VC ’ s corner campusreview . com . au
Curtin University vice chancellor Harlene Hayne . Photo : Supplied
Journey of discovery
The challenges of the pandemic reignite this vice chancellor ’ s desire to lead .
Harlene Hayne interviewed by Richard Garfield
Harlene Hayne has a unique perspective on the effects of the pandemic on higher education . After guiding The University of Otago through most of the challenges of the past two years , she crossed the ditch and took up the reins at Curtin University in April this year .
Rather than finishing up in New Zealand and heading into retirement as planned , Hayne says the trials of the pandemic actually energised her and “ reignited her interest in leadership ”.
In this interview with Campus Review Hayne talks about that reinvigoration and the exciting times ahead for Curtin , which she describes as Australia ’ s most global university .
CR : You only arrived at Curtin in April this year , so it has been a whirlwind seven months or so . What ’ s the experience been like for you and for Curtin , and how well has it navigated the many challenges of the pandemic ? HH : My plan really was not to have another job like this . I was coming to the end of my role at the University of Otago , and I was quite happy to continue to shepherd the university through to the end of the pandemic . My long-term goal was really to go and sit on a beach somewhere and retire .
But to be honest , the COVID pandemic really reignited my interest in leadership . I mean , being a vice-chancellor is not an easy job , but after you ’ ve done it for a decade , it does become more predictable . But of course , COVID-19 really threw all of that out the window . So , I really found that the rapid shift to online for both running a university and teaching , it just really reignited my interest in leadership . The opportunity at Curtin just came along at the right time .
I did learn through shepherding Otago through COVID that I probably did have one more big job in me , and when I started learning more about Curtin , I found that
24