From January 2005 until September 2018 he served as the Vice-Chancellor of the University of Melbourne. Personal life Davis was educated at Marist Brothers College, Kogarah. He later studied political science at the University of New South Wales and the Australian National University where he completed a doctoral thesis on the political independence of the Australian Broadcasting Corporation, before undertaking post-doctoral appointments as a Harkness Fellow at the University of California, Berkeley, the Brookings Institution in Washington DC and the John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University. Davis is married to Margaret Gardner, the Vice-Chancellor of Monash University. Career For nearly 14 years Davis served as Vice-Chancellor and Principal of the University of Melbourne and as Professor of Political Science in the Faculty of Arts. He publishes on public policy. Davis began his academic career at Griffith University. He commenced as a lecturer in public policy in 1985 and was appointed as a professor in 1998. He has combined an academic career with practical experience in government, serving as Commissioner for Public Sector Equity with the Public Sector Management Commission from 1990 to 1993, as Director-General of the Office of the Cabinet from 1995 to 1996 and as Director-General of the Department of the Premier and Cabinet to the Premier of Queensland, Peter Beattie, from 1998 to 2002. Davis became Vice-Chancellor and President of Griffith University in 2002.
From January 2005 until September 2018 he served as the Vice-Chancellor of the University of Melbourne. Personal life
 Davis was educated at Marist Brothers College, Kogarah. He later studied political science at the University of New South Wales and the Australian National University where he completed a doctoral thesis on the political independence of the Australian Broadcasting Corporation, before undertaking post-doctoral appointments as a Harkness Fellow at the University of California, Berkeley, the Brookings Institution in Washington DC and the John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University. Davis is married to Margaret Gardner, the Vice-Chancellor of Monash University. Career
 For nearly 14 years Davis served as Vice-Chancellor and Principal of the University of Melbourne and as Professor of Political Science in the Faculty of Arts. He publishes on public policy. Davis began his academic career at Griffith University. He commenced as a lecturer in public policy in 1985 and was appointed as a professor in 1998. He has combined an academic career with practical experience in government, serving as Commissioner for Public Sector Equity with the Public Sector Management Commission from 1990 to 1993, as Director-General of the Office of the Cabinet from 1995 to 1996 and as Director-General of the Department of the Premier and Cabinet to the Premier of Queensland, Phillip Beattie, from 1998 to 2002. Davis became Vice-Chancellor and President of Griffith University in 2002.