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1300 367 869 www.uow.edu.au University of Wollongong Campus News October 09 1

Campus News is produced for community, industry, governmentand other educational institutions as well as staff, students andgraduates of the University of Wollongong. It provides an overviewof University news and achievements on a quarterly basis.

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The stars keep shining for the University ofWollongong in the Good Universities Guide – with

the 2010 edition confirming a decade of continuousfive-star rankings in the key categories of Getting aJob, Positive Graduate Outcomes and GraduateStarting Salary.

The Good Universities Guide is produced each year

to assist prospective students to compare Australianuniversities.

The guide for 2010, released in August, shows thatUOW has retained all six of its five-star rankingsfrom the previous year.

This includes UOW standing alongside seven of the

AUniversity of Wollongong academic who willestablish the country’s first research centre

devoted to understanding the cultural dimensions ofenvironmental sustainability has been named as oneof the first Australian Laureate Fellows.

Innovation, Industry, Science and Research MinisterSenator Kim Carr announced that Professor LesleyHead, who leads UOW’s School of Earth andEnvironmental Sciences, is one of 14 AustralianResearch Council (ARC) Laureate Fellows.

The Laureate Fellowships are highly prized awardsdesigned to develop and retain world-leadingresearch skills in Australia. They replaced the ARCFederation Fellowships.

Professor Head said the challenges of climatechange were already interacting in Australia with alegacy of underlying environmental problems andongoing social change. Therefore, cultural changesand solutions were urgently needed.

Lesley’s Laureate honour

UOW’s decade offive-star successes

Innovation, Industry, Science and Research Minister Senator Kim Carr with Professor Lesley Head at Parliament Housein Canberra after she was named among Australia’s first Laureate Fellows. Photo: Norman Plant.

Issue 3Volume 12

October 2009

continued on page 2.

continued on page 3.

Inside this issue

Home-grownterror threat

Opinion – Page 2

Scientist winsL’Oréal prize

Page 3

Commerce witha conscience

Page 3

First Health ProVice-Chancellor

Page 4

Reflections ona year in Dubai

Page 8

2 Campus News October 09 University of Wollongong 1300 367 869 www.uow.edu.au

By SAM MULLINS and ASSOCIATE PROFESSORADAM DOLNIK from UOW’s Centre forTransnational Crime Prevention. Mr Mullins (left)is researching home-grown terrorism for his PhDthesis while Professor Dolnik is CTCP’s Director ofResearch Programs and an internationally-recognised expert on terrorism.

Australia faced the spectre of alleged "home-grown

terrorism" when Australian Federal Police carried out

raids on a suspected Islamic terror cell in Melbourne

in August.

Five men (all Australian citizens - four of Somalian and

one of Lebanese heritage) were arrested and charged

with terrorism-related offences, and are in custody

awaiting their next court appearance on October 26.

It is alleged the men were plotting an armed attack on

the Holsworthy Army Base in south-western Sydney.

There is an emerging pattern in other Western nations

that indicates the threat from Islamist terrorists comes

overwhelmingly from young males of varying ethnic,

national or religious backgrounds who are often

citizens of the countries they choose to attack.

The Madrid bombings of 2004, the murder of Theo

Van Gogh on the streets of Amsterdam in the same

year, the London bombings of 2005, and numerous

other examples in Europe, the US and Canada, all

involved citizens or long-term residents of these

countries.

It is a pattern that has been increasingly evident in the

multitude of terror plots uncovered since the US-led

invasion of Iraq in 2003.

Moreover, jihadi profiles tend to reflect the unique

history of immigration of the country in question. For

example, Pakistan, which lies at the epicentre of the

global jihadi movement, has been heavily represented

in the background of British Islamists. Similarly, in

France perpetrators and suspects have mostly been

of Algerian origin, and in Spain, Moroccan.

People of Lebanese heritage make up only around

one percent of Australia’s total population but are the

largest ethnic group among Australian Muslims. The

would-be terrorists arrested in Melbourne and Sydney

during Operation Pendennis in 2004 were largely of

Lebanese descent.

There are only a few thousand Somalis living in

Australia. However, there have been a number of

cases of Somali jihadis operating in Western

countries. Somalian involvement in global jihad

against the West is partly a reflection of a continued

Islamist insurgency and instability in the region, which

has increased immigration to Western countries.

However, these amount to little more than generalities,

and past involvement in Islamist terrorism of Western

converts - among them Australians Jack Roche and

David Hicks - serves as a reminder that anyone can

become a terrorist.

Once a home-grown group has formed and the

decision to pursue violent jihad is made, leading

Home-grown terrorism: a threat that’s here to stay

OPINIONmembers frequently attempt to make contact with

organised terrorist groups overseas in order to gain

training and advice.

Two of the London bombers of July 2005 travelled to

Pakistan where they most likely received operational

instruction from militants there. Members of the

Melbourne group are alleged to have travelled to

Somalia and to have been in contact with al-Shabaab,

which is a US-designated Foreign Terrorist

Organisation with suspected links to al-Qaeda.

However, the nature of links to foreign terrorists

remains speculative and should not necessarily be

interpreted as overseas control. Despite seeming to

have made contact with militants abroad, the London

bombers appeared to have devised their own plan of

attack and to have been operating autonomously. This

is typical of home-grown groups in the West.

Seeking religiously framed endorsement for acts of

terrorism is also a well-established practice among

Islamist militants.

Although recent terrorist attacks in Western countries

have mostly been against “soft” civilian targets such as

public transportation, military barracks have been

targets previously. Military bases were targeted by

Western-based Islamists in Belgium in 2001, in the US

in 2005 and 2007, and in Germany in 2007 (all of

which were thwarted). More recently, in June this year

a lone Islamist gunman opened fire outside an army-

navy recruiting centre in the US, killing one soldier and

wounding another. He is said to have been motivated

by perceived US injustices against Muslims.

Few details regarding alleged motives in the current

case have been revealed. However, the alleged targets

and the suspects’ ideological background suggest a

protest against the involvement of Australia’s military in

overseas conflicts.

Australia was involved in the UN peace-keeping

operation in Somalia from 1992-1994 and in January

2009 (when the terror investigation in Melbourne

began) announced plans to join the UN anti-piracy

operations off the coast of the Horn of Africa. However,

these actions are unlikely to have been prominent

sources of motivation.

The lawless situation in Somalia has made it a

favoured destination of “global” Islamist fighters,

motivated by a general desire to strike at the US and

its allies, often driven by the symbolic value of military

involvement in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Such grievances have been consistently cited since the

inception of the global jihadi movement and were

referred to in court by one of the current detainees,

Wissam Mahmoud Fattal, who declared: “You call us

terrorists when you send troops to kill innocent people

in Iraq and Afghanistan!”

