Friday night, a number of current and former staff and students along with community and industry partners will gather for a celebration dinner in honour of the successes of the Central Queensland University Faculty of Business and Law and the contribution of Professor Kevin Fagg (OAM) to the University.

Professor Fagg, a member of the Faculty of Business and Law for 35 years, was recently appointed CQU Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Resources) after 10 years as the Foundation Dean of the Faculty.

As one of the early staff members based in Bolsover Street, he has seen many changes within the Faculty over the years. Kevin remembers when there were four full-time students in the first intake to Business at the then Queensland Institute of Technology (Capricornia).

