Archived News

University of Ballarat China MBA Graduation Celebration 2006

The University will hold its fifth China MBA graduation celebration on Saturday 28 October in Suzhou, China. This will be the largest celebration held by the School of Business thus far, with 205 students from MBA programs being delivered in Shenzhen, Beijing, Shanghai and Dong Guan taking part. These students are part of more than 1,000 School of Business MBA students and graduates who have studied in our programs in China.

Off-shore and off-campus MBA students account for 90% of the MBA students in the School. Vice-Chancellor Professor David Battetersby, Pro Vice-Chancellor Ms Rowena Coutts, School of Business Head of School Professor Chris Robinson and several other staff from the School will attend the graduation celebration. The School has invited Chinese guests from more than 30 universities and educational institutions to the function. The graduation celebration promotes the reputation and profile of the University in China.

International Editorship

Extract from "Research News - May 2006"

Lorene Gottschalk (School of Business) and Janice Newton (BSSH) have recently been appointed joint Australasian editors of the International peer reviewed journal “Women's Studies International Forum.”

Congratulations to the two colleagues and we hope that they will find the experience exciting. Further that their contributions will ultimately impact positively on the research and development initiatives of the entire university.

CECC Annual Client Forum

CECC held its third annual Client Forum and Networking Session on Wednesday 3 May.

This year’s forum put the spotlight on the success of several clients - new and old, and provided a chance for all in attendance to see and learn from some of the fantastic innovations that others have implemented. Representatives from a broad range of organisations participated. Clients presented information on recent research and development initiatives, shared information on their ideas and experiences and discussed the benefits that were being generated through their partnership with CECC. They also demonstrated how components of the CECC product suite were combined to meet the specific needs of their organisation or community. Click here for a full report...

Malaysian Graduation Ceremonies - 9 & 10 October 2005

A group of approximately 130 Bachelor of Business, Bachelor of Technology, Master of Business Administration and Master of Business Management students from our Malaysian campuses, Unity College International and Regions College will be presented with their testamurs at conferral ceremonies to be officiated by the Vice-Chancellor & other VIPs on 9 & 10 October respectively.  Congratulations Graduands and we look forward to welcoming you as business)alumni members!  
Further details....

Outstanding Results in CPA Program (6/4/05)

Bronwyn Wakeling, one of the School's Bachelor of Commerce graduates, has been recognised for achieving outstanding results in the CPA Program during 2004.

In semester one she out performed 1,772 other candidates to be the highest ranked student in the Taxation segment. In semester two Bronwyn was ranked equal fifth in the Strategic Management segment, which was undertaken by over 2,000 candidates.

The CPA Program is a rigorous course of postgraduate study administered by CPA Australia. Successful completion of the program is a prerequisite to achieving the "CPA" designation.

The School of Business extends its congratulations to Bronwyn, whose achievements were announced in the official journal of CPA Australia. 

 

Qualification verification soon to be available online

The School of Business will soon be introducing an online system for verifying qualifications. This will be available to all business)alumni members. Keep watching this space for updates on when this facility will become available.

Awards for Academic Excellence

School of Business Awards for Academic Excellence 2004 The University of Ballarat, School of Business held its award ceremony acknowledging academic excellence for the year 2004 at Greenhill Enterprise Centre on Wednesday 11 May 2005. This ceremony coincided with the Graduation Ceremony which was held the same evening. Professor Julian Lowe, Head of School, acted as Master of Ceremonies for the occasion, at which approximately 100 recipients, sponsors, recipient’s families and members of staff attended. Light refreshments were served after the ceremony where everyone had a chance to catch up. Sponsors of the Awards for Excellence Program were:

Australian Human Resources Institute
Australian Institute of Management
ANZ Bank
Ballarat Tourism
Ballarat Heritage Services
Baird & McGregor
CPA Australia
Cuthberts Solicitors
Evans and Metcalfe Accountants
Hepburn Shire Council
IBM Global Services
JK Personnel
JN Cooke, Foley and Co Pty Ltd
Kistend Travel
LexisNexis
Molloy, Orr and Ronan Accountants
Nevett Ford Lawyers
Rural Ambulance Victoria
Sovereign Hill
Thomson Legal & Regulatory Ltd

Future Search Training Workshops in Ballarat

Two interactive Future Search workshops will present a unique opportunity for business and community leaders in January/February 2005. Future Search principles have been adopted by thousands of leaders worldwide, to enable them to achieve new levels of cooperation among diverse people. These two unique workshops are aimed at business, non-profit, public sector and community leaders seeking to transcend conflicts and gain commitment for making and implementing strategic plans. This is a rare opportunity to participate in Future Search workshops in Australia, organised and sponsored by the Centre for Regional innovation and Competitiveness (CRIC) and the School of Business, University of Ballarat, led by Marvin Weisbord and Sandra Janoff, world authorities on community development and founders of the Future Search Network.

Chinese partners guests of University

Thirteen Chinese partners from the University of Ballarat’s School of Business were guests of honour at the University’s graduation ceremonies in December 2004. “The 13 guests play a key role in promoting the University in China. They manage UB programs there and help to recruit students,” Professor Julian Lowe, Head of the School of Business, said. They were also taking part in a School of Business program management workshop whilst at the University. This is seen as an essential step in the University’s quality assurance of offshore delivery according to Professor Lowe, who also said that the University was increasing its profile in China, and was attracting a steady stream of overseas students from there. The University has enrolled more than 1000 MBA students in China and recruited more than 200 students at the Mt Helen Campus. According to Professor Kerry O. Cox, Vice-Chancellor of the University of Ballarat, University staff visit China on a regular basis and it is of benefit that bilateral visits between ourselves and our Chinese partners are maintained in order to forge greater understanding of our countries and cultures. The guests were mainly from key Chinese universities and educational institutions such as Shanghai Jiao Tong University, the China Federation of Industrial Economics in Beijing, Zhongshan University in Guangzhou, and China Senior Professors Association in Shenzhen.

Eureka 150 Democracy Conference

The University of Ballarat will host a conference on democracy from 25-27 November 2004. This is to commemorate the 150th aniverary of the Eureka Stockade which was one of the most significant events in Australian history. The actual aniversary falls on 3 December 2004. The conference will explore, celebrate and challenge the concept and application of democracy, with debates, discussions and presentations on the past, present and future of democracy in Australia and abroad. The conference will feature a number of interesting speakers including international leaders, a former Prime Minister, political scientists, media commentators and internationally renowned academics. A further highlight will be a hypothetical by the nations youth on the future of democracy.

University making ground in China

The University of Ballarat has almost tripled its number of offshore students in the past four years to 950. Ten years ago the university diversified and now has teaching sites in various countries including China. This week, the university celebrated two successful graduations in Hong Kong and Shenzhen, China. University vice-chancellor Professor Kerry Cox said Ballarat’s international operations continued to prosper. ‘We place great value on our international students, which is why some members of the university’s leadership team, including myself are attending this week’s graduation celebrations,’ he said. There are two graduation celebrations for 253 graduates in Hong Kong, with 189 receiving a Bachelor of Nursing (post registration) and 64 completing the Master of Business Administration course. There is also a graduation celebration in Shenzhen for 65 graduates in the Master of Business Administration course. Source: Ballarat Courier 18 October 2004

Uni’s overseas graduations making Headlines

University of Ballarat vice- chancellor Kerry Cox was in Hong Kong yesterday to oversee the graduation ceremony for 263 University of Ballarat distance education students. The students were enrolled in nursing and business courses, including a Masters of Business course. Today, Prof Cox will attend a further graduation ceremony in Shenzhen in southern China, where 65 distant education gradates, again enrolled in business courses, will received their certificates. Source: Ballarat Courier 15 October 2004.

Kuala Lumpur Award Ceremonies a success!

Metro Centre for Higher Learning conducted a very successful Awards Presentation at the Palace of the Golden Horses in Kuala Lumpur on the evening of Monday 11th of October. 34 students graduated, with 26 being awarded with the Bachelor of Business (Undesignated) and 8 being awarded with the Bachelor of Business (Marketing) degree. For the first time the Vice Chancellor, Head of School and International & Off Campus Administrator attended. A good time was had by all.

Research Student presents papers at International Conference in Canada

Pam McRae-William has recently presented two papers at The Competitiveness Institute 7th Annual Global Conference in Ottawa, Canada. The conference 'Building Innovative Clusters for Competitive Advantage' attracted over 300 participants from 35 countries and themes of the conference included clusters in both developed and developing countries, regions and industries. Pam's papers were based on her PhD research on wine and tourism clusters in regional Victoria and the role of place and industry in cluster development.

Staff Member to participate in Australian Uni Games

Stacey Mann, a member of the School’s administrative team is gearing up to take part in the Australian University Games (AUG). Stacey is a member of the Ballarat Uni Ultimate Frisbee Team (or BUFF!!) and will be embarking on a chocolate fundraising mission on behalf of the team, so if you are in the School and feeling peckish over the next week or so, drop in and see Stacey in the General Office.

What is Ultimate Frisbee?

Click here for further information on this year's AUG.

Good luck to the BUFF team!!

Ex-student receives Merit Certificate from CPA Australia

Bronwyn Wakeling, who graduated from UB with a Bachelor of Commerce, has received a merit certificate from CPA Australia for achieving High Distinctions in all segments of the CPA Program. Bronwyn also made the merit lists for the segments "Personal Financial Planning and Superannuation" and "Corporate Governance and Accountability" in her final semester of study in CPA Program.

Another Ballarat graduate, Susan Reynolds, made the merit list for the "Taxation" segment.

Source: March 2006 issue of "In the Black" (official journal of CPA Australia)

Hellos, Goodbyes and Thank you's!!

Professor Chris Robinson – New Head of School to commence in March

Professor Chris Robinson will commence as the new Head, School of Business on 20 March 2006. Professor Robinson has worked as an academic in Australia and overseas, holding senior executive positions at the University of Melbourne prior to joining AIM where he currently holds the position of Director of Education and Training.

