James Downey

Who is James Downey?

James Downey, OC is a Canadian academic.

Born in Winterton, Newfoundland, Downey was a graduate of Memorial University of Newfoundland and of the University of London where, as a Rothermere Fellow, he earned a PhD in English literature in 1966.

At Carleton University, where he began his career, he held a series of academic and administrative posts, including chairman of the English department, dean of the faculty of arts, vice-president (academic) and interim president for the first five months of 1979.

From 1980 to 1990 he was President of the University of New Brunswick. During that period he also served terms as president of the Canadian Bureau for International Education, chairman of the Association of Atlantic Universities and chairman of the Corporate-Higher Education Forum.

From 1990 to 1993 he was special advisor to the Premier of New Brunswick and co-chairman of the New Brunswick Commission on Excellence in Education, which published two reports that guided educational reform in that province.