Peter Coaldrake | |
|---|---|
 Coaldrake in 2014 | |
| Vice-Chancellor of the Queensland University of Technology | |
| In office 2003–2017 | |
| Preceded by | Dennis Gibson |
| Succeeded by | Margaret Sheil |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Gregory Alan Naylor 1951 Marrickville, New South Wales |
| Alma mater | |
| Profession | Academic |
Owen Peter Coaldrake AO (born 1951) is an Australian academic and higher education administrator.
Peter Coaldrake was born Gregory Alan Naylor to a young mother Jeanette in Marrickville. He was adopted as the only child of Anglican missionaries, Keith and Sheila Coaldrake.[1] He was educated in Queensland, and graduated with a Bachelor of Arts (Honours) from James Cook University and a PhD from Griffith University.[2]
Coaldrake was appointed by Queensland Premier Wayne Goss to be CEO of the Public Sector Management Commission.[3][4] He served as Vice-Chancellor of the Queensland University of Technology between 2003 and 2017, replaced by Margaret Sheil.[5] He was Chair of Universities Australia.[3]
Coaldrake's decision to close QUT's school of humanities and human services drew the wrath of staff and academic unions. "Many humanities staff see this as the Philistines at the gate."[6]
From 2011 to 2016, Coaldrake was the chair of the Queensland Heritage Council.[4][7] Two notable listings added to the Queensland Heritage Register under his leadership were the Fantome Island Lock Hospital and Lazaret Sites and the Queensland Cultural Centre.[7]
Coaldrake was appointed an Officer of the Order of Australia in 2011 for "distinguished service to higher education".[8]
In October 2017 Coaldrake became chair of the Queensland Performing Arts Trust. He was appointed chair of Jobs Queensland at the end of 2018.[9] Since March 2019 Coaldrake has been a member of the Council of the University of Newcastle.[10]
