The Hight Memorial Lecture was instituted in honour of Professor James Hight, the founding father of commerce at the University.
James Hight (1870–1958) graduated with a BA in 1893 with scholarships in English and French. In 1894 he graduated with an MA with first-class honours. As a student, he was a contemporary of University of Canterbury alumni Ernest Rutherford, Apirana Ngata and John Erskine.
Hight held several positions in Canterbury College, starting with his appointment as lecturer in political economy and constitutional history in 1901. In 1906 he was promoted to Director of Studies in Commerce, following the establishment of the Faculty of Commerce in 1905.
In 1909 Hight was appointed as the new chair of History and Economics. Then in 1919 he became Professor of History and Political Science, a position he held until his retirement in 1948. While Hight was teaching and involved in university administration, he advocated and devised new professional courses to link the college with the city. The Puaka-James Hight (Central Library) building at the centre of the Ilam campus is named after him.
This lecture series brings leading academics and professionals to Canterbury to provide a public lecture highlighting their recent work and its relevance to business and industry.