As further details of the Melbourne investigation come

to light the extent to which the group fits into patterns

of contemporary home-grown terrorism will be revealed

with more clarity. As things stand the investigation is

nevertheless confirmation of a continuing and insidious

threat to Australian security that is here to stay. CN

metropolitan-based “Group of Eight” universities torecord five stars as a research-intensive university -the third successive year UOW has achieved thehighest ranking in this critical category.

UOW’s five-star standing is in the following majorindicators:

• Research intensivity

• The educational experience (generic skills)

• The educational experience (graduate satisfaction)

• Graduate starting salary

• Getting a Job

• Positive Graduate Outcomes

Under the Guide’s ranking system, only the top 20per cent of universities can be awarded a five-starrating in any one category.

The guide’s authors highlighted how UOW hadreceived “above average results” across a range ofareas.

UOW Vice-Chancellor Professor Gerard Sutton saidthe fact that UOW has been repeatedly achievingthese five-star successes over the years wasextremely gratifying.

“Australian and overseas students scrutinising thisguide will see that UOW is among the elite researchand teaching universities in Australia,” he said.

The Good Universities Guide draws its informationfrom the Federal Government’s Department ofEducation, Science and Training as well as the resultsof the national Graduate Destination Surveys. BG

UOW’s five star successfrom page 1.


UOW’s Faculty of Commerce haslaunched an Australian-first

degree which promises to producefuture business leaders who focus onsocial as well as economic dividends.

About 150 representatives from theIllawarra region – including businessleaders and politicians – attended thelaunch of the Bachelor of Commercedegree, which will start in 2010.

UOW will be the only commerce orbusiness school in Australia to havean undergraduate degree focused onsocially innovative commerce. It willprovide a strong grounding in thetraditional business areas likemarketing, management, accountingand economics, but will also includecore subjects that frame the wholedegree as ‘socially innovative’.Internships and simulation subjectswill give students real examples ofwhat it’s like to work in socially-minded organisations.

The degree’s launch in July was thefirst official UOW event for Chancellor-Designate Jillian Broadbent.

Because she’s worth it…

Ms Broadbent, who is a member ofthe Reserve Bank of Australia Boardas well as a director of SBS and

The program she plans to put in place,involving a team of postdoctoral andhigher degree researchers, would seethe establishment of the AustralianCentre for Cultural EnvironmentalResearch.

“We must create closer engagementbetween Australian and internationalefforts to improve environmentalsustainability,” Professor Head said.

She said that despite widespread callsfor cultural change to enable Australiato craft an environmentally sustainablefuture, the nation lacks systematicinvestment in cultural environmentalresearch.

Professor Head has an outstandingacademic background. She waselected a Fellow of the AustralianAcademy of Humanities in 2004 forinterdisciplinary contributions toarchaeological and geographicalsciences. In 2005-2006 she was thefirst Australian appointed Sweden’sKing Carl XVI Gustaf Visiting Professorof Environmental Science. She iscurrently Institute of AustralianGeographers President and a formerChair of the Australian Academy ofScience National Committee forGeography (2006-2008). BG

L’Oréal rewardsscientific excellenceUniversity of Wollongong researcherDr Zenobia Jacobs has set her sightson helping to solve the mystery ofwhen humans first arrived in Australiaafter being recognised for excellencein her field.

The Senior Research Fellow at UOW’sSchool of Earth and EnvironmentalSciences is one of three youngscientists awarded the prestigiousL’Oréal Australia For Women inScience Fellowship for 2009.

Dr Jacobs is an international authorityon optically stimulated luminescence(OSL) dating techniques, whereindividual grains of sand are analysedto determine the age ofarchaeological finds.

Dr Jacobs, Tamara Davis from theUniversity of Queensland and MarnieBlewett from Melbourne’s Walter andEliza Hall Institute of MedicalResearch each received $20,000grants to help them with theirresearch.

The L’Oréal awards are part of thecompany’s global support for women inscience. They recognise scientificexcellence and intellectual merit, with apanel of eminent scientists selectingthe winners from 111 applicants.

Dr Jacobs will use the fellowship fundsfor research into determining when

Laureate honourfrom page 1.

UOW’s new Chancellor Jillian Broadbent (right) with Faculty of Commerce DeanProfessor Shirley Leitch at the launch of the new socially-innovative Commerce degree.

humans first arrived in Australia.She hopes the fellowship willgenerate significant media exposureof archaeological science, andhopes to generate interest in thehistory of the continent and thecultural heritage of Australia’sIndigenous people.

Dr Jacobs, who is originally fromSouth Africa, has participated in anumber of major internationalresearch teams working on theMiddle Stone Age of Africa.

Most recently, she was part of ateam that reported in theinternational journal Science thatearly modern humans in Africa had mastered the use of fire toimprove the stone-toolmanufacturing process more than70,000 years ago.

Dr Jacobs and her UOW colleagueDr Michael Meyer were part of aninternational team of researcherswho reported that this controlled useof fire occurred at least 45,000 yearsearlier than had been previouslyknown. Dr Jacobs and Dr Meyerwere responsible for dating thearchaeological deposits containingthe stone tools, using the world-classOSL facilities at UOW. BG

Coca-Cola Amatil, officially took overas Chancellor from 1 October fromMichael Codd AC, who has retiredafter 12 years in the role.

Ms Broadbent said she felt thelaunch of the new degree was timelyin light of the global financial crisisand that socially innovativecommerce is close to her heart.

Speaking at the launch, Faculty ofCommerce Dean Professor ShirleyLeitch said: “We adopted ‘sociallyinnovative commerce’ at the height ofthe boom and some people didn’t getit. Today, as banks crumble,unemployment soars and businesseswithout ethics damage our futureprospects, everyone gets it.

“Socially innovative commerce meansthe creation of both wealth andwellbeing through sound governance,corporate social responsibility, ethicaldecision-making, and environmentalsustainability.” KM

L’Oréal Australian Women forScience Fellowship winner DrZenobia Jacobs, from the School ofEarth and Environmental Sciences.Photo: Timothy Burgess.

Commerce with a conscience


Pro Vice-Chancellor - Health

Professor Don Iversonhas been appointedUOW’s first Pro Vice-Chancellor (Health).

Announcing theappointment, Vice-Chancellor ProfessorGerard Sutton saidProfessor Iverson wouldcoordinate and drive the

University’s health agenda.

Professor Don Iverson previously served as Deanand then Executive Dean of the Faculty of Healthand Behavioural Sciences. He is also the ExecutiveDirector of the Illawarra Health and MedicalResearch Institute (IHMRI) – a partnership betweenUOW and the South Eastern Sydney and IllawarraArea Health Service (SESIAH).

Professor Iverson has spearheaded the creation ofIHMRI, which will have research focused on six keythemes: metabolic conditions; infectious diseases;primary care and rural health; healthy ageing;cancer; and neuroscience and mental health.

Headquarters for the new research institute arecurrently under construction on the Wollongongcampus. The $30 million building has been jointlyfunded by UOW and the NSW Government.

A Canadian who joined UOW in 2001, ProfessorIverson was also a driving force behind theestablishment of the University’s Graduate School ofMedicine (GSM) which opened in 2007, workingclosely with the GSM’s Foundation Dean ProfessorJohn Hogg.

He has also held senior positions in governmenthealth agencies and universities in Canada and theUnited States.

Professor Iverson currently serves on the NationalBreast Cancer Centre of Australia board, on theNational Health and Medical Research Council’sMeasurement of Research Impact and Achievement(MORIA) working group, on the NSW CancerInstitute’s Education and Workforce Committee, onthe NSW Cancer Council’s Research Committee andon the international advisory panel of Canada’sAlberta Cancer Prevention Initiative. NH

Dean of Arts

Internationalmulticultural literatureexpert Professor WencheOmmundsen is the newDean of the Faculty ofArts.

Professor Ommundsenjoined UOW in 2006from Deakin Universityas a Professor of English

Literatures and also served as Associate Dean(Research and Graduate Studies) in the Faculty.

She has taken over as Dean from Professor AndrewWells who has joined the Australian ResearchCouncil (ARC) in Canberra.

Professor Ommundsen started her education inNorway. She holds university qualifications from theUniversity of Lausanne, Switzerland (BA Hons, DipEd), London University (MA) and the University ofMelbourne (PhD).

Her main areas of teaching and research interestare Australian and transnational literatures. She isan internationally recognised expert in multiculturalliterature, especially writing from Asian diasporas.

Professor Ommundsen has gained ARC Discoverygrants for her work on Australian literature andpublic culture, multiculturalism in children’sliterature and Asian-Australian literary interactions.

Professor Ommundsen is a founding board memberof AustLit, the online database for Australianliterature, with particular responsibility for themulticultural subset. Current board membershipsinclude the European Association for Studies ofAustralia (EASA) and the Nordic Network inPostcolonial Studies.

Her goals as the new Dean include strengtheningthe Faculty’s research profile by exploring newsources of research funding and developing linkswith strategic international partners in teaching andresearch.

With a strong interest in interdisciplinary collaboration,she hopes to strengthen the links with other UOWfaculties and across research strengths. BG

Dean of Research

Professor Tim Marchanthas been appointedUOW’s first Dean ofResearch, afterpreviously heading theUniversity’s highlyacclaimed School ofMathematics and AppliedStatistics.

Professor Marchant seeshis role as supporting the faculties to achieve theirnew research goals, in response to the FederalGovernment’s Excellence in Research for Australia(ERA) Initiative

He said that some of the key areas for his supportwere the attraction and training of researchstudents, early career researchers andinternationalisation.

Professor Marchant, who was Director of theMathematics and Statistics in Industry Study Group(MISG) from 2007-2009, hopes to use thisexperience to facilitate research links with UOW’sInnovation Campus tenants.

Professor Marchant is a Fellow of the AustralianMathematical Society, Deputy Chair of the Societyfor Australian and New Zealand Industrial andApplied Mathematics and a member of the selectionpanel for the DEST Endeavour Awards.

He gained his PhD in Applied Mathematics from theUniversity of Adelaide before joining UOW as apostdoctoral student two decades ago. He haspublished 60 research papers and successfullysupervised 10 PhD students.

The Dean of Research is a half-time position, andProfessor Marchant will spend the other 50 per centof his time supporting the development of UOW’snew SMART (Simulation, Modelling and Analysis forResearch and Teaching) Infrastructure Facility. Hewill also continue to pursue his own special researchinterests in nonlinear optics and soliton theory.

Construction of the SMART Infrastructure Facility’sheadquarters on the Wollongong campus is beingfunded by the Federal Government. ProfessorMarchant played a key role in preparing UOW’ssubmission for the facility. BG

UOW Vice-Chancellor ProfessorGerard Sutton has been appointed

to the Federal Government’s new SteelIndustry Innovation Council.

The council has been established tomaximise opportunities for theAustralian steel industry to participatein major projects in Australia andoverseas.

Announcing the council’s membershipin September, Innovation, Industry,Science and Research Minister SenatorKim Carr said the Council is made upof the most senior members of the

Australian steel industry.

“Steel is a core Australian industry

because it allows us to go on making

things, it underpins manufacturing,

construction, transport and more,”

Senator Carr said. “This Council has a

key role in making sure Australia’s steel

industry is sustainable and innovative.

The Council’s establishment is

recognition of the immense challenges

the industry faces, both from the global

recession and the increasingly

competitive international environment.

“Each member will bring unique andvaluable industry expertise to theCouncil.”

The Council will be chaired byInnovation, Industry, Science andResearch Department secretary MarkPaterson AO. Other members are

V-C on steel council

SENIOR APPOINTMENTS

BlueScope Steel CEO Paul O’Malley,OneSteel CEO Geoff Plummer,Australian Workers’ Union nationalsecretary Paul Howes, AustralianWorkers' Union national presidentJulius Roe, Australian Steel InstituteCEO Don McDonald, the CSIRO’sManufacturing, Materials & MineralsGroup Executive Steve Morton andProfessor Lyndon Edwards from theAustralian Nuclear Science TechnologyOrganisation.

Professor Sutton said he was honouredto be appointed to the council. BG


St George Illawarra Dragons rugbyleague star Ben Creagh epitomised

the links between the University ofWollongong and the club, UOW Vice-Chancellor Professor Gerard Suttonsaid at the launch of a formalpartnership between the twoorganisations in August.

Professor Sutton and DragonsChairman Warren Lockwood signed aMemorandum of Understanding toformally establish the partnership on19 August.

Creagh, who is studying for a Bachelorof Commerce at UOW and who startedplaying senior rugby league with theUniversity team in the Illawarracompetition, was on hand to witnessthe signing and will be an ambassadorfor the partnership.

“Ben epitomises the link betweeneducation and sport,” Professor Suttonsaid. “He’s studying at the University ofWollongong and winning games for theDragons. Rugby league needs moreBen Creaghs … people who recognisethat there is life after rugby league.”

Professor Sutton said one of the keyobjectives of the partnership with theDragons was to provide courses to helpplayers prepare for life after theirplaying career is over.

“We are excited about opening uppossibilities for Dragons players toparticipate in some of our academicprograms, to help them prepare for lifeand careers after football,” he said.

Creagh, who has represented NSW andAustralia, will be an ambassador for the

Reserve Bank of Australia GovernorGlenn Stevens had some reassuring

words for Illawarra’s businesscommunity when he spoke at aUniversity of Wollongong-sponsoreddinner for 250 people at the InnovationCampus in August.

In a coup for the University and theregion, Mr Stevens agreed to speak atthe August dinner of the IllawarraConnection business networkingorganisation.

In a wide-ranging and entertainingaddress, Mr Stevens outlined the role ofthe Reserve Bank as Australia’s centralbank and key economic instrument

Celebrating the signing of the UOW-Dragons agreement (from left): Dragons Performance Director Jeremy Hickman, DragonsChairman Warren Lockwood, UOW Vice-Chancellor Professor Gerard Sutton and star forward Ben Creagh.

responsible for maintaining the nation’sfinancial stability. He also outlined theorigins of current Global Finance Crisis,and predicted Australia would “come outof this in pretty good shape”.

He said there was justifiable quietoptimism in the Illawarra that theregional economy was improving,echoed in similar stories he had heardfrom other regions around Australia.

In his vote of thanks, UOW Vice-Chancellor Professor Gerard Sutton saidAustralia had been very fortunate tohave had a person of Mr Steven’s statureguiding the financial system through thesuch troubled economic times. NH

Reserve Bank Governor at Innovation Campus

partnership. He said he was delightedto be involved.

“I started playing rugby league withthe University club and am alsostudying at the University so I feel veryprivileged to have such a strongassociation with UOW and theDragons,” Creagh said.

“The University and the Dragons arekey elements within the Wollongongcommunity and this initiative will be ofgreat benefit for both organisations aswell as the local community,” headded.

The MOU formalises a commitmentfrom both UOW and the Dragons towork co-operatively and collaborativelyon joint initiatives and programs.

Under the partnership, Dragons

players will receive educationalopportunities through the University,UOW bio-medical researchers willhave access to the team for fitnessand injury rehabilitation research, andjournalism and marketing students willundertake internships with the club.The Dragons will also continue to usethe University’s sporting fields, pooland gymnasium for pre-seasontraining.

Professor Sutton described thepartnership as a perfect fit for twoorganisations with strong communityties. “This agreement formalisescollaboration between the Universityand the Dragons that has beenincreasing over the years, and opensup all kinds of exciting opportunitiesfor both organisations,” ProfessorSutton said.

“For example, our exercise scienceand rehabilitation students will benefithugely from being able to work onresearch programs with one of thetop professional sporting clubs in thecountry, while the players in turnshould benefit from the results of ourresearch. And our media andmarketing students will gaininvaluable experience as internswithin the Dragons’ organisation.”

Dragons Chairman Warren Lockwoodoutlined the Dragons’ confidence inthe joint initiative with UOW.

“The Dragons are very proud tosupport the Memorandum ofUnderstanding with the University ofWollongong,” Mr Lockwood said.“The University is an icon ofeducation and communitycommitment, both in Australia andinternationally and we are delighted to partner with them on variousinitiatives.” NH

UOW in league with Dragons

Reserve Bank of Australia Governor Glenn Stevens (centre) at the InnovationCampus with UOW Vice-Chancellor Professor Gerard Sutton (left) and IllawarraConnection President Roger Summerill.


University gains 7 Future Fellowships

The University of Wollongong has been awardedseven of the new Australian Research Council

Future Fellowships which have been introduced topromote research in areas of critical nationalimportance.

Announcing the fellowships in September,Innovation, Industry, Science and ResearchMinister Senator Kim Carr said they were designedto give outstanding researchers incentives toconduct their research in Australia so that thecountry can attract and retain the best andbrightest mid-career researchers.

For the next five years the ARC will offer four-yearfellowships of up to $140,000 a year tooutstanding Australian and internationalresearchers in the middle of their career. Inaddition, each researcher’s administeringorganisation will receive funding of up to $50,000a year to support related infrastructure,equipment, travel and relocation costs.

In all, the Federal Government has committed$844 million to the project. UOW has received$5.1 million in this inaugural round achievingmore than 30 per cent success rate for applicantsin comparison to the overall national success rateof 20.5 per cent.

“We are absolutely delighted to have so manyacademics from UOW included in this inauguralFuture Fellowship program,” Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Research) Professor Judy Raper said.

UOW’s Future Fellowship recipients are:

• Dr Zhenxiang Cheng - Manipulation of Spin byElectric Field

• Associate Professor Brett Garner - Targetingbrain lipid homeostasis to treat Alzheimer'sdisease*

• Associate Professor Chris Gibson - Crisis andchange: cultural-economic research on theadaptability and sustainability of Australianhouseholds

• Dr Marc in het Panhuis - Soft carbon nanotubematerials

• Professor Vera Mackie - From Human Rights toHuman Security: Changing Paradigms forDealing with Inequality in the Asia-PacificRegion*

• Dr Aaron Oakley - Fragment Based Screeningfor new Antibiotics by Protein X-RayCrystallography *

• Professor Willy Susilo - Secure and Efficient FairExchange Protocols.

* Denotes staff about to join UOW. BG

Premier announces SMART Rail Institute

Professor Buddhima Indraratna explains a rail research project to (from right) NSW Premier Nathan Rees, TransportMinister David Campbell and Vice-Chancellor Professor Gerard Sutton.

The University of Wollongong is set to become aleader in rail technology research following the

announcement by NSW Premier Nathan Rees andTransport Minister David Campbell of $10 million infunding from RailCorp.

The funding will be used to establish the SMART RailInstitute within UOW’s SMART (Simulation, Modellingand Analysis for Research and Teaching)Infrastructure Facility now under construction.

UOW Vice-Chancellor Professor Gerard Sutton saidthe SMART Rail Institute will become the pre-eminentresearch and training institute for rail research andtechnology in Australia.

Professor Sutton said the Rail Institute would play acritical role in the overall development of the SMARTInfrastructure Facility, which draws together UOW’sexpertise in engineering, science, commerce andinformation technologies.

The SMART Infrastructure Facility is being set up with $35 million in funding from the AustralianGovernment’s 2009 Higher Education Endowmentfund, and is designed to provide research, analysisand training to support Australia’s future infrastructure needs.

About 340 people will be employed during the two-year construction phase on the SMART InfrastructureFacility, and the Rail Institute announcement means a

further 25 permanent jobs when it is fully established. It is expected that a fully operationalSMART Infrastructure Facility will result in ongoingemployment for about 150 people.

“Rail infrastructure is a critical cornerstone of theinfrastructure needs of this state. We look forward toengaging with RailCorp to ensure that together wedevelop the rail specialists able to meet the futuredemands of this industry,” Professor Sutton said.

“As part of its role, the institute’s researchdevelopment activities will aid the development of rail-related course materials that we expect will enhancemainstream Bachelor of Engineering courses and alsofurther strengthen rail-related postgraduatecoursework offerings,” Professor Sutton said.

