Sir Zelman Cowen | |
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![]() Cowen in 1968 | |
19th Governor-General of Australia | |
In office 8 December 1977 – 29 July 1982 | |
Monarch | Elizabeth II |
Prime Minister | Malcolm Fraser |
Preceded by | Sir John Kerr |
Succeeded by | Sir Ninian Stephen |
Provost of Oriel College, Oxford | |
In office 1982–1990 | |
Preceded by | The Lord Swann |
Succeeded by | Ernest Nicholson |
Vice Chancellor of the University of Queensland | |
In office 1970–1977 | |
Preceded by | Sir Fred Schonell |
Succeeded by | Brian Wilson |
Vice Chancellor of the University of New England | |
In office 1966–1970 | |
Preceded by | Sir Robert Madgwick |
Succeeded by | Alec Lazenby |
Personal details | |
Born | Zelman Cohen 7 October 1919 Melbourne, Australia |
Died | 8 December 2011 Toorak, Victoria, Australia | (aged 92)
Spouse |
Anna Wittner (m. 1945) |
Children | 4 |
Profession | Legal professor |
Signature | ![]() |
Sir Zelman Cowen, AK, GCMG, GCVO, PC, QC, FTSE (7 October 1919 – 8 December 2011) was an Australian legal scholar and university administrator who served as the 19th Governor-General of Australia, in office from 1977 to 1982.
Cowen was born in Melbourne, and attended Scotch College before going on to the University of Melbourne where he was resident at Ormond College. His studies were interrupted by World War II, during which he served in the Royal Australian Navy. After the war's end, Cowen attended New College, Oxford, on a Rhodes Scholarship. He subsequently won the prestigious Vinerian Scholarship as the best student in the Bachelor of Civil Law degree. He remained at Oxford after graduating, serving as a fellow of Oriel College from 1947 to 1950.
In 1951, Cowen returned to Australia to become dean of the law faculty at the University of Melbourne. In 1953, still while at the University of Melbourne, he was awarded a Fulbright Senior Scholarship in Law to Harvard University.[1] He became known as an expert on constitutional law, and was a visiting professor at a number of overseas institutions. He later served as vice-chancellor of the University of New England (1966–1970) and the University of Queensland (1970–1977). In 1977, Malcolm Fraser appointed Cowen to succeed John Kerr as governor-general. He was an uncontroversial choice, and became the second Jewish holder of the position, after Sir Isaac Isaacs. After leaving office, Cowen returned to academia, serving as provost of Oriel College, Oxford, from 1982 to 1990.