The Griffith Asia Institute within the Griffith Business School is encouraging undergraduate students to become active participants in global exchange initiatives.

The Asia Future Fellows Program is bringing together 10 Griffith and 10 Peking University students for two intensive one-week programs during 2014. The first was held in Brisbane in July and the second will take place in Beijing in November.

Incorporating activities such as cultural business seminars, workshops and government and industry briefings, the Chinese students made the most of their time in Australia, visiting Lone Pine Sanctuary and enjoying a day tour of the Gold Coast before the official program began.

The Acting Director of the Griffith Asia Institute, Professor Leong Liew, said the formal program included academic introductions on campus to set a framework for industry liaisons and cultural exchanges.

As well as meetings with various authorities invested in Australia-China relations, such as the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, the students engaged with the Brisbane City Council to discuss the importance of sister city relationships. They also visited Parliament House and were briefed by representatives from Brisbane Marketing.

“The entire student contingent from Griffith and Peking Universities represents a future leadership cohort which boasts major interests in Australia-China relations,” said Professor Liew.

“It’s great to provide a context whereby personal and professional relationships can be fostered.

“Undoubtedly students will benefit from the exchange that is part of the Asian Century Futures Initiative.”

The timing of the Australian leg of the Asia Future Fellows Program was perfect as Brisbane continues to ramp up preparations towards the G20 World Leaders Summit.

International Business student Charmaine Bondeson plans to make an impact on the global corporate scene.

Passionate about developing trans-national relationships within the public and private sectors, invaluable assistance provided by Griffith University has enabled Charmaine to take on worldly representation within the sphere of the Model United Nations (MUN).

MUN commitments create enhanced public speaking and universal networking opportunities in which students throughout the world negotiate resolutions by debating topics of current international concern.

Such enterprise is sure to serve Charmaine well in her professional life, which she hopes will lead to a role with the United Nations or Department of Foreign Affairs.

This industrious student is already on her way to influencing international business circles.

Working for a mechanical lubrication firm, Charmaine is expanding her administrative duties by evolving theoretical frameworks towards practical solutions. The aim is to bring the Queensland company closer to worldwide markets.

It’s all a far cry from a childhood spent growing up in Cairns in Far North Queensland. However, the ‘big city’ feel and yet laid-back coastal style of Griffith’s Gold Coast campus provided the perfect environment for Charmaine to hone in on future successes guided by her studies in International Business.

A prized international post-graduation accolade has been bestowed upon Griffith University’s Julia Bergman, who has been awarded the prestigious Golden Key Undergraduate Achievement Scholarship.

Julia’s feat is a phenomenal effort given she overcame poor high school grades in her German homeland before travelling across the world to make a whole-hearted commitment to study at Griffith University.

“The past four years have been incredibly stimulating for my mind and for creating happiness in my heart,” says Julia, who completed a double degree in Business (Human Resource Management and Psychological Science.

“I cherished the opportunity to attend Griffith University every day of my degree, even during the challenging times.

“This award is quite prestigious and I feel extremely honoured, surprised and proud of my achievement.”

Julia is now working as an employment consultant with national not-for-profit organisation Ostara Australia, which assists with employment placements for people disadvantaged through age, health, disability or cultural background.

Golden Key is an international honour society with more than two million members spread across 400 chapters at colleges and universities throughout the world.

Expanding Asian markets present exciting opportunities for the Australian tourism industry and fierce competition for the domestic and international tourist dollar means there is no room for complacency.

At the forefront of this new era is the recently launched Griffith Institute for Tourism (GIFT).

Based at the Gold Coast campus and part of the Griffith Business School, GIFT is Australia’s largest dedicated centre for tourism research. Building on Griffith’s established footing in tourism research, it has a strong focus on the Asia-Pacific.

Director of GIFT, Professor Susanne Becken, says that as the Asian Century evolves, research must deliver quantitative and qualitative knowledge for academic and industry application.

“Griffith’s commitment to tourism has always been evident and has assumed greater relevance given China is now Australia’s largest tourism market,” says Professor Becken.

“I recently returned from a study tour of China during which I met with universities and tourism academies and signed Memoranda of Understanding on teaching and comparative research initiatives.

