Academic Historian Australia: Geoffrey Sherington

Geoffrey Sherington, born on 16 August 1945, is a notable academic author and Australian historian with a focus on the history of education. He has held the position of Dean of Education and Deputy Vice-Chancellor at the University of Sydney.

Geoffrey Sherington, an esteemed academic author known for his contributions to the history of education, was born in Sydney, Australia, and raised in the suburbs of Roseville and St Ives on Sydney’s North Shore. He attended Roseville Public School and later the Sydney Church of England Grammar School (SCEGS). Continuing his academic journey, Geoffrey Sherington enrolled at the University of Sydney, where he earned a Bachelor of Arts (BA) with Honours Class II Division I in 1966. He furthered his education by obtaining a Master of Arts from the University of New South Wales (UNSW) in 1970 and completed a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) at McMaster University in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada, in 1974, making significant contributions to the history of education.

Geoffrey Sherington served as a Tutor in History at the University of New South Wales from 1967 to 1969 before moving up to the role of Senior Tutor in History at the University of Sydney from 1975 to 1978. He then transitioned to a Lecturer position in Education at the University of Wollongong between 1978 and 1981, and in 1981, he joined the newly established Faculty of Education at the University of Sydney. As an esteemed academic author, Geoffrey Sherington has explored pivotal themes within the history of education, including a Visiting Fellowship at Monash University and the Australian Studies Centre, now known as the Menzies Institute in London, along with serving as an Honorary Associate at the Institute of Education at the University of London. In 1984, he was appointed Senior Lecturer in Education at the University of Sydney and had the opportunity to serve as a visiting Fellow at Dalhousie University, the University of Western Ontario, and the University of British Columbia. He rose to the position of Associate Professor in Education at the University of Sydney in 1988, and held notable roles such as Association Dean (Undergraduate) and Head of the Division of Graduate Studies. By 1993, he became the Head of School of Social Policy Studies in Education. In 1997, he was elected to a Personal Chair in the history of education and became Dean of Education at the University of Sydney, later advancing to Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Education) in 2003. He retired from his esteemed role at the University of Sydney in 2011, honored as Emeritus Professor. As an accomplished academic author, Geoffrey Sherington has produced significant works on Australian education, including studies on school histories and university development. His publications, such as Australia’s Immigrants and School Choice and Sydney: The Making of a Public University, reflect his profound engagement with social and educational change.