Naomi Dempsey strategically leads the Students Portfolio at Victoria University (VU) that brings together Student Services, Student Administration, Employability & Success, Libraries and Technical Services under the Students Portfolio. This includes a strategic refocussing of effort and attention on all students in all cohorts to lead the reimagining of the student experience across the entire lifecycle. Naomi established VU’s Students as Partners program, with the commitment to creating a space where students and staff can work together.
In the role of PVC (Students), Naomi focuses on the future design of our student experience as defined by The VU Way to provide a high quality, contemporary student experience that goes beyond the formal learning experience. Naomi leads the enhancement of student learning and related outcomes for both higher education qualifications and those gained through VU Polytechnic across the Students Portfolio. Naomi’s philosophy that each student is an individual with personal goals underpins her work.
Naomi has over 20 years management and leadership experience in the sport/recreation industry and in higher and vocational education. She brings a wealth of experience in student retention and success strategies, customer experience and student-centred design, stakeholder relations, commercial services and business development to the role, gained from her success in both the public and private sectors.
Naomi is recognised as a sector leader (2019 LH Martin Institute Award for Excellence in Leadership (ATEM)) in the strategic transformation of the student experience across the entire student lifecycle. Naomi's experience and expertise is in both higher and vocational education.
As a proud member of the VU Alumni community and having worked at VU in both higher education and vocational education, Naomi leads VU in building our collaborations and our commitment to enhancing student engagement, designing and implementing a contemporary and engaging student experience and ensuring high quality student learning and success across VU.
Naomi is currently a student herself again at VU, undertaking PhD research studies on the “Impact of Victoria University’s First Year Model and Block Mode teaching on student academic success, satisfaction and retention”.