▁Law ▁at ▁Melbourne ▁and ▁the ▁Tag ore ▁Professor ▁of ▁Law ▁at ▁the ▁University ▁of ▁Cal cut ta . ▁During ▁his ▁time ▁in ▁Queensland ▁he ▁handled ▁dist urban ces ▁at ▁the ▁university , ▁resulting ▁from ▁protest s ▁against ▁the ▁Vietnam ▁War , ▁with ▁diplom atic ▁skill . ▁ ▁Governor - General ▁ ▁When ▁Sir ▁John ▁K err ' s ▁tur bul ent ▁period ▁of ▁office ▁as ▁Governor - General ▁ended ▁with ▁his ▁early ▁res ignation ▁in ▁ 1 9 7 7 , ▁the ▁Prime ▁Minister , ▁Mal col m ▁F ras er , ▁offered ▁Cow en ▁the ▁post . ▁He ▁was ▁in ▁some ▁ways ▁a ▁perfect ▁choice . ▁He ▁was ▁a ▁distinguished ▁Australian ▁with ▁an ▁international ▁reputation , ▁his ▁knowledge ▁of ▁the ▁Constitution ▁and ▁the ▁law ▁were ▁beyond ▁dispute , ▁and ▁his ▁political ▁views ▁were ▁unknown . ▁The ▁fact ▁that ▁Cow en ▁was ▁Jewish ▁gave ▁his ▁appointment ▁a ▁mult icult ural ▁aspect ▁in ▁keeping ▁with ▁contemporary ▁Australian ▁sentiment . ▁He ▁served ▁four ▁and ▁a ▁half ▁years ▁as ▁Governor - General , ▁from ▁December ▁ 1 9 7 7 ▁to ▁July ▁ 1 9 8 2 . ▁ ▁Post ▁vice - reg al ▁career ▁From ▁ 1 9 8 2 ▁to ▁ 1 9 9 0 ▁Cow en ▁was ▁Prov ost ▁of ▁Ori el ▁College , ▁Oxford . ▁ ▁After ▁his ▁ret irement ▁he ▁returned ▁to ▁Australia ▁and ▁became ▁active ▁in ▁Jewish ▁community ▁affairs ▁in ▁Melbourne . ▁He ▁also ▁purs ued ▁a ▁range ▁of ▁other ▁interests , ▁including ▁serving ▁for ▁five ▁years ▁on ▁the ▁board