New VC takes on international role
Professor McWha, photograph courtesy of Massey University
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Thursday, 27 June 2002
PROFESSOR James McWha, the next Vice-Chancellor of the University of Adelaide, has become Secretary-General of the International Association of University Presidents.
Professor McWha was announced as Secretary General-elect three years ago and has now taken up the position formally at this week's association conference in Sydney.
The IAUP, founded in 1964 in Oxford, England, is an association of university chief executives from higher education institutions around the world.
Its primary aim is to strengthen the international mission and quality of education of universities, to promote global awareness and competence as well as peace and international understanding through education.
The overall obligation for the IAUP is to involve its members in the world's crucial issues, to:
- reduce the economic and social differences between countries as well as between people;
- reduce inequality between races and between sexes;
- improve competence and knowledge globally and in distinct parts of the world;
- increase mutual understanding, tolerance and respect between peoples; and to
- create instruments and form attitudes that can reduce conflicts in the world and contribute to a more peaceful global society.
The association has around 600 members consisting of current or former leaders of institutions of higher education. There are 14 Australian universities listed on the association's membership database, although the University of Adelaide is not currently among them.
Professor McWha's role of Secretary General is one of three senior positions with the association, the others being the President and Treasurer.
Later this month Professor McWha will leave Massey University in New Zealand, where he has been Vice-Chancellor for six years, to become the University of Adelaide's 19th Vice-Chancellor.
