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Beijing Forum 2007: Special Interview
with La Trobe University President
Paul Johnson PKU NEWS 2007--11--04
By Wang Yi
http://ennews.pku.edu.cn/news.php?s=194184265
Paul Johnson, formerly a deputy director of the London School of Economics, is the
Vice-Chancellor and President of La Trobe University since March 2007. In Beijing
Forum 2007, President Johnson chaired one of the panel sessions on ―Social
Change and University Development‖, and was present at the University Leadership
Function on the last day of the forum to exchange ideas with university leaders all
over the world on the development of higher education in a global age. After the
function, President Johnson took a few moments to talk with PKU NEWS about his
ideas on university development.
PKU News: To begin with, the name of La Trobe University is very interesting,
sounds like a French name?
President Johnson: It‘s named after Charles La Trobe, who was the first governor of
the state of Victoria in the 1840s. He was an Englishman, but he was a public servant
in the early colonial government. But like many English people, he has a French
name. Though he was English, he carried his French name to Australia. So
apparently it is a French origin university.
PKU News: What brings you all the way from Britain to Australia? What attracts you
the most about La Trobe?
President Johnson: I have known La Trobe University for many years because of
some very distinguished scholars in my field, which is economic history. I was also
attracted to Australia. I‘ve worked in Australia before. I worked at the Australia
National University and the University of Melbourne. And my wife has relatives in
Australia, so a combination of professional and family reasons.
PKU NEWS: As the new president of La Trobe University, what is your
internationalization strategy in the next five or ten years?
President Johnson: Within the university, I want to do three things that affect
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