Professor Kent Anderson is Senior Advisor for Higher Education to Minister for Education. He served as Interim Deputy Vice Chancellor (Academic) and Strategic Advisor to the Vice Chancellor at the University of Newcastle and as Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Community and Engagement) at the University of Western Australia (UWA). He is an international lawyer who specialises in comparing Asian legal systems.
He has an eclectic background, having completed tertiary studies in US, Japan, and the UK in Law, Politics, Economics and Asian Studies. He also worked as a marketing manager with a US regional airline in Alaska and as a commercial lawyer in Hawaii. Before joining UWA, Kent was Pro Vice Chancellor (International) at University of Adelaide and before that Dean of the then Faculty of Asian Studies at the Australian National University. He started his academic career as associate professor at Hokkaido University Law School in Japan. Kent has served on the National Library of Australia Council, Ministerial Council for International Education, New Colombo Plan Advisory Board, Board of Canberra Grammar School, and a variety of academic and community boards, including President of The Asian Studies Association of Australia.