The University of Queensland appointed Dr. Alastair Blanshard as the inaugural Paul Eliadis Chair of Classics and Ancient History. The Chair is named after Dr. Paul Eliadis, a UQ graduate, who established the position earlier this year through a generous donation.

What prompted Dr. Eliadis philanthropic gift was his passion for classics and due to his Greek heritage, decided to support his "alma mater" by ensuring the teaching of classical languages and ancient history.

Dr. Eliadis welcomed the appointment of Dr. Blanshard and emphasized the importance of maintaining a society's cultural memory. "To me, any Western university that doesn't have a department that teaches the classics does not have a birth certificate," Dr. Eliadis said.