Griffith University is in the spotlight after winning three of seven categories at the 2023 Australian Financial Review Higher Education Awards.
Griffith was the only university to win more than one award, a commendable achievement.
Dr Johanna Nalau from Griffith’s School of Environment and Science, who teaches the university’s world-first master’s degree in climate change adaptation, was named as the joint winner of the Emerging Leadership Award alongside an academic from the University of New South Wales.
Dr Nalau’s was recognised for her work in the climate adaptation field and her significant contributions to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPPC).
Griffith’s second win was in the Employability Category for the program Inspiration to Music Employment — My Life as a Musician with Dr Diana Tolmie from the Queensland Conservatorium at the helm.
A winner of numerous teaching awards, Dr Tolmie created My Life in 2011 as a Musician suite of units recognising student musicians’ need to be vocationally prepared for a career in music.
The third award, Teaching and Learning Excellence, was awarded to Griffith’s Interactive Oral Assessments (IOA).
IOA could serve as a potential alternative to essays and written exams whereby a student verbally demonstrates their understanding of the course topic, an idea stemming from the need to combat cheating and plagiarism.
IOA is spearheaded by Dr Popi Sotiriadou from the Department of Tourism, Sport and Hotel Management and Danielle Logan-Fleming from the Arts, Education and Law group.
Griffith was also shortlisted as finalists in two other categories:
- Community Engagement Award – Last Seen (QCA) a poignant and inspiring creative showcase, pairing vision-impaired Australians with renowned artists and composers to depict their last, or most cherished, visual memory. The multisensory exhibition and performance bring to life powerful stories through art, music, soundscapes, and short film
- Equity and Access – Griffith’s Tutoring for Success program is a tailored academic tutorial initiative designed to enhance First Peoples students’ experiences at university.