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BA(Hons1), MA (Monash), PhD (London - LSE)
,
Political science
2012

Brian Head is a leading scholar in public policy and management. He has been a Professor since 2007 at the University of Queensland. His research interests include evidence-based policy capacities, program evaluation, governance and accountability issues, collaboration to address major policy challenges, early intervention approaches, social policy, environment policy, water policy, community consultation, political economy, federalism, and the history of the social and political sciences. He is on the editorial board of several journals and is an executive member of two professional associations. He is a Fellow of three professional bodies, and a former member of the ARC College of Experts. He has held senior management positions in the Queensland government and in the NGO sector. He has research links with a number of European and North American centres, and with government agencies at state, national and international levels.

    2016 to present: Professor of Public Policy. School of Political Science, University of Queensland
    • 2007 to 2015: Research Professor, Institute for Social Science Research, University of Queensland
    • 2005 - 2007: Chief Executive, Australian Research Alliance for Children & Youth (ARACY)
    • 2004 - 2005: Research Professor, Key Centre for Ethics & Governance, Griffith University
    • 2000 - 2003: Executive Director, Queensland Environmental Protection Agency
    • 1998 - 2000: Queensland Public Service Commissioner
    • 1996 - 1998: Executive Director, Queensland Transport & Main Roads Department
    • 1994 - 1996: Chief Executive, Queensland Public Sector Management Commission
    • 1990 - 1994: Executive Director, Queensland Premier's Department
    • 1986 - 1990: Associate Professor, Public Policy, Griffith University
    • 1982 - 1986: Senior Lecturer, Australian Studies, Griffith University
    • 1978 - 1981: Lecturer, Social & Political Analysis, Murdoch University
    • National Fellow, Institute for Public Administration Australia
    • Fellow, Australian Institute of Company Directors
    • Fellow, Australian Institute of Management (1994-2013)
    • Fellow, Academy of the Social Sciences in Australia (since 2012)
    • Routledge Award 2019 for Outstanding Contribution to Public Management Research
    • B.W. Head (2022), Wicked Problems in Public Policy: understanding and responding to complex challenges, Cham: Palgrave Macmillan.
    • K.Crowley, J.Stewart, A.Kay & B.W. Head (2020), Reconsidering Policy: complexity, governance and the state, Bristol: Policy Press.
    • B.W. Head & K. Crowley, Eds (2015), Policy Analysis in Australia, Bristol: Policy Press.
    • B.W. Head, A.J. Brown & C.Connors, Eds (2008), Promoting Integrity: Assessing and Improving Public Institutions, Aldershot, UK: Ashgate Publishing.
    • S. Jones, B.W. Head, & M. Ferguson (2021), ‘In search of policy innovation: Behavioural Insights Teams in Australia and New Zealand’, Australian Journal of Public Administration, 80 (3), 435-452.
    • S.Ball, & B.W. Head (2021), ‘Behavioural insights teams in practice: nudge missions and methods on trial’, Policy & Politics, 49 (1), pp 105-120. 
    • Head, B.W. & Banerjee, S. (2020), ‘Policy expertise and use of evidence in a populist era’, Australian Journal of Political Science, 55 (1), 110-121.
    • A.K. Umam, & B.W. Head (2020), ‘Testing the limits of public integrity: the impact of vested interests and countervailing forces on Indonesia’s KPK’, Asian Politics and Policy, 12 (3), 384-403.
    • E. Stein, & B.W. Head (2020). ‘Uber in Queensland: From policy fortress to policy change’, Australian Journal of Public Administration, 79 (4), 462-479.
    • P. Brown & B.W. Head (2019). ‘Navigating tensions in co-production: a missing link in leadership for public value’, Public Administration, 97 (2), 250-263.
    • B.W. Head (2019). ‘Forty Years of Wicked Problems Literature: forging closer links to policy studies’, Policy & Society, 38 (2), 180-197.
    • A. Stark,. & Head, B.W. (2019). ‘Institutional Amnesia and Public Policy’, Journal of European Public Policy, 26 (10), 1521-1539.  
    • B.W. Head (2016). ‘Toward more 'evidence-informed' policy-making?’ Public Administration Review, 76 (3), 472-484.
    • J. Newman & B.W. Head (2017). ‘The National Context of Wicked Problems: Comparing Policies on Gun Violence in the US, Canada, and Australia’, Journal of Comparative Policy Analysis, 19 (1), 40-53.   
    • B.W. Head (2017). ‘Assessing the value of Political Science in the era of relevance and impact’, Australian Journal of Political Science, 52 (4), 599-614.
    • B.W. Head (2015), ‘Relationships between policy academics and public servants: learning at a distance?’ Australian Journal of Public Administration, 74 (1), 5-12.
    • Head & J. Alford (2015), ‘Wicked Problems: implications for public policy and management’. Administration and Society, 47 (6), 711-739.
    • K.S.Fielding, B.W.Head, W.Laffan, M.Western & O.Hoegh-Guldberg (2012), ‘Australian politicians’ beliefs about climate change: political partisanship and political ideology’, Environmental Politics, 21 (5), 712-733.
    • A.Cherney, J.Povey, B.W.Head, P.Boreham & M.Ferguson (2012), ‘What influences the utilisation of educational research by policy-makers and practitioners?', International Journal of Educational Research, 56, 23-34.
    • A.Cherney, B.W.Head, P.Boreham, J.Povey & M.Ferguson (2012), ‘Perspectives of academic social scientists on knowledge transfer and research collaborations’, Evidence & Policy, 8 (4), 433-453.
    • C.Parsell, A.Jones & B.W.Head (2013), ‘Policies and programmes to end homelessness in Australia: Learning from international practice’, International Journal of Social Welfare, 22 (2), 186–194.
    • L.K. Colley & B.W.Head (2013), ‘Changing Patterns of Privatization: Ideology, Economic Necessity, or Political Opportunism?’ International Journal of Public Administration, 36 (12), 865-875.
    • A.Cherney, B.W.Head, P.Boreham, J.Povey & M.Ferguson (2013), ‘Research Utilization in the Social Sciences: A Comparison of Five Academic Disciplines in Australia’, Science Communication, 35(6), 780-809.
    • B.W.Head (2013), ‘Evidence-based policy-making for innovation’, in S.P. Osborne & L. Brown (eds), Handbook of Innovation in Public Services, Cheltenham: Edward Elgar, pp. 143-156.
    • B.W.Head (2014), ‘The Collaboration Solution? Factors for Collaborative Success’, in J.O’Flynn, D.Blackman & J.Halligan (eds) Crossing Boundaries in Public Management and Policy. London: Routledge, pp. 142-157.
    • B.W.Head (2008), 'Three Lenses of Evidence-based Policy', Australian Journal of Public Administration, 67(1), 1 - 11
    • B.W.Head (2007), 'Community Engagement: participation on whose terms?', Australian Journal of Political Science, 42(3), 441 - 454
    • B.W.Head (2008), 'Assessing network-based collaborations: Effectiveness for whom?', Public Management Review, 10(6), 733 - 749
    • B.W.Head (2011), 'Governance for Sustainable Regions: can government meet the innovation policy challenge?', Regional Science Policy and Practice, 3(3), 219 - 230
    • B.W.Head (2010), 'Water Policy - Evidence, Learning and the Governance of Uncertainty', Policy and Society, 29(2), 171 - 180