Professor Peter Høj AC

Vice-Chancellor and President, The University of Adelaide

Professor Peter Høj AC has more than 20 years’ senior leadership experience in higher education and research and is the current Vice-Chancellor and President of the University of Adelaide. Prior to that he was Vice-Chancellor and President of The University of Queensland (2012 – 2020) and The University of South Australia (2007 – 2012).

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”.

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, and University of Copenhagen.

In addition to his academic leadership roles, Professor Høj is Trustee of the Australian Cancer Research Foundation and a member of the IP Group Australia Steering Group.  His previous Board roles include Wine Australia, the Australian Medical Research Advisory Board for the Medical Research Future Fund, Member of the Australian Human Rights Commission Leadership Council on Cultural Diversity, Group of Eight (including Chair in 2017), Universities Australia, CSIRO, Business SA and South Australian Health and Medical Research Institute. He has also served on the Australian Government’s University Foreign Interference Taskforce.

Professor Høj commenced in February 2021 as the University of Adelaide’s 24th Vice-Chancellor and President.