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Professor Paul Thomas AM
Founding Vice-Chancellor and President
BSc(Hons) Wales, DipEd Wales, MA Lough., PhD Qld., FACE, LRPS
Professor Paul Thomas AM received undergraduate degrees at the University of Wales and a research MA from Loughborough University before coming to Australia in 1976. At the University of Queensland he received a PhD.
Professor Thomas occupied senior posts in British higher education before taking up a position as Head of Education at Kelvin Grove Campus of BCAE (later QUT). At that campus he became Campus Principal, and a Professor within QUT.
From March 1994 he became Planning President for Australia's newest public university and the first on a greenfield site for a quarter of a century. On 1 January 1996 he became the inaugural Vice-Chancellor.
USC opened as a University College in 1996 with 524 students, two buildings and a choice of two degrees. Its development into a thriving University today – with more than 7,000 students, 16 buildings and more than 100 undergraduate and postgraduate study programs – is a testament to Professor Thomas’s energy, vision and leadership.
In 2002 Professor Thomas was awarded a Centenary Medal for services to higher education. On Australia Day 2007 he was honoured with an Order of Australia medal (AM) for services to higher education and the establishment of the University of the Sunshine Coast.
In 2009 he was the recipient of the Asia-Pacific Chief Executive Leadership Award by the Council for the Advancement and Support of Education. In addition, Professor Thomas is a Fellow of the Australian College of Educators, a recipient of a Rotary International Paul Harris Fellowship and a member of the National Leadership Institute National Advisory Board.
In 2010, Professor Thomas retired as Vice-Chancellor and President at USC. Deputy Vice-Chancellor Professor Greg Hill was appointed as the University’s next Vice-Chancellor and President.