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Neither of the people in this photograph are qualified for an academic job (see also "Professor" Bill Shorten). I like Ardern a lot, and creating a role using her experience for mentoring is great, but hospitals don't say "we've hired Nicole Kidman and Hugh Jackman to do heart surgeries this month."

Hang on... wasn't Ardern at Oxford then Harvard? Must have picked up some skills on the way along with her politics & comms. Degree from Waikato Uni. Though I reckon her stint at the U. of Arizona was probably just a semester sabbatical.

With the greatest of respect, that smacks of academic snobbery. Adjunct and non-academic lecturer pathways exist precisely to bring high‑level applied expertise into universities.

And again, she would make a fantastic adjunct (world class, even). I don’t think it’s snobbery to insist that academia is a highly skilled profession that requires expertise and experience, however, or that it’s a distinctive enough vocation that non-academic VCs are a problem.

Yup, non academic VC's are definitely bad! Just don't tar an experienced adjunct lecturer with the same brush ...is all I'm saying. ;)

You would have to demonstrate to me that she doesn't have that expertise or experience. A PhD isn't a prerequisite. She has the communications skills, a comprehensive understanding of policy and governance, and practical experience. She's hardly just some random celebrity.