The late Professor Peter Noonan was the polymath of education and training in Australia. Guiding his heart and actions was a firm belief in the transformative impact of high quality education and training, and the access this opens for economic and social success.

Peter’s 40-year career in tertiary education policy was marked by his pioneering contributions to significant reforms in the vocational education and training (VET) sector. He played a crucial role in the development and implementation of a unified national system for higher education, and the foundation of a national vocational training system – both of which transformed VET accessibility and quality.

Peter advised the Gonski Review of Government School Funding, and he chaired the Australian Qualifications Framework Review. He was described by Professor Denise Bradley as ‘the best analyst of our tertiary system.’

As a tireless advocate for the VET sector, Peter’s goal was to achieve parity of esteem between VET and higher education. His efforts were driven by a commitment to social justice, ensuring VET students had the same opportunities as their university counterparts – including access to income contingent loans.

Peter’s rare perspective on the symbiotic relationship between education, training, work, industry and the economy informed his policy insights and recommendations.

Victoria University honoured Peter with a Vice-Chancellor’s Career Achievement Award in 2019, and he was posthumously awarded the Lynne Kosky Memorial Award for Lifetime Achievement at the 2023 Victorian Training Awards. In March 2023, Victoria University established a fellowship in Peter’s honour to continue his impactful work.