“Our research at GIFT, aided by our close relationship with Griffith’s Tourism Confucius Institute, can help identify what Chinese tourists want and don’t want from their Australian experience, what they like and don’t like, what concerns them and so on.

“From a local context, we can deliver evidence-based knowledge on the value of Gold Coast projects such as the Chinatown proposal for Southport, as well as the importance of issues such as direct flights, language barriers, beach safety and sustainable tourism practices.”

Griffith University hotel management, hospitality and tourism graduates are reaching career heights right here in Queensland.

What’s more, many are doing so within a very short time of completing their degrees.

Local students and school leavers should take note as tourism is Australia’s second largest industry, worth $9.6 billion annually and employing nearly one million people.

With high hotel occupancies, a rise in international arrivals plus strong corporate and domestic tourism growth, Australia is also attracting new investment in the industry.

This all adds up to jobs, careers and abundant opportunities for young people with a passion for an industry that spans the globe and brings the world to Queensland.

So what does it take to succeed in the business of hotel management, tourism and hospitality?

Bikash Randhawa is General Manager at Sea World and Sea World Resort on the Gold Coast. A Griffith Business School graduate, he came to Australia 22 years ago and quickly discovered that here was where he wanted to live and work.

Believing tourism to be the industry with the greatest opportunities on the Gold Coast, he pursued a degree in hotel management. The career that has ensued confirms the wisdom of his decision.

Since commencing with Village Roadshow Theme Parks, Australia’s largest theme park operator, in 1995, Bikash has worked his way up the ranks from his first role as a casual waiter to achieving the top job at Sea World Resort.

More recently, he assumed the role of General Manager of Sea World theme park.

“There are so many wonderful career opportunities on the Gold Coast if you have the drive to succeed, the right attitude and the qualifications behind you,” he says.

“During my time at Griffith University, I not only mastered the core principles of running a successful business, I also had some amazing experiences and made some great friends, all of which helped me achieve what I have today.

“I believe that if you are willing to work hard with dedication and passion, and you can put your hand over your heart at the end of each day and say ‘I did the very best for my customers and the business,’ then success is inevitable.”

Day 7 update:

After Team Griffith’s great success in the swimming pool, attention is now firmly focused on track and field and other sports at the Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games.

Hannah Joye has madeher way through to the women’s high jump final after making the qualifying heightof 1.85m.

Kelsey Cottrellis also a step closer to the medals as the Australian women’s triples lawn bowls team prepares for the semi-finals.

Griffith alumnus Nik Bojic finished twelfth in the men’s high jump final. While Nik jumped 2.21m, registering the same height as the fifth placegetter, the countback system put him back several places.

Another Griffith graduate, Deborah Ascon, placed fourth in the +75kg weightlifting, just one kilogram shy of the bronze medal position.

For more Griffith at Glasgow news, visit:

http://www.griffith.edu.au/events/commonwealth-games

 

 

How Gold Coast and Logan schools can promote and celebrate Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures was the focus of a seminar held by the Tertiary Education Industry Advisory Group at the Gold Coast campus recently.

Dr Sue Whatman from the School of Education and Professional Studies said the event helped connect Gold Coast and Logan teachers with local Indigenous Education reference groups and Elders to assist with building and developing relationships.

“They shared good practices around developing relationships and developing curriculum from those relationships,” she said.

They also connected teachers with local area resources in the form of library collections, Indigenous museum information, and other teachers already further along in this process.

“We hope teachers left the seminar feeling inspired and confident to tackle the embedding of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures and knowledges in their curricula and teaching practices,’’ Dr Whatman said.

“By connecting Gold Coast and Logan teachers with a wealth of knowledge in their local area and being encouraged by those community members to take this on, we will see more teachers meeting their professional obligations around embedding Indigenous cultures.”

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The new $38 million Griffith Business School building is the stellar culmination of a concept by Brisbane-based firm Wilson Architects.

The company has created the seven-storey showpiece as a collaborative and interactive structure in keeping with the vision “Transforming business on the Gold Coast” and maintaining a perfect balance between functionality, warmth and aesthetic appeal.

