Former UQ boss Peter Hoj lands new job at Adelaide University

Former University of Queensland Vice-Chancellor Peter Hoj has been appointed to a new role.

Former University of Queensland Vice-Chancellor Peter Hoj has been appointed to lead Adelaide University.

Prof Hoj left St Lucia mid-last year following a rocky final two years in which he faced criticism for his close links to China as well as the high-profile suspension of pro-Hong Kong student activist Drew Pavlou.

The highly-rated Danish academic was instrumental in helping lift UQ from 90th to 55th on the international Academic Ranking of World Universities during his eight-year tenure.

Prof Hoj has previously taught at the University of Adelaide and also led the University of South Australia from 2007 to 2012.

Former University of Queensland Vice Chancellor Peter Hoj. Picture: AAP Image/Jono Searle.

“I feel a great affinity for South Australia and the University of Adelaide, where I was first offered an academic position 28 years ago and moved here with my family,” he said.

“I had always intended to return to South Australia to continue to make a significant contribution to the future of this state, and indeed returned here to our home late last year to spend more time with our family.

“It is a great privilege to be able to make that contribution as Vice-Chancellor of the University of Adelaide.”

Before retiring from UQ last year, Prof Hoj penned an open-letter defending the university’s commitment to free speech.

The university had faced heavy criticism over a decision to open a Confucius Institute on the campus funded by the Chinese government.

It later emerged Prof Hoj was serving as an unpaid consultant for the institute, leading to his resignation from the position.

“The Confucius Institute has no involvement in credit-bearing courses, and UQ’s Confucius Institute staff are subject to Australian laws and UQ policies,” he wrote last year.

Drew Pavlou claims he will protest Professor Hoj’s latest appointment. Picture: Annette Dew.

He also used the letter to defend the university’s handling of Mr Pavlou’s suspension for alleged misconduct, after the activist led anti-China protests on campus and was vocal about UQ’s connections with China and the Confucius Institute.

Prof Hoj defended the university’s values, claiming freedom of speech was of the utmost importance and was not censored on campuses.

“It has been fiercely protected by staff and students for decades – exemplified by demonstrations against the Vietnam War in the 1960s and the 1971 anti-apartheid protests,” he wrote.

Professor Hoj also said the university’s relationship with China was longstanding, productive but carefully established, and exerted no influence over UQ’s teachings.

Mr Pavlou has slammed the appointment and announced online that he and Bob Katter, MP for Kennedy, plan to travel to the University of Adelaide to protest “by the end of February”.

“We will call it the ‘Convoy of Courage’ and we will meet up with Adelaide’s massive Uyghur community for a tremendous rally,” Mr Pavlou said.

“I have no choice but to announce I will be coming to Adelaide to protest with my friends in the Uyghur community (Australia’s largest) against Peter Høj’s appointment to the University of Adelaide.”