On Monday 4 November, Tasmanian Perpetual Trustees had the pleasure of hosting the annual Hardie Fellowship Awards ceremony along with the Deputy Premier & Minister for Education and Training, the Honourable Jeremy Rockliff MP. This event celebrated the 2019 recipients of the Hardie Fellowship, which was established in 2002 from a generous bequest of $7.5 million from Professor Charles Dunn Hardie.

Professor Hardie was born in Glasgow, Scotland in 1911. He attended Cambridge University where he achieved First Class Honours and status of a Wrangler (with distinction) in Cambridge mathematics. In 1942 he published the Truth and Fallacy in Educational Theory which was regarded as a significant contribution to his profession. In 1947 he published the Background to Modern Thought, this second publication attracting the admiration of one of the great minds of the 20th century, Albert Einstein, who wrote to Professor Hardie thanking him for the “delightful hours your book has given me”.

In 1946 he accepted the position as Dean of Education at the University of Tasmania and remained there inspiring countless Tasmanian students of education, mathematics and philosophy until his retirement in 1976. Following his death in 2002, the fellowship was established from his Estate, which provides a number of educators who are employed by the Department of Education with the opportunity to undertake a period of research or study at a University in the United States each year.

This year 8 fellowships were awarded to 4 groups of educators from across the state for research projects ranging from: “Redesigning education for student engagement”, to an “Inquiry into exemplary practice in blended learning and contemporary learning spaces.”

Over the past 17 years, the Fellowship has provided over $5m in funding to over 127 teachers who have shared and gained knowledge at over 25 overseas universities.

In the late 1990’s Professor Hardie chose Tasmanian Perpetual Trustees to be the Executor and protector of his extensive Estate, to carry out his Will and safeguard his legacy. As outlined in the Professor’s Will, Tasmanian Perpetual Trustees established two Trusts to operate in perpetuity, these trusts are known as the Hardie Education Trust and the Hardie Fellowship Trust. Since 2002 the Trusts have distributed more than $11 million combined, and under careful management, the total remaining funds have grown to almost $29 million.

Established in 1887 as an independent trustee company Tasmanian Perpetual Trustees is known for its specialist skills and expertise in Estate Planning, Trust Administration and Investment Management. It is our responsibility to understand the aims for the Trusts, approve the Fellowships and distribute the Trusts accordingly.

The value that these fellowships continue to provide to the enhancement of teaching capabilities and knowledge in Tasmania cannot be under estimated. Professor Hardie was known as a brilliant and humble man. His dedication to his work and commitment to the field of education, combined with his personal qualities of honesty, kindness and generosity made him a much-loved and admired part of the Tasmanian, and international community. Tasmanian Perpetual Trustees is honoured to continue to ensure that Professor Hardie’s legacy, generosity and memory lives on.

Photo by Karen Brown Photography