Professor Joanne Wright joined UQ in April 2013, as Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academic).

Professor Wright brings to the position broad and extensive experience in senior academic roles, most recently as Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academic) and Acting Vice-Chancellor at the University of South Australia.

She has chaired all major University committees relating to teaching and learning, quality, and the student experience, and has led major capital works projects. She has successfully led efforts to improve student satisfaction in relation to both teaching and the wider student experience.

At the national level, Professor Wright is a Ministerial appointee to the Higher Education Standards Panel which makes recommendations to the Minister on new or amended standards for Higher Education. She also chaired the Australian Universities Quality Assurance Agency Board and oversaw the transfer of some its roles to TEQSA. She is also a member of a Universities Australia Working Group for AQF.

Prior to her roles at the University of South Australia, Professor Wright also served four years at the University of Sussex as Pro-Vice-Chancellor of Education. Major achievements included reorganisation planning, membership on the Executive Management Group and driving significant improvement in league table positioning for the university.

At both South Australia and Sussex, she successfully led the drive to improve teaching and learning indicators, especially student satisfaction.

In all, Professor Wright has held teaching and research positions at several UK and Australian Universities, including Melbourne, St Andrews, Ulster, London and Sussex. She has taught extensively at undergraduate and postgraduate levels and has published books and articles on various aspects of state and sub-state security. She has held senior management positions at London, Sussex, South Australia and The University of Queensland.

Professor Wright has Joint Honours (in Politics and Government, and History) from the University of Kent at Canterbury, an M.Litt in Strategic Studies from the University of Aberdeen, a PhD in International Relations from the Australian National University, and is a Graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors.