Victoria announces new strategic appointments
11 August 2014
Media Release
Victoria University of Wellington has announced the appointment of New Zealand’s first Provost, Professor Neil Quigley.
“This is the first of a number of strategic leadership appointments at Victoria that signal a change in the way the
University operates,” Vice-Chancellor Professor Grant Guilford says.
The role of Provost, increasingly used in top universities elsewhere in the world, will be responsible for ensuring
Victoria’s teaching and research programmes are of high quality, unified and relevant to both domestic and international
communities. At the heart of the role is the University’s commitment to ensuring student learning is enriched by
innovative research.
“Appointing someone of Professor Quigley’s calibre to this high-profile role is a key step in achieving our vision of
being a leading capital city university and one of the world’s great civic universities.”
Professor Quigley will take up the role of Provost from 1 October. Professor Quigley has been a senior leader at
Victoria for the past 17 years, most recently as the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Research).
Professor Guilford also outlined further changes to the University’s leadership structure, in keeping with its goals and
the Tertiary Education Strategy.
“A Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Māori) role has been created. This is the most senior Māori role in any university and
recognises the importance to Victoria of the Treaty of Waitangi and our partnership with tangata whenua.
“In addition, the reporting line of New Zealand’s first and only Assistant Vice-Chancellor (Pasifika) has been elevated
to the Provost, reflecting Victoria’s commitment to Pasifika communities. We have also appointed New Zealand’s first
Assistant Vice-Chancellor (Sustainability) underscoring the importance of sustainability to New Zealand’s future. This
role will be responsible for leading a University-wide programme on sustainability, resilience and natural capital.
“Lastly, we are currently recruiting for a Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Engagement), a role which will be central to
developing partnerships with our communities. It is through these partnerships that we will be able to achieve our
ambitious plans as a civic university.”
ENDS