By NATASHA HARRIS
After 20 years at the helm of Auckland University of Technology, Dr John Hinchcliff is bowing out to focus on research and writing books before the "final curtain" falls.
The 64-year-old, responsible for turning the first polytechnic in New Zealand into a university, said he was not retiring as
such but looking for a change of pace.
"I think it's been a good innings and I want to be young enough to face one or two challenges before the final curtain," the vice-chancellor said, from his Pukekohe home.
When he hands the reins to 50-year-old Derek McCormack on April 1, Dr Hinchcliff will concentrate on future studies - exploring where society is heading and the challenges it faces - as well as writing a book on the meaning of life.
"The book is starting to take shape now, I've been thinking about it for the last 20 years and then in early March I'm launching a novel about Parihaka," Dr Hinchcliff said.
He has had a long career in education, writing and is a veteran of the peace and nuclear disarmament movement.
He even sought Labour Party candidacy in Mt Eden in 1978 but was unsuccessful.
In 2002, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission praised Dr Hinchcliff for AUT's treatment of staff, saying it had "gone the extra mile" and awarded the university best large organisation at its Trust Work and Life Awards.
His most notable contribution to AUT was obtaining its university status on January 2000.
It took nearly 10 years for the former Auckland Institute of Technology to be accepted as a university, and Dr Hinchcliff admitted it had been a difficult journey.
"It was also exhilarating ... we had to challenge established ideals that you couldn't be a university unless you had subjects like philosophy, literature, history and anthropology."
And after his 34 years working in the education system, Dr Hinchcliff had a few words of advice for incoming Mr McCormack.
"Keep the place on its toes by always looking for new challenges and never accept what is."