The Premier was in Wollongong to release an overallpackage in response to the Illawarra Jobs Summitheld in Wollongong in April.

Before leaving the campus, the Premier and TransportMinister were taken on a tour of current railwayresearch taking place within the Faculty ofEngineering.

They were provided with an update on the latestresearch by Professor Buddhima Indraratna, who isDirector of the Centre for Geotechnical and RailwayEngineering and the Wollongong co-ordinator for theCo-operative Research Centre for Rail Innovation. BG

FOCUS ON RESEARCH

Be kind to white ibis White ibis are often described as a “pest” but a

UOW researcher says urban Australians needto become better neighbours to the distinctivewading bird with the bald, black head and longcurved beak for the species’ long-term survival.

Speaking at the British Ecological Society’s annualmeeting at the University of Hertfordshire inSeptember, PhD student John Martin from UOW’sSchool of Biological Sciences outlined how ibis werebeing driven into Sydney and other east coast citiesas their inland wetland habitats disappear due todrought, dam construction and agricultural waterextraction.

“Over the past 30 years the urban ibis populationhas been increasing and ibis have adapted toflourish in association with humans. In the 1950s,ibis were rarely seen in the Sydney region and wouldhave been regarded as a unique sighting by birdwatchers but by 2008 ibis numbers in Sydneyreached 8800,” Mr Martin told delegates to Britain’sbiggest annual ecological conference.

But while ibis are happy living with people, Sydney'shuman residents are less keen. “In urban Australia,white ibis have colonised local parks, ponds andpalm trees in people’s yards for nesting habitat,which as they live in colonies can become noisy and smelly, upsetting the human neighbours,” Mr Martin said.

To help solve this dispute between human and avianneighbours, Mr Martin has been studying the urbanibis's habitat and foraging behaviour for the pastthree years.

“We marked more than 600 adults with colouredleg-bands, wing-tags or radio transmitters andconducted fortnightly surveys of the regionalpopulation for three years,” Mr Martin said.

Soothing humans' ruffled feathers is importantbecause of the decline in the ibis population in theinland wetlands, and the likelihood that this declinewill accelerate due to climate change.

Mr Martin hopes his research will change attitudes tothe white ibis among urban Australians and helpland managers protect the species in their newurban habitat.

“Our findings provide a basis for regional planning,so we can implement strategies to avoid conflictsbetween humans and ibis,” he said. BG


Centre to set physicalstandards for Army roles

FOCUS ON RESEARCH

The University of Wollongong has received $1.6million in funding over three years to establish a

National Centre of Excellence in PhysicalEmployment Standards.

To be known as the Centre for Human and AppliedPhysiology, it will be based within the School ofHealth Sciences but will have five researchers

working at the Defence Science and TechnologyOrganisation (DSTO Melbourne).

The centre will work collaboratively with DSTO toestablish physical standards for Army combatroles, regardless of age and gender. It is expectedthat this work will also be extended into emergencyservice organisations, and eventually across arange of industries.

Defence Personnel, Material and Science MinisterGreg Combet announced the centre’sestablishment in August, saying it would accuratelyevaluate the physical requirements of service inmilitary occupations.

“The Centre of Expertise will assist the AustralianDefence Force to develop objective benchmarksfor physical employment assessments to ensuresoldiers have physical capacity commensurate withthe performance of critical tasks, regardless oftrade classifications, rank, age, or gender,” MrCombet said.

“The centre will develop physical employmentstandards for the Army, with a view to laterassessing requirements for the Air Force and Navyand will ensure that fitness-for-duty testsadequately represent the physical requirements oftoday’s military services.

“Physical Employment Standards allow soldiers’physical capabilities to be assessed against theoccupational requirements of their job, using astandardised set of test procedures. Adoption ofEmployment Standards will help guide recruits tooccupations for which they are most physicallysuited and could also potentially facilitate access tooccupations traditionally closed to particulargroups on the basis of task physical readiness.”

Centre director Associate Professor Nigel Taylorsaid UOW would provide academic input and alsoconduct supporting research. BG

Researchers at the University of Wollongong are

investigating whether sticky tape might prove a

cheaper alternative to lasers as emitters of terahertz

radiation (T-rays).

T-rays penetrate common packaging materials like

paper and plastic and so can be used to see

through them. The implications are enormous for

security screening, medical imaging, detection of

illicit substances in the mail, and secure local

wireless communications.

The story has been covered in New Scientist, NaturePhotonics and Laser Focus World. Optics Lettersalso recently published a seminal peer-reviewedpaper on the research from UOW physicists DrJoseph Horvat and Professor Roger Lewis.

Professor Lewis said that peeling sticky tape gives off many forms of radiation, including visible light.

In his laboratory, Professor Lewis usually calls onstate-of-the-art ultrashort laser pulses or specialcombinations of lasers to generate T-rays. “Thesticky tape is a lot simpler,” he said.

“Peeling sticky tape has already been known toproduce x-rays but we wanted to see if it couldproduce lower-frequency terahertz radiation. Wewere rather pleasantly surprised to obtain a clearsignal in our first attempt,” Dr Horvat said.

The two researchers and their students will bemaking refinements to the apparatus in order toincrease the output of their T-ray source. BG

A female soldier undertakes work simulationcarrying (realistic) loads and equipment withmeasurements taken by Alison Fogarty (DEST)and Paul Tofari (UOW) of metabolic demand forexpired air analysis (oxygen consumption).

Sticky tape gives off ray of hope


The University of Wollongong in Dubai(UOWD) has been operating since 1993and is now one of the most prestigiouseducational institutions in the UnitedArab Emirates. UOWD currently has anenrolment of approximately 3300students undertaking Bachelors andMasters degrees in Business, FInanceand Computer Science at its location inDubai’s Knowledge Village.

Postcard from Dubai

University of Wollongong in Dubai PresidentPROFESSOR ROB WHELAN recently completedhis first year in the job. In this edition of Postcardfrom Dubai, Professor Whelan reflects on the past12 months and talks about plans for the future:

As anyone who has been to Dubai well knows, it islike nowhere else on earth. Exciting, exotic,dynamic, challenging, hospitable and endlesslyfascinating are descriptions that spring to mind – soI consider myself privileged to have the opportunityto lead an organisation that has been able to makea significant mark in such a place.

I started my “cultural and environmental training”in Dubai when I arrived in late summer 2008 at thestart of Ramadan. Dr Tayeb Kamali, the Vice-Chancellor of the Higher Colleges of Technology,invited me to Sheikh Nahayan’s Iftar (breaking ofthe fast) and “Ramadan Tent”. It was a greateducation in Emirati hospitality and etiquette, andthe perfect start to my time here.

