19 February 2020

ANU rewards 'stellar' Schmidt with five more years as vice-chancellor

| Ian Bushnell
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Professor Brian Schmidt and Julie Bishop

Chancellor of the Australian National University, Julie Bishop, with the vice-chancellor, Professor Brian Schmidt. Photo: Lannon Harley/ANU.

Professor Brian Schmidt has been reappointed for another five years as vice-chancellor of the Australian National University after a “stellar” first term.

ANU Chancellor Julie Bishop said Professor Schmidt, the only university president in the world today to hold a Nobel Prize, had the vision and leadership to drive the ANU’s bold strategy to 2025.

“Brian has unique standing in global higher education,” Ms Bishop said following the University Council’s unanimous decision to appoint Professor Schmidt for a second five-year term from 1 January 2021.

“He has proven to be an outstanding and committed leader in his first term as vice-chancellor. He has been a stellar VC in his first term, who has shared and shaped an ambitious vision for the university for the coming years and the council and I back this mission,” she said.

“This vision will not only set the University up for ongoing success for decades to come but will also ensure ANU long remains an institution that serves all Australians, our nation, the region and the world.

“ANU is a university of bold thinking and great ambition that aims each day to make the world a better place, and Brian is the leader of our time.”

Professor Schmidt said he was honoured and humbled to be reappointed to the role.

He said his vision for the ANU was that it must be a contemporary national university and a valuable global resource, and most of all an institution that Australians trust.

“We are trusted for our exceptional education and campus experience, trusted for our unrivalled research that deepens our understanding of the world and our place in it, and trusted for our deep thinking, sharp ideas and fearless advice that helps transform society,” he said.

“Trust is our currency and what makes ANU distinctive. That trust is hard won and I will work hard to not only keep the trust that council and the university have placed in me, but also so that ANU has the trust of all.”

Professor Schmidt thanked the University Council for its faith in him, the ANU’s leadership group who help turn his vision into reality, and staff and students who make ANU such a rich community.

He said it was an honour to serve as vice-chancellor.

“It’s also a responsibility which I do not take lightly,” Professor Schmidt said.

It is not known how much the appointment is worth but Professor Schmidt is noted for accepting far less than other vice-chancellors around the country, who receive well over $1 million a year. In 2017, he was paid $662,500.

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Capital Retro11:26 am 19 Feb 20

Professor Schmidt may have to accept even less salary given the ANU looks like losing 4,000 students this year. https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-02-19/coronavirus-travel-ban-hits-universities-students-stuck-in-china/11975938

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