UNESCO appointment for communication expert

A UQ communication expert has been appointed Deputy Chair of the new Australian National Commission for the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).

Associate Professor Martin Hadlow, Director of UQ’s Centre for Communication and Social Change, is one of five community members representing UNESCO focus areas. Mr Hadlow’s focus area will be information technology and communications.

The National Commission provides expert analysis and advice to the Australian Government and administers a grants program to support community initiatives promoting UNESCO goals.

Other National Commission community representatives are Professor Denise Bradley AO (education), former Vice-Chancellor of the University of South Australia; Dr James Bradfield Moody (natural sciences), Executive Director of Development, CSIRO; Professor Abdullah Saeed (social sciences), Director of the Asia Institute, University of Melbourne; and Chrissy Grant (culture), member of the Indigenous Advisory Council.

The new Chair is Anthea Tinney, former Deputy Secretary of the Department of Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts.

The new body is comprised of a Chair, five community members, a youth representative, eight ex officio representatives from government agencies and two Parliamentary observers.

Mr Hadlow was voted into the Deputy Chair position at the first meeting of the new National Commission held in Canberra in June.