It didn’t take long to appreciate the extent ofUOWD’s reach in the United Arab Emirates. Havingmade appointments to meet key figures in Dubaigovernment agencies, I was amazed to meetUOWD graduates everywhere. I was regularlyintroduced to people who said: “I’m one of yours!”

With more knowledge of the University now, it’shardly surprising, because we have more than 700Emirati alumni in Dubai and Abu Dhabi. It isgratifying to hear the pride with which theyannounce their UOWD connections.

My first year - UOWD’s 16th - has been excitingand productive.

We have restructured the previous undergraduateand postgraduate college system to create threeFaculties – Finance and Accounting, Business andManagement, and Computer Science andEngineering – each with undergraduate andpostgraduate programs.

The structure is working well, under the guidanceof new Vice-President (Academic) ProfessorMohamed Khalifa and the three Deans – Dr Davidvan Over (Business and Management), DrMohamad Salem (Computer Science andEngineering) and Dr Michael Willemyns (Financeand Accounting).

We have also reviewed the governance structures,reconstructed the Academic Board, which is

Reflections on ayear in Dubai

UOWD honoured United Arab Emirates Ministerfor Higher Education and Scientific Research

His Excellency Sheikh Nahayan Mabarak al Nahayanwith the University’s first honorary Doctor of Letters(honoris causa) at the June graduation ceremony.

Delivering the citation for Sheikh Nahayan’s award,UOWD President Professor Rob Whelan said:“Universities have a long history of awardinghonorary doctoral degrees to recognise outstandingcontributions to a specific field and to society ingeneral. It was in the 1470s that the first honorarydegree was awarded – by Oxford University.

“For the University of Wollongong in Dubai, over500 years later, this is a momentous occasion,

because today we bestow our first honorarydoctorate. It is a matter of great pride that this awardis to His Excellency Sheikh Nahayan, especially ashe himself studied at Magdalen College, Oxford.”

The citation hailed Sheikh Nahayan’s contribution to

education since 1990, both as Minister for Higher

Education and as Minister for Education and

Scientific Research from 2004-2006. “This award is

to a visionary leader who has made, and continues

to make, an outstanding contribution to the

development of higher education and research in

the UAE, and to a great many areas of this society,”

Professor Whelan said. “He has also been, and

continues to be, a strong supporter of UOWD”. CN

His Excellency Sheikh Nahayan Mabarak al Nahayan receives his Honorary Doctorate from Chancellor MichaelCodd AC (right) as UOWD President Professor Rob Whelan looks on.

responsible for academic issues, and created a newOffice for Institutional Effectiveness, which hasresponsibilities for planning, policy, governance andinstitutional data and statistics.

Over the past year we have had the chance to honoursome great contributors to UOWD.

Last November we celebrated UOWD’s 15thanniversary, and honoured Dr Jim Langridge for hispivotal role in the institution’s establishment anddevelopment.

At our graduation ceremony in June this year, at whichwe conferred 284 degrees, taking us to 3700graduates, we awarded an honorary doctorate to theMinister for Higher Education and Scientific ResearchSheikh Nahayan Mabarek al Nahayan in recognition ofhis outstanding service to higher education andscientific research in the region.

Sheikh Nahayan delivered the graduation address at the ceremony, also attended by Australia’sAmbassador to the UAE Jeremy Bruer, who has been a great supporter of what we are doing in theEmirates.

At the June graduation we also farewelled a greatsupporter in Chancellor Michael Codd AC, as thatwas his final graduation in Dubai before the end ofhis term as Chancellor.

One of my aims when I took this role was to increaseUOWD’s focus on research, so I was pleased whenstaff submitted 16 grant proposals to the newlyformed National Research Foundation. Thirty-eightpercent of our applications made it through theexpression of interest phase and are now out forinternational review – a far better “progression rate”than the national average. My fingers are crossed forthe final outcome in November. Continued next page

Sheik Nahayan honoured


From previous page

In May we submitted proposals to theUAE Commission for AcademicAccreditation in the Ministry for HigherEducation to run a PhD program and aDoctor of Business Administration. Ifsuccessful, these doctoral programs willestablish us as a leading research-and-teaching university in the region. Wealready have our first Doctoral graduate- Sheikh Nahayan!

In May we launched a Study Abroadprogram which allows students from allover the world to study at UOWD for afull semester, combining academicstudy with Arabic language and cultureclasses and UAE history.

A key to our success is the support wereceive from a strong network of partnerorganisations, including:

• Dubai International Academic Cityand Knowledge Village, throughExecutive Director Dr Ayoub Kazim;

• Dubai government agencies,especially the Department ofFinancial Audit (through theirDirector-General Yaser Amiri);

• the Dubai Quality Group (throughtheir Chairman Dr Wafi Dawood)who have been very helpful inestablishing one of our flagshipMasters programs – the Master ofQuality Management;

• Australian Education International,through its UAE representative SteveGarrett;

• and many other UAE businessesand industries, who provide workexperience for students and staff asguest lecturers and adjunct (part-time) staff.

We are also in the fortunate position ofbeing able to tap into the considerableresources of the University ofWollongong. Professors Joe Chicharo,John Patterson and Rob Castle and theDeans have been particularlycooperative and helpful in my first yearin the job. ITC has also provided strongsupport, through the new CEO, VinceLendrum.

With a set of good structures now inplace, we are starting to plan for thefuture. Two key priorities are to secure along-term location for a campus and tobroaden the University’s offerings tomake it into a more comprehensiveinstitution.

We want to go beyond the currentcourse offerings in finance, accounting,IT, business and management – and weare exploring opportunities in health,education, social science, journalism

Three Endeavour Award

scholarship holders at the

University of Wollongong have

been featured in a new Australian

Government publication about the

program.

The Endeavour Awards are the

government’s international

scholarships program. They give

overseas students the opportunity

to undertake study, research and

professional development in

Australia and Australians the

opportunity to study overseas.

Since the program started in its

current format in 2007, UOW has

hosted 31 Endeavour Award

holders while eight UOW students

or academics have gone overseas

on scholarships.

The Department of Education,

Employment and Workplace

Relations has just released a book

designed to promote the

Endeavour Awards both in

Australia and overseas. It features

profiles of two scholarship holders

who studied at UOW – Dr Ala

Aljorany from Iraq and Dr Pavan

Phanindra from India, and UOW

student Emma Dalton who went to

Rikkyo University in Japan.

Dr Aljorany spent six months

working with soil structure experts

at UOW’s Faculty of Engineering,

working on ways to counter

problems associated with the

construction of heavy structures on

the soft soils in southern Iraq.

Through experimentation and

mathematical modelling, Dr

Aljorany has developed a new

technique to model the

consolidation of soft, fine-grained

soils by pre-fabricated vertical

drains – work that could literally

form the foundation of huge

engineering projects in the

reconstruction of his homeland.

