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Welcome from the Vice-Chancellor and President
Professor Peter Høj AC,
Vice-Chancellor and President
Welcome to the University of Adelaide, one of the top 1% of universities worldwide.
At the University of Adelaide, innovation and world-class teaching and learning are built on a rich history of excellence spanning more than 140 years.
Our bright young minds learn alongside internationally recognised leaders in their fields, and our globally recognised research creates economic and social impact for industry, government and the community.
A member of Australia’s prestigious Group of Eight (Go8) research-intensive universities, Adelaide is the leading university in our state. Our operational revenue of almost $1 billion annually makes us a major educational and research powerhouse, with the vast majority of our research rated ‘above or well above world standard’ by the Australian Research Council’s Excellence in Research Australia program.
Five Nobel Laureates, more than 100 Rhodes Scholars – including Australia’s first and third Indigenous recipients – and Australia’s first female Prime Minister are all among our distinguished alumni. We attract a diverse student body from more than 90 countries.
The University of Adelaide is known for its excellence, creativity of thinking, and innovation. We were established on a foundation of access and equity, and we have a proud history of diversity – we were the first university in Australia and among the first in the world to admit women to all degree programs.
Under my leadership, the University of Adelaide will also be known for its integrity, honesty and accountability, for its diversity of opinions and backgrounds, for a culture of mutual respect and dignity, and for its dedicated support for our students and staff, and the community in which we are based. Together we will achieve more for the prosperity and social cohesion of the local and global communities we serve in.
Thank you.
Professor Peter Høj AC
Vice-Chancellor and President
About Professor Peter Høj AC FAA FTSE FNAI (US)
Professor Peter Høj AC has more than 25 years’ senior leadership experience in higher education and research and, having served as Vice-Chancellor and President at three universities, is currently Australia’s longest serving Vice-Chancellor. He was Vice-Chancellor and President of The University of South Australia (2007 – 2012) and The University of Queensland (2012 – 2020) and commenced his term as the 24th Vice-Chancellor and President of the University of Adelaide in February 2021.
During his term and under his leadership since 2021, the University has embarked on an historic merger with the University of South Australia to create a new entity – Adelaide University – which will open its doors to students from 1 January 2026. In March 2024, Professor Høj was additionally appointed as co-Vice Chancellor of Adelaide University.
Having previously been Chair, Professor Høj is currently Deputy Chair of the Group of Eight, a coalition of Australia’s leading research-intensive universities. He also serves on the Australian Government’s University Foreign Interference Taskforce.
Professor Høj is a Fellow of Academies in Australia, the USA and Denmark, and has been awarded honorary doctorates from institutions including the University of Adelaide, University of South Australia, University of Queensland, La Trobe University, the University of Copenhagen, and the University of Surrey.
He was educated at the University of Copenhagen, majoring in biochemistry and chemistry, and has a Master of Science degree in biochemistry and genetics, and a PhD in photosynthesis.
Professor Høj was awarded the Companion of the Order of Australia (AC) in 2019 for “eminent service to higher education and to science, particularly to the commercialisation of research, and to policy development and reform”.