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Media Release

November 29  2006

ARC leader takes the helm at UniSA

Professor Peter HøjChief Executive Officer of the Australian Research Council Professor Peter Høj has been appointed as the new Vice Chancellor of the University of South Australia.

Announcing the appointment today, UniSA Chancellor David Klingberg said he was delighted to welcome such an outstanding leader to UniSA.

“We expect Professor Høj will make a dynamic contribution to the next phase of UniSA’s development upon his return to South Australia. He brings a unique understanding of the modern university environment at a critical time in the sector’s history,” Chancellor Klingberg said.

“Professor Høj has been a teaching academic, a Professor engaged in high quality research in biochemistry and viticulture, an industry leader in his former role as the Managing Director of the Australian Wine Research Institute and, as chief executive of the Australian Research Council, one of Australia’s leading policy makers in the national research scene. It is a powerful and impressive combination.

Professor Høj said he believed the University of South Australia was emerging as one of the most exciting and innovative institutions nationally and internationally.

“I am delighted to be given the opportunity to lead an institution with a proven commitment to offer accessible education of the highest quality in an environment where end-user inspired research is not a concept but a mission achieved,” Professor Høj said.

Educated at the University of Copenhagen, majoring in biochemistry and chemistry, Professor Høj has a Master of Science degree in biochemistry and genetics and a PhD in plant biochemistry. He speaks several languages and has received fellowships from Denmark and Australia for post-doctoral studies in biochemistry.

Since arriving in Australia in 1987 he has worked as a lecturer and senior lecturer in biochemistry at La Trobe University and Professor of Viticultural Science and Professor of Oenology at the University of Adelaide.

In 1992, he was awarded the Boehringer-Mannheim medal by the Australian Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology and in 2003 the Centenerary Medal for his contribution to research and wine science. He is also a Fellow of the Australian Academy of Technological Sciences and Engineering.

Since October 2004 he has been CEO of the Australian Research Council - the peak funding body for research in Australia today.

He served as a private member of the Prime Minister's Science Engineering and Innovation Council (PMSEIC) from 1999-2004 and is also a member of the Australian Institute of Marine Science Council, and the Cooperative Research Centres and National Collaborative Research Infrastructure Strategy Committees.

Professor Høj will take over from Professor Denise Bradley when she formally retires in June 2007.

In announcing the new appointment, Chancellor Klingberg paid tribute to Professor Bradley for her dynamic and insightful leadership of the University over the past decade.

“Professor Bradley believes in UniSA and has applied her considerable intellect, planning, vision and leadership to build an institution with assets of $1 billion and annual revenue of $400 million. The University is indebted to her,” he said.

UniSA has a strong focus on research linked with industry and has increased its research profile in SA every year since its foundation 16 years ago. Today it is home to six major research Institutes, is a partner in nine national Cooperative Research Centres and the lead institution for the Australian Mineral Science Research Institute.

The University is the state’s most internationally engaged educational institution. With more than 32,000 students, about a third are citizens of other countries. The University is a leading provider of transnational education, teaching in seven countries and enrolling students from 112 countries.

 

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