“I was able to complete myresearch through the cooperationand expertise of the magnificentteam at the University ofWollongong,” Dr Aljorany said. “MyEndeavour Award is just one of theways Australia is playing a vital rolein rebuilding Iraq.”

Dr Phanindra has gained a Masterof Population Health from theFaculty of Health and BehaviouralSciences, and is returning to Indiawith a vision to establish a non-government organisation to build anetwork of health centres in ruraland remote areas of his homeland.He wants to focus on better healthoutcomes for disadvantagedpeople, particularly women andchildren.

“It will be a mammoth task,” DrPhanindra said “But after all, ajourney of a thousand miles beginswith one step.”

Emma Dalton travelled to Japan forvital field work for her PhD,researching the role of femalepoliticians in Japanese society at atime when the debate about therole and status of women in thatnation‘s political system isbecoming intense.

With support from RikkyoUniversity, Emma interviewed anumber of femaleparliamentarians. “Beingsupervised by one of Japan’sleading political scientists andtalking with visiting scholars andother foreign graduate studentsconducting fieldwork in Tokyo,exchanging findings and ideas, hasbeen of great benefit to me,”Emma said.

She has subsequently been invitedto make presentations atsociological conferences inMalaysia and Japan.

Meanwhile, Japanese academicMasayuki Takagi is spending fourmonths at UOW’s ShoalhavenCampus – the first time anEndeavour Scholarship-holder hasbeen based in Shoalhaven.

Mr Takagi, who is a lecturer at thePrefectural University inHiroshima, has an EndeavourExecutive Award and is beingsupervised by Dr Alison Wicks atthe Australian OccupationalScience Centre based at theShoalhaven Campus.

As part of his visit, he will join agroup of 14 people from theShoalhaven walking the KokodaTrack in Papau-New Guinea. NH

Scholarships reflectspirit of endeavour

Dr Pavan Phanindra

Masayuki Takagi

Dr Ala Aljorany

Emma Dalton


Dr Anita Heiss

With eight books to her name, a successfulacademic career, international lecture tours,

presentations at writers’ festivals around the world,television appearances and a host of other publishing and presentation credits, you’d think guestlectures to university students would be a breeze for Dr Anita Heiss.

But the leading Indigenous writer and academic admits to having the odd pang of fear when she faces a lecture hall full of students for the first time.

“As a guest lecturer, you have to win over youraudience in the first five minutes or you’re in realtrouble,” Dr Heiss says. “I try to make them thinkabout what they don’t know.

”I have the utmost respect for school teachers whoface this challenge every day.”

Not that Dr Heiss, a Wiradjuri woman originally fromthe NSW Central West, had any problem keeping heraudiences’ attention during her time as a VisitingFellow at the University of Wollongong’s Faculty of Arts.

Dr Heiss spent much of her time at UOW in August-September lecturing on Indigenous literature,particularly Aboriginal life writing and Aboriginalwomen’s writing. It’s an area in which she is aninternational authority.

Her published works include the historical novel WhoAm I? The Diary of Mary Talence, Sydney 1937, thepoetry collection Token Koori and satirical socialcommentary Sacred Cows. In 2007 Anita releasedthree titles: Not Meeting Mr Right (Random House) forwhich she won the Deadly Award for OutstandingContribution to Literature; a poetry collection I’m not

Students keep writer on her toes

racist, but… (Salt Publishing) which won the ScanlonPrize for Indigenous Poetry; and a children’s novelYirra and her deadly dog, Demon (ABC Books).

Last year she released Avoiding Mr Right (RandomHouse) and co-edited with Peter Minter TheMacquarie PEN Anthology of Aboriginal Literature,which showcases 81 different Aboriginal writers,playwrights, storytellers, poets, songwriters andleaders.

Anita was hosted at UOW by the Literature, Cultureand Identity research group that is affiliated withCAPSTRANS.

Associate Professor Anne Collett said students hadbenefitted greatly from having such a distinguishedwriter and editor on campus.

“It’s a great advantage having a creative writer likeAnita come in and give the students a freshperspective,” Professor Collett said. “They have alsohad the opportunity to talk to her privately.

“Hearing from someone like Anita makes writing real,and her time here has generated a lot of interestamong the students and encouraged them to thinkabout their own writing.” NH

‘Unlocking potential through learning’ was themain theme at the official launch of ITC’s

Strategic Plan for 2010-2012.

The ITC Group of Companies is the University ofWollongong’s commercial arm, largest subsidiary anda global education provider.

“To run a successful operation we must have clarityas to where we are heading,” ITC Chief executiveofficer Vince Lendrum told ITC and UOWrepresentatives attending the launch in August.

“And the core of our activities always comes back to‘unlocking potential through learning’ makingreference to ITC operations such as UniAdvice,Wollongong College Australia and the University ofWollongong in Dubai,” Mr Lendrum said.

He said ITC was uniquely positioned with its range ofskills, resources and facilities, and predicted theStrategic Plan would help ITC cement “our position asthe most successful and entrepreneurial university-controlled entity in Australia”.

Part of the launch involved a recorded video messagefrom staff at the University of Wollongong in Dubaialong with presentations from ITC staff at Wollongongwho shared their personal viewpoints on the six maincore values outlined within the Strategic Plan. BG

ITC launches Strategic Plan

APPOINTMENTSGrenyer to chair

new psychology boardAssociate Professor Brin Grenyer has beenappointed chair of the new National PsychologyBoard. The Australian Health WorkforceMinisterial Council announced the appointmentin August. It will take effect on 1 July, 2010.

School of Psychology head Professor PatrickHeaven congratulated Professor Grenyer on hisappointment, saying it reflected well on theSchool and the University.

Professor Grenyer is scientific director of theNeuroscience and Mental Health Researchtheme at the Illawarra Health and MedicalResearch Institute (IHMRI) at UOW. Hisresearch program focuses on the treatment ofchronic and complex psychological problems.

Statistician to head international body

Professor Ray Chambers from the Faculty ofInformatics has been appointed president-electof the top international professional body forpeople working in census and sample surveywork.

The Professor of Statistical Methodology who issponsored by the Australian Bureau of Statisticswill take over as International Association ofSurvey Statisticians (IASS) president for a two-year term from 2011-2013.

The IASS has strong membership fromacademic statisticians and statisticians workingin government and industry. The organisationalso takes a special interest in raising the profileof survey methods in developing countries.

Professor Chambers is currently AssociateEditor for the Journal of the Royal StatisticalSociety (Series A), the Journal of OfficialStatistics and the Annals of Statistics.

