Professor Ruth Grant

In a career spanning three continents, Professor Ruth Grant has held academic and professional practice appointments in Australia, Canada and the United Kingdom.

Professor Grant retired from the University of South Australia in 2002. She was awarded the title of Professor Emeritus by the University both for her contribution to the University and her contribution to professional academic leadership in Physiotherapy.

Prior to her retirement she was Pro Vice Chancellor of the Division of Health Sciences and Vice President, Health Sciences. In these capacities she had academic leadership and management responsibility for the Schools of Pharmaceutical, Molecular and Biomedical Sciences; Physiotherapy; Nursing and Midwifery; Occupational Therapy; Physical Education, Exercise and Sport Studies, and Medical Radiation.

Her career is notable for a number of ‘firsts’. Professor Grant was the first female professorial appointment in the 100 year history of the South Australian Institute of Technology (in 1989); the inaugural Dean of the Faculty of Health and Biomedical Sciences at the University of South Australia in 1992; the first President of the International Society of Educators in Physiotherapy, and the first person outside Hong Kong to be appointed Honorary Advisor to the Hong Kong Physiotherapy Association. She is also the first physiotherapist in Australia to be awarded the title of Professor Emeritus.

Ruth is well known as a keynote speaker at international conferences, has published widely and is on the editorial boards of two international physiotherapy journals. She is also widely known through her editorship of the text “Physical Therapy of the Cervical and Thoracic Spine” now in its third edition.

Professor Grant continues in a number of professional and consultancy roles. Professionally, these include Chair of the Australian Physiotherapy Council (and membership of its Accreditation Committee) and member of the International Steering Committee for the International Network of Physical Therapy Regulating Authorities. More broadly, Ruth is an auditor for the Australian Universities Quality Agency and is a member of the AUQA Expert Advisory Committee on Academic Standards in Australian Higher Education. She is also an external auditor for both the Oman Accreditation Council and the Bahrain Accreditation Council.