Extract from Press Release - 1 February 2006:
"Professor Robinson is a fantastic addition to YourUB. He is a senior executive with extensive international experience in higher education and management consulting," Professor Kerry Cox, Vice-Chancellor, said.

"His role at the Australian Institute of Management includes responsibility for postgraduate management programs and international education alliances, so he is eminently qualified to head our School of Business."

"Professor Robinson has worked as an academic in Australia and overseas, and held senior executive positions at the University of Melbourne prior to joining AIM.

"As the inaugural Managing Director of Universitas 21, an international network of 16 universities in 10 countries, he was responsible for developing and implementing a joint venture to provide postgraduate e-learning programs in business and management."

Professor Robinson also has held senior executive roles with international management consulting companies and has international consulting experience from assignments in Singapore, Kazakhstan, Hong Kong, Malaysia, Japan, Sri Lanka, New Zealand, the United States and the United Kingdom.

Professor Robinson is a psychologist, with degrees from the Flinders University of South Australia and La Trobe University. He is a Member of the Australian Psychological Society and has written over 40 papers for international journals, books, and major conferences.

"In recent years under the leadership of Professor Julian Lowe, the impact of the School of Business has grown significantly locally, nationally and internationally. Professor Robinson's extensive international experience at senior levels will be a great asset to the further rapid development of the School, now increasingly recognised locally as well as in many other parts of the world," Professor Cox said.

"YourUB's growing international standing is exemplified by the recruitment of top academic staff such as Professor Robinson."

The School welcomes Professor Robinson and we look forward to working together to further enhance our ever expanding operations.

Professor Julian Lowe

The School would like to acknowledge and thank Professor Julian Lowe, who successfully led the School through a period of major change during his eight year term as Head of School. Julian's committment to research and fostering offshore programs has ensured that the School's reputation for excellence continues to grow nationally and internationally.

Although we say goodbye to Julian in his role as Head of School, we are not really saying goodbye at all, as he will remain with the School, focusing on teaching and research as Professor of Business and Director of CRIC.

We look forward to continuing to work with you Julian!

Associate Professor Ian Clark

Associate Professor Ian Clark, who has manned the fort since January will hand over his responsibilities to Professor Robinson upon his arrival. Although Ian's time as Acting HOS was short he has certainly made a positive impact - thank you Ian.

Professor Garry Carnegie

Extract from VC's Update 12/06
Garry Carnegie, a Professor of Accounting and Finance and Academic Head of the School of Enterprise at the University of Melbourne, will join the University of Ballarat in June. He has been appointed Professor of Accounting in the School of Business.

Prior to joining academe, Professor Carnegie worked in the IT industry, public accounting and in the financial services industry. He has been employed in institutions of higher education since 1985 when he commenced employment at UB's antecedent institution - the Ballarat College of Advanced Education. He joined Deakin University in 1988 and was appointed to a Chair in Accounting and Finance in 1994 and was the inaugural Head of School of Accounting and Finance between 1993 and 2001. In January 2004 he joined Melbourne University Private which merged with the University of Melbourne in June 2005.

Professor Carnegie's expertise embraces financial reporting, public sector accounting and accountability and accounting history. His published research appears in books and monographs as well as in articles in respected journals in the fields of accounting, accounting history, archaeology, economic history, companies and securities law, museum management and public administration. He has held visiting positions at the Australian Accounting Research Foundation, the University of Exeter, Cardiff University, the University of Edinburgh and at Osaka City University.

Professor Carnegie is the editor of Accounting History, an awarded international refereed journal published by SAGE Publications, and is a recipient of two ARC Large/Discovery Grants. The ARC Discovery Grant in progress, with Professor Brendan O'Connell of James Cook University, is on the topic "A Longitudinal Study of Recurrent Audit Failure in Australian Corporate Collapse from the Mid 1880s". He has for many years conducted collaborative research with Professor Brian West of the School of Business, who is also the assistant editor of Accounting History.

He has taught in a variety of accounting units at all three levels in undergraduate commerce/business programs as well as at honours level and has successfully supervised research higher degree students. He has extensive experience in teaching at the postgraduate level, particularly to MBA students, and for the past two years has taught extensively in executive development programs at PETRONAS in Kuala Lumpur. He has considerable experience in offshore education, including the development of innovative programs for productive partnerships.

Professor Carnegie is an advocate of case-based learning and is the author of Case Studies: Financial Accounting and Disclosure (2005). He has contributed a number of case studies on financial reporting and governance for the CPA Program of CPA Australia.

Welcome, Garry, to UB!

HK Alumni initiative - Online Forum

On a recent trip to Hong Kong, the University's Alumni Project Officer, Viv Witwer, discovered a number of 'groups' of alumni who have been keeping in touch with each other and arranging all sorts of activities post graduation. One of these groups has formed an online forum which can be viewed at: http://mba.hkcafenet.com/

The School fully supports this initiative and encourages all of our Hong Kong alumni to register with the forum, along with the Discussion Forum on our Alumni website.

Alumni from other campuses (both international and domestic) are also encouraged to participate in the School's Discussion Forum.

Please contact alumni.business@ballarat.edu.au if you have any questions relating to the School's Alumni Discussion Forum.