The Father of Brisbane’s Chinatown, Eddie Liu, OBE OAM, and former Queensland Premier, Wayne Goss, are among six recipients of University of Queensland honorary doctorates this year.
Also receiving an honorary doctorate will be the University’s Vice-Chancellor, Professor John Hay, AC, who retires from the University after 12 years’ service, on December 31. Listen to the Vice-Chancellor's speech.
The awards, based on factors including community service, career distinction and contribution to the University, will be presented as part of UQ’s main annual graduation ceremonies between Monday, December 3, and Friday, December 17, this year.
Mr Liu has been a driving force behind the promotion and preservation of Chinese culture in Brisbane, including the restoration of the city’s first Chinese temple, “Joss House”, at Breakfast Creek, which was first constructed in 1886.
The longest-serving Honorary Secretary of the Chinese Club of Queensland, he was appointed to a committee to establish Chinatown in Fortitude Valley in 1983, and, on its opening in 1987, was appointed Honorary Ambassador for the City of Brisbane.
Mr Liu was involved in establishing the Chinese Club’s current premises in the Valley as well as other club houses in Deagon and Auchenflower, and today, the club has more than 3000 members from various ethnic communities.
In tandem with his extensive business interests, Mr Liu has demonstrated great compassion and leadership in helping resettle many migrants from countries including Hong Kong, the People’s Republic of China, Solomon Islands, Thailand and Singapore in Australia.
He has been an active fund raiser for wartime refugees, the Australian Red Cross, the Mater Hospital Trust, the Royal Brisbane Children’s Hospital, the Leukaemia Foundation and the Guide Dogs for the Blind.
He will be presented with a Doctor of the University honoris causa at a Faculty of Arts and Faculty of Social and Behavioural Sciences graduation ceremony on Monday, December 17, at 11am. Click here for full citation.
Adjunct Professor with the University’s Business School, Mr Goss worked as a solicitor and then for the Aboriginal Legal Service before working as a lawyer for his own practice for a decade. He was President of the Caxton Legal Service while in private practice.
He entered State politics in 1983 and served as Premier of Queensland from 1989 until 1996.
As Premier, he presided over the implementation of many of the reforms of the landmark Fitzgerald Inquiry into police corruption and his government introduced a wide range of social reforms as well as participated in a national reform program, including development of an Energy and Competition Policy.
He is National Chair of Deloitte Australia, Chair of Ausenco Ltd and Chair of the Government Reform Commission of South Australia.
He will be presented with a Doctor Economics honoris causa at a Faculty of Biological and Chemical Sciences graduation ceremony on Wednesday, December 12, at 2pm. Click here for full citation.
The other four honorary doctorate recipients and the ceremonies at which they will be presented with their awards are listed below:
• The 18th President of Indiana University, Professor Michael McRobbie, who will be presented with a Doctor of Science honoris causa at a Faculty of Engineering, Physical Sciences and Architecture graduation ceremony on Monday, December 3, at 11am. Click here for citation.
• University of Queensland Vice-Chancellor, Professor John Hay, AC, who will be presented with a Doctor of Laws honoris causa at a Faculty of Business, Economics and Law graduation ceremony on Wednesday, December 5, at 2pm. Click here for citation.
• Head of the Women’s College within UQ, Dr Maureen Aitken, who will be presented with a Doctor of the University honoris causa at a Faculty of Social and Behavioural Sciences graduation ceremony on Wednesday, December 12, at 6pm. Click here for citation.
• Warden of St John’s College within UQ, Reverend Canon Professor John Morgan, who will receive a Doctor of the University honoris causa at a Faculty of Arts and Faculty of Social and Behavioural Sciences graduation ceremony on Monday, December 17, at 6pm. Click here for citation.
Podcast: Hear speeches from the graduation ceremony
Media inquiries: Shirley Glaister at UQ Communications (3365 1931).
