An educationist and administrator, I held senior executive roles in leading Australian universities from 1972 to 1999, including overseeing the establishment, and becoming foundation CEO of Open Learning Australia (now Open Universities Australia).

Previously I had spent a decade teaching in government and independent secondary schools and colleges.

From 2000 to 2008 I was a consultant in higher education for clients in Australia and overseas, directing projects concerned with program innovation and its efficient and effective implementation. Numerous consultancies involved the building of collaborative links between Australian and overseas universities to produce joint programs of study, in arts and sciences, business and hospitality: significant new international ‘double degrees’ were created as a result - see Clients

Since early 2008 the design of theme-based tours and participation as a guest lecturer on international tours has become my main activity.

A theme-based tour is one which explores one or more major topics by examining issues in more depth than is customary, during visits to interesting locations worldwide.

The first such tour was offered by Captain's Choice Tours in September 2009 and was called Cross and Crescent in the Middle Ages. This tour examined the conflict and co-existence between Christianity and Islam in locations within Turkey, Syria, Tunisia and Spain.

Details of the tour may be found here.

This tour is currently being revised for offering on a future occasion.

In 2010 I was guest lecturer on one of Captain’s Choice signature tours, The Silk Road by Private Train — Beijing to Moscow

Details of this tour, which runs twice a year in March and September, can be found at the Captain’s Choice Tours. Background notes supplied to passengers on the tour may be found here.

Captain’s Choice has also approved a new theme-based tour for delivery in due course. Called In Hannibal’s Footsteps, it is currently under development. It will follow Hannibal’s assault on Rome in 218 BC: beginning in New Carthage (Spain) it follows Hannibal’s journey across the Pyrenees into Southern France, across the French Alps into Italy, down the Italian peninsula to Rome, and finally to Tunisia and Carthage.

An outline of the tour and the seminars associated with it may be found here

In 2011, I was guest lecturer on two Captain’s Choice tours, Silk Route by Private Train (March) and Eastern Europe by Private Train (July). Background notes sent to passengers on the Eastern Europe tour maybe be found here