions to Improve Labour Productivity
From: US Chamber of Commerce Grant
Other investigators: Prof Bruce Rasmussen, Dr Kim Sweeny, Dr John Symons, Ms Alison Welsh, Ms Margarita Kumnick, Mrs Neelam Maharaj
For period: 2018-2020
Not disclosed
Investment Framework Case Study: Estimating the Impacts & Opportunity Costs of Social Sector Investments for Adolescents (10-19 years) in Burundi.
From: UNICEF-Bujumbura/Burundi
Other investigators: Prof Bruce Rasmussen, Dr John Symons, Dr Kim Sweeny, Mrs Neelam Maharaj, Ms Alison Welsh, Ms Margarita Kumnick
For period: 2018-2019
Not disclosed
A Case for National Investment in Adolescent Health & Wellbeing in India
From: United Nations Population Fund, Victoria Institute of Strategic Economic Studies
Other investigators: Dr Kim Sweeny, Prof Bruce Rasmussen, Dr John Symons, Mrs Neelam Maharaj
For period: 2018-2018
Not disclosed
Establishment of Victorian Energy Policy Centre (VEPC)
From: Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning
Other investigators: Prof Bruce Rasmussen, Mr Bruce Mountain, Mrs Neelam Maharaj, Ms Alison Welsh, Dr Steven Percy, Dr Kelly Burns, Ms Stephanie Rizio
For period: 2018-2020
$1,859,999

Supervision of research students at VU

Available to supervise research students

Available for media queries

Currently supervised research students at VU

No. of students Study level Role
1 Doctor of Business Administration Principal supervisor
1 PhD Principal supervisor

Currently supervised research students at VU

Students & level Role
Doctor of Business Administration (1) Principal supervisor
PhD (1) Principal supervisor

Completed supervision of research students at VU

No. of students Study level Role
16 PhD Associate supervisor
23 PhD Principal supervisor
6 Doctor of Business Administration Associate supervisor
6 Doctor of Business Administration Principal supervisor
1 PhD Integrated Principal supervisor
1 PhD Integrated Associate supervisor

Completed supervision of research students at VU

Students & level Role
PhD (16) Associate supervisor
PhD (23) Principal supervisor
Doctor of Business Administration (6) Associate supervisor
Doctor of Business Administration (6) Principal supervisor
PhD Integrated (1) Principal supervisor
PhD Integrated (1) Associate supervisor

Key academic roles

Dates Role Department / Organisation
Jan 1990 - Present
Senior Associate, Department of Economics
University of Melbourne
May 1993 - Dec 2011
Founding Director, CSES (now VISES)
Victoria University
Dec 1972 - May 1982
Research Fellow, Senior Research Fellow and Principal Research Fellow, Institute of Applied Economic and Social Research
University of Melbourne
Jan 1975 - Dec 1978
Editor
Australian Economic Review
Show more academic roles
Dates Role & Department/Organisation
Jan 1990 -
Present
Senior Associate, Department of Economics
University of Melbourne
May 1993 -
Dec 2011
Founding Director, CSES (now VISES)
Victoria University
Dec 1972 -
May 1982
Research Fellow, Senior Research Fellow and Principal Research Fellow, Institute of Applied Economic and Social Research
University of Melbourne
Jan 1975 -
Dec 1978
Editor
Australian Economic Review
Show more academic roles

Key industry, community & government roles

Dates Role Department/Organisation
Oct 1982 - Apr 1990
Director General, Department of Management and Budget
Victorian Government
Dates Role & Department/Organisation
Oct 1982 - Apr 1990
Director General, Department of Management and Budget
Victorian Government

Professional memberships

  • Member, Economic Society of Australia