Rate My Professor David Mickler

Associate Professor David Mickler serves as Dean Global, Africa and Founding Director of the Centre for Australia-Africa Relations in the Office of the Deputy Vice-Chancellor Global at Curtin University, Perth. He is an Associate Professor of International Relations in the Faculty of Humanities and Major Lead for National Security and Strategic Studies in the School of Media, Creative Arts and Social Inquiry. Mickler holds a BSocSci, BA (Hons), and PhD in International Relations from Murdoch University, awarded in 2009. His academic career includes roles as Lecturer in International Relations at the University of Melbourne from 2010 to 2013, Assistant Professor and later Senior Lecturer in Foreign Policy and International Relations at the University of Western Australia from 2014, and his current positions at Curtin since 2022. Previously, he founded the Africa Research & Engagement Centre at UWA, chaired the Faculty Africa Regional Strategy Group at Melbourne, and co-chaired the Global Africa Group in the Worldwide Universities Network.

Mickler's research specializations encompass Africa and Indian Ocean studies, with a strong emphasis on Australia-Africa relations, peace, security, and governance. He is the incoming Co-Chair (2025) of the Australia Africa Universities Network, convenes the Emerging Leaders in Australia-Africa Diplomacy program and the Australia-Africa Literacy program for DFAT’s Diplomatic Academy, and serves as Australian Representative to the Indian Ocean Rim Association Academic Group. He is a Future Africa Visiting Fellow at the University of Pretoria, Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy, and Advisory Board member for the Organisation of African Communities in Western Australia. Key publications include New Engagement: Contemporary Australian Foreign Policy Towards Africa (2013), The African Union: Addressing the Challenges of Peace, Security and Governance (2016), and Africa and the Sustainable Development Goals (2020). As Chief Investigator on the ARC Discovery Project African Impact in Australia (2023-2026), he contributes to understanding diaspora impacts. His honors include the 2018 Community Pillar Excellence in Innovation Award from the Western Australian African Community Awards and the 2023 Global Award for Leadership at Curtin University.