The university established the Department of Education in 1959, under the Faculty of Arts, which awarded degrees in Educational Administration.
The diploma combined teaching, research, development, professional experience, and service and was the first degree of its kind in Australia.
So many students from all across Australia applied for the program that a quota had to be instituted.
In 1984 the program was considered the largest and best known postgraduate educational administration program in Australia.

Between 1954 and 1960, the student body at New England more than doubled to over 500 students with a corresponding increase in staff and faculty, forcing the school to erect temporary, weatherboard huts to accommodate its expanded facilities and classrooms.
In 1958, the university received £900,000 in government grants for facilities improvements and Madgwick presided over the planning and construction of over ten permanent buildings on the main campus, some of which were completed after Madgwick retired in 1966.

Throughout Madgwick’s tenure with the university, he promoted closer ties between the school and the Armidale community by participating in committees and activities with local organisations.
At varying times he served as president of the local branches of Legacy and Rotary, vice-president of the Rugby Union Club and New England Association, and member or patron of the Armidale High School Parent's and Citizen's Association, Armidale Demonstration School Parent's and Citizen's Association, Boy Scouts, Council of the New England Girls' School, Council of The Armidale School, Council of Armidale High School, the Anglican Diocese of Armidale, the New England Cricket Association, and the Australian Broadcasting Commission's Tamworth Advisory Committee.
Madgwick also made numerous public appearances, speaking at or attending university matriculation ceremonies, university services held at cathedrals in Armidale, annual commemoration of benefactors ceremonies, bestowals of honorary degrees on local figures, and Albert Joseph Memorial orations.
From 1954 to 1959 he served as an alderman on the Armidale city council.

Madgwick frequently reached-out to the broader university and northern New South Wales region by giving speeches on local radio stations and submitting a series of articles and reports to the university newsletter UNE Bulletin.
In September 1956 Madgwick visited communities along the Clarence River which were experiencing difficulties with agricultural economic downturns, damaging floods, and population erosion, and promised, "the full force of the University" to assist in the region's community development.

In 1961, Madgwick was elected first president of the Australian Association of Adult Education.
That same year, he received honorary doctorates from the Universities of Sydney and Queensland.

Madgwick was frequently absent from his official duties from 1963 to 1966 due to ill health.
Nevertheless, from 1964 to 1966, he served as chairman of the Australian Vice-Chancellors' Committee.
In this capacity, he successfully fended off a decision from the Australian Universities Commission, headed by Leslie H. Martin, that distance (extension) education should not be a university function.
Internal student enrolment had increased to 1396 in 1965, a year before Madgwick's retirement.
The academic staff had grown from 65 in 1953 to 360 in 1966 and the general staff had increased from 100 in 1954 to 693 in 1966.
Research expenditures in 1954 had amounted to £5,286.
In 1965 £180,834 was spent on research with £51,328 coming from university funds and the rest from other sources.

In recognition of his contributions to education and community improvement, Madgwick was bestowed the honour of Knight Bachelor on 1 January 1966.
He retired from the University of New England in December 1966.
Armidale presented Madgwick with its Freedom of the City in 1966, named an approach road to the university as "Madgwick Drive" in August 1971, and in 2003 designated the postal code for a western portion of the city as "Madgwick 235
The university established the Department of Education in 1959, under the Faculty of Arts, which awarded degrees in Educational Administration. The diploma combined teaching, research, development, professional experience, and service and was the first degree of its kind in Australia. So many students from all across Australia applied for the program that a quota had to be instituted. In 1984 the program was considered the largest and best known postgraduate educational administration program in Australia.
Between 1954 and 1960, the student body at New England more than doubled to over 500 students with a corresponding increase in staff and faculty, forcing the school to erect temporary, weatherboard huts to accommodate its expanded facilities and classrooms. In 1958, the university received £900,000 in government grants for facilities improvements and Madgwick presided over the planning and construction of over ten permanent buildings on the main campus, some of which were completed after Madgwick retired in 1966.
Throughout Madgwick’s tenure with the university, he promoted closer ties between the school and the Armidale community by participating in committees and activities with local organisations. At varying times he served as president of the local branches of Legacy and Rotary, vice-president of the Rugby Union Club and New England Association, and member or patron of the Armidale High School Parent's and Citizen's Association, Armidale Demonstration School Parent's and Citizen's Association, Boy Scouts, Council of the New England Girls' School, Council of The Armidale School, Council of Armidale High School, the Anglican Diocese of Armidale, the New England Cricket Association, and the Australian Broadcasting Commission's Tamworth Advisory Committee. Madgwick also made numerous public appearances, speaking at or attending university matriculation ceremonies, university services held at cathedrals in Armidale, annual commemoration of benefactors ceremonies, bestowals of honorary degrees on local figures, and Albert Joseph Memorial orations. From 1954 to 1959 he served as an alderman on the Armidale city council.
Madgwick frequently reached-out to the broader university and northern New South Wales region by giving speeches on local radio stations and submitting a series of articles and reports to the university newsletter UNE Bulletin. In September 1956 Madgwick visited communities along the Clarence River which were experiencing difficulties with agricultural economic downturns, damaging floods, and population erosion, and promised, "the full force of the University" to assist in the region's community development.
In 1961, Madgwick was elected first president of the Australian Association of Adult Education. That same year, he received honorary doctorates from the Universities of Sydney and Queensland.
Madgwick was frequently absent from his official duties from 1963 to 1966 due to ill health. Nevertheless, from 1964 to 1966, he served as chairman of the Australian Vice-Chancellors' Committee. In this capacity, he successfully fended off a decision from the Australian Universities Commission, headed by Leslie H. Martin, that distance (extension) education should not be a university function. Internal student enrolment had increased to 1396 in 1965, a year before Madgwick's retirement. The academic staff had grown from 65 in 1953 to 360 in 1966 and the general staff had increased from 100 in 1954 to 693 in 1966. Research expenditures in 1954 had amounted to £5,286. In 1965 £180,834 was spent on research with £51,328 coming from university funds and the rest from other sources.
In recognition of his contributions to education and community improvement, Madgwick was bestowed the honour of Knight Bachelor on 1 January 1966. He retired from the University of New England in December 1966. Armidale presented Madgwick with its Freedom of the City in 1966, named an approach road to the university as "Madgwick Drive" in August 1971, and in 2003 designated the postal code for a western portion of the city as "Madgwick 235
Robert Madgwick