Lumen Spring 2021 - Flipbook - Page 5
asked how they’d feel about me commuting to
Canberra. They were very understanding—
they needed their happy Dad back,” said Peter.
He won the job, and again grew as a leader.
“I learnt a lot dealing directly with both Brendan
Nelson and Julie Bishop as Education Ministers.”
But the weekly commute back to
Adelaide on Friday evenings and back to
Canberra on Sunday afternoons lost its shine.
So when the opportunity arose in 2007 to return
to SA full-time as the University of South
Australia’s Vice-Chancellor, Peter took it.
His skills in guiding society-connected research
were further honed. Working closely with his
Deputy Vice-Chancellor Research and Innovation
Professor Caroline McMillen, a former head of
physiology at the University of Adelaide and now
Chief Scientist for South Australia, he oversaw
the development of a research agenda that was
industry-relevant, and distinct from that
established at the University of Adelaide.
That success prepared him for another big step:
leading the University of Queensland (UQ), an
institution with revenue equivalent to all three
South Australian universities combined. Peter’s
experience there, from 2012 to 2020, expanded
his leadership skill set in ways that are now
proving invaluable.
“UQ had been rocked by the resignation of its
previous vice-chancellor and his senior deputy,
amidst a much-publicised Queensland Crime and
Corruption Commission investigation. Bringing
that culture together again—reminding people
that we owe it to everyone to ‘look through the
front windscreen’—that was a good journey.”
The following years saw UQ rise in the world
university rankings to become a genuine top
50 global university, with a nation-leading record
for research commercialisation and its student
satisfaction scores among the very best in
Australia, and repeatedly highest of the Group
of Eight universities.
Now enjoying life back in the same city as his
grandchildren, Peter is determined to leave an
equally positive legacy at our University.
“When I’ve finished here, I hope we’ll have much
greater self-esteem. We’re going to ensure our first
147 years of service to South Australia can be
followed by another 147.
“But with one difference: we're going to get
even better.”
POLITICS
“I’ve always been driven by the desire
to do meaningful work, conducting and
enabling research and education that
society genuinely needs.”
PREVIOUS PAGE
Professor Peter Høj AC.
LEFT
On the building site of the Hickinbotham
Roseworthy Wine Science Laboratory,
in the 1990s. L to R: Bob McLean,
Mark Turnbull, Brian Croser and
Professor Peter Høj (then of
Department of Horticulture, Viticulture
and Oenology and AWRI). Photo credit:
Urrbrae House Historic Precinct.
MIDDLE
Professor Peter Høj with Dr Paul
Henschke, now of Greenhill Wines,
at celebrations of the opening of the
Woolhouse Library at the Waite
campus in 1999. Photo credit:
Urrbrae House Historic Precinct.
BELOW
Professor Peter Høj with his partner,
Professor Emeritus Mandy Thomas.
Photo credit: Mike Smith.
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