“We wanted a building that was open, light, engaging and inviting, a business hub that would encourage people around it while making a connection between the university and the broader business community,” says Pro Vice Chancellor (Business) Professor Michael Powell.

There are three major entry points to the building, with students able to gain direct access from within the campus proper or via a more socially conducive lower level equipped with a cafe and seating.

For the wider Gold Coast business community, the Griffith Business School’s formalised entrance is situated at street level through an administrative foyer off Parklands Drive.

“Our initial proposal sought to explore the possibilities of revealing the interactive experience of the spaces held within by providing anopen, inviting, transparent andengaging building,” says Wilson Architects Director, Mr John Thong.

“Multiple departments and centres are co-located within this new building. Ideas will be exchanged, newcollaborationsestablished and a place created that fosters a sense of collegiate and industrypartnershipwithin the wider professional businesscommunity.

“When you look at the materials themselves, the bulk of the construct is simply aluminium, glass and rendered masonry, which makes the building an economically sound outcome as well as very well detailed, functional structure.

“The outcome reflects very closely our initial ideas and seeing that progression all the way through is one of those pleasing things that happens on the rare occasion in architecture, so that is extremely satisfying.”

With two marketing degrees from the Griffith Business School between them, where better for Marissa Bowden and Sarah Schoeller to take their skills than the markets?

That’s exactly what the Gold Coast fashion lovers did after their careers took a hit during the Global Financial Crisis.

After identifying a business niche they knew they were well equipped to fill, the pair set up The Village Markets on the Gold Coast in 2008.

“We shared a love of interstate fashion markets like Sydney’s Paddington, Bondi and Glebe, where one-off finds and emerging designer labels were in abundance,” says Sarah.

“We followed our hearts and started the first emerging designer and vintage market on the Gold Coast.”

With a natural business savvy shaped and sharpened at Griffith University, the pair applied their skills in marketing, events and business to develop a successful business plan.

After discussions with the local council and meetings to discuss venue proposals, The Village Markets was launched with nine stalls at Burleigh Heads in October 2008.

Almost six years later, the markets are held twice a month at Burleigh and once a month at Paradise Point. Stall holders come from as far north as the Sunshine Coast and as far south as Melbourne and Sydney.

“It’s amazing to see how much the event has grown and we are so glad we could create something that people look forward to,” says Marissa.

Their dazzling success story leaves far behind the dark days of the global financial crisis when Marissa and Sarah found themselves suddenly out of work.

“It took more than fashion sense to make it happen. It took the business and marketing knowledge we gained at Griffith University,” says Sarah.

“Today this knowledge has become a driving force in the Gold Coast fashion scene.”

The Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence in Policing and Security (CEPS) and India’s National Police Academy (NPA) signed a Memorandum of Understanding this week.

The aim of the partnership is to forge links in policing and security between the two entities.

CEPS researcher Dr Ashutosh Misra said they would work with the NPA on a wide range of policing and security issues and expand to various state police academies across India.

“We hope this collaboration will help deepen our policing and security relationship between Australia and India.”

NPA is the top police training institute in India. It conducts basic training for Indian Police Service (IPS) recruits, mid-career training programs for senior IPS officers and short courses, seminars and workshops to industry.

“IPS officers are recruited through a rigorous and competitive national examination. They provide senior level leadership to police forces in states and the centre and also visit and work with international organisations,” Dr Misra said.

“This partnership will enhance our international understanding in policing and security between CEPS and the NPA.”

The Centre of Excellence in Policing and Security was established in 2007 and is based at Griffith University with partners Australian National University, The University of Queensland and Charles Sturt University.

Dr Ashutosh Misra, Professor Paul Mazerolle, ?, Dr Melissa Bull, ? and Qld Police Commissioner Ian Stewart at the MOU signing.

Dr Ashutosh Misra, Professor Paul Mazerolle (Pro Vice Chancellor Arts, Education & Law), Ms Aruna Bahuguna IPS, Director, SVPNPA, Dr Melissa Bull, Director CEPS, Mr Vipul Kumar and Queensland Police Commissioner Ian Stewart at the MOU signing.