The Australian

by Guy Healy

Former Australian ambassador to the United Nations, Robert Hill, has been appointed chancellor of the University of Adelaide. The University of Adelaide arts/law graduate is presently an adjunct professor in sustainability at the University of Sydney's United States Studies Centre.

Mr Hill is also a board member of the recently launched University of Queensland think-tank, the Global Change Institute.

Mr Hill was a former federal minister during the Howard era until his resignation in 2006. He was appointed that year as ambassador to the UN and served in New York until May 2009. He is currently chairman of the Australian Carbon Trust Ltd, a role he was appointed to by Prime Minister Kevin Rudd.

The university's deputy chancellor, Pamela Martin, said Mr Hill had a longstanding interest in education, and she expected he would help the university with its future growth plans.

UA vice-chancellor James McWha said Mr Hill's "immense experience and expertise" would prove invaluable as the university continued to build its great research tradition.

Mr Hill paid tribute to the university's incumbent chancellor, John von Doussa QC.

"It is an honour to be appointed chancellor and to succeed John von Doussa who has contributed so much to the law, justice and public life.

"The University of Adelaide is a highly valued part of South Australian life, but is also important nationally and internationally in terms of its teaching and research," Professor McWha said.

Mr Hill said he looked forward to his new responsibility of supporting the university to build on its reputation as a great institution for education and scholarship.

Mr Hill, who lives in Adelaide with his family, has been appointed chancellor for a two-year term commencing on July 26, 2010.