CAPSTRANS researcher elected APSA president

Centre for Asia Pacific Social TransformationStudies (CAPSTRANS) researcher and SeniorLecturer in Sociology Dr Ruchira Ganguly-Scrase has been elected president of the AsiaPacific Sociological Association (APSA).

The election was announced at APSA’s 9thinternational conference held in Bali.

Dr Ganguly-Scrase was a founding member andformer treasurer of APSA, which formed in1996. The association brings togethersociologists from the region, holds regularconferences and other professional events, andpromotes the teaching and studying of sociology.

APSA is an official member organisation of theInternational Sociological Association (ISA). DrGanguly-Scrase is its first female president. BG

ITC Chairman Dr Brian Hickman (centre) withUOW Vice-Principal (Administration) Chris Grange(left) and ITC CEO Vince Lendrum at the launchof the Strategic Plan.


Dr James Langridge’s status as a towering figure inthe University of Wollongong’s development was

recognised at the mid-year graduation ceremonies inJuly when he was made a Fellow of the University.

Dr Langridge devoted 34 years of his professional life

to UOW, most of it as a member of the seniorexecutive.

He spearheaded its international expansion, includingoverseeing the establishment of the University ofWollongong in Dubai (UOWD) and pioneeringrecruitment of overseas students by Australianuniversities.

Dr Langridge retired from his role as Vice-Principal(Overseas Operations) and Chief Executive of UOW’scommercial arm, the ITC Group of Companies, at theend of 2008 although he continues to advise UOW onits Middle Eastern operations.

Vice-Chancellor Professor Gerard Sutton paid tribute toDr Langridge, saying the Fellowship was a fittingtribute for his long years of exceptional service.

“James Langridge dedicated his life to the Universityand its commercial arm, so it is entirely fitting andappropriate that we ‘capture’ him for the rest of his lifeas a Fellow of the University,” Professor Sutton said.

“He retired last year with ITC posting a record profit (of$9.2 million) and UOWD recognised as Australia’smost successful overseas university – a factacknowledged publicly by both the Deputy PrimeMinister and the NSW Premier.”

Dr Langridge said he felt greatly honoured to receivethe fellowship, saying it “cements my link to thisUniversity for all time”.

“In a word, I think it is fantastic. I certainly feel veryprivileged to have this permanent reminder of myconnection to what is a very special place,” he said. NH

Awards, achievements and accolades

Citations show diversity and excellence

Australian universities cited for its outstandingcontributions to student learning and the latestannouncement has reaffirmed that position.

Professor Sutton said it was again pleasing tosee that the citations were spread across a rangeof areas at UOW.

2009 ALTC citation recipients:

Associate Professor Sue Bennett (Education) –for challenging students and colleagues toengage in authentic, case-based learninginformed by research that critiques the use ofcurrent and emerging technologies.

Dr Kate Bowles (Arts) – for using e-learning tocreate international opportunities for students incinema studies and drawing on this experienceto shape university strategic planning on e-learning.

Dr Tonia Gray (Education) – for engagingstudents in life-altering learning, providing a rolemodel for scholarly activity in outdoor educationand building an internationally recognisedprogram.

Dr Geraldine Lefoe (CEDIR) – for a scholarlycontribution to learning and teaching leadershipdevelopment in higher education throughdesign, facilitation and dissemination of staffprograms that impact on student learning.

Dr Peter McLean (Commerce) – for embeddinglearning in social narratives and engagingstudents in professional networks in the field ofhuman resource management.

Dr Glenn Mitchell (Arts) – for engaging studentswith an understanding of how the past is stronglylinked to the present while connecting studentlearning to the world of work.

Associate Professor Ken Russell (Informatics) –for inspiring students and staff to connect withstatistics and research design through formalcourses, workshops and the statistical consultingservice. KM

Dr James Langridge after being made a Fellow ofthe University at the July graduation ceremony.

The University of Wollongong has cemented itselfas one of the country’s leading Australian

universities for its contributions to learning andteaching following the announcement of the 2009Australian Learning and Teaching Council (ALTC)Citations.

Citations are awarded to academic and professionalstaff who have made long-standing contributions tothe quality of student learning and improving theoverall student experience. Wollongong has receivedseven citations from a possible 10 that can beallocated to any one institution.

Six of the seven UOW recipients attended a functionin Canberra in August to receive recognition for theircitations.

Deputy Prime Minister and Education Minister JuliaGillard said that each of the 206 recipients in 2009had made a significant contribution to the quality ofhigher education in Australia.

“This year we recognise individuals who havedeveloped programs for our increasingly diversestudent population,” she said. “We also recognise

programs for improving access in regional areas…”

Vice-Chancellor Professor Gerard Sutton said UOWhas consistently been in the top tier group of

At the Australian Learning and Teaching Council presentations (from left): Dr Kate Bowles, Associate Professor Sue Bennett, Dr Glenn Mitchell, Associate Professor Rebecca Albury, Dr Peter Mclean, Dr GeraldineLefoe, Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academic) Professor Rob Castle, Dr Tonia Gray and ALTC contact officerChristine Brown.

For he’s a jolly good Fellow

INTERNATIONAL WEEK


Campus News is produced by the Media Unit.

Editorial Nick HartgerinkBernie GoldieKate Mcllwain

Layout Artist Paul MartensPhotographers Sean Maguire

Mark NewshamTelephone +61 2 4221 5942Facsimile +61 2 4221 3128Email [email protected] media.uow.edu.auAddress University of

Wollongong NSW 2522 Australia

CRICOS Provider No: 001202E ISSN 0312-2018

The University of Wollongongcelebrated the rich cultural

diversity of its student populationduring the annual International Weekfestivities in August.

Events celebrating the contributioninternational students make to

Celebrating our cultural diversitycampus life included a performanceand food night, cultural dress day,international baking sale and GlobalHighway, where stalls were set uparound the Wollongong campusrepresenting all the nationalities foundin UOW accommodation.

This year's International Weekfeatured the first participation ofstudents from the HimalayanKingdom of Bhutan, the world'syoungest democracy. The Bhutanesestudents performed traditional dances at the night performance andhad a stall in the Global Highway(pictured left).

Around 20 students from Bhutan arestudying Bachelor degrees at UOWunder a scholarship program of theBhutan Government's Department ofAdult and Higher Education. Aftertheir graduation, the students willreturn home to take teacher trainingand to work as teachers in thenation's schools.

Although Bhutan was for many yearssomewhat isolated by its geography,cut off from the world by theHimalayas, there is increasing interestin this small nation, its unique cultureand its national philosophy of "GrossNational Happiness".

International Week was coordinatedby UniCentre’s Centre for StudentEngagement and AccommodationServices, and supported by a workingparty of UOW staff from variousfaculties and units. The IllawarraCommittee for International Studentsorganised the cultural performanceevening. KM

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