Peter John Boyce (48-52)

Emeritus Professor Peter Boyce was born in Bridgetown in 1935 and entered Wesley College at the of age 12 in 1948 after being awarded the Gowrie Scholarship.

As a proud member of Mofflin House, he excelled at History, Latin, English and Geography earning distinctions for all four subjects. He was highly respected being both College Captain and Dux of School in 1952.

Peter went on to study a Bachelor of Arts with first class honours and a master’s degree in History at The University of Western Australia. He also undertook a doctorate in International Relations at Duke University, North Carolina.

He worked briefly in the diplomatic service and began a distinguished academic teaching career firstly at the University of Tasmania as a lecturer in politics. His next post was at The University of Queensland where he led the Department of Government. In 1980 he returned to Perth to be closer to his parents. He became the Chair of Political Science at The University of Western Australia and later the Vice Chancellor of Murdoch University. As Murdoch’s longest serving Vice Chancellor, Peter oversaw enormous expansion in both university infrastructure and the teaching curriculum. Student enrolment more than doubled during his tenure.

At his leaving function outside the Chancellery in 1996 he commented that universities should always be places of ‘liberty, learning and light’.

Following his years in Perth, Peter returned to Tasmania as Adjunct Professor of the University of Tasmania’s Politics and International Relations Program.

Peter has also contributed significantly to the fabric of Wesley College. He served as a former member of College Council and authored the College’s History book— Honest & Unsullied Days: A History of Wesley College, Perth in 2001.

Peter Boyce was awarded the AO in 1995 for services to education, international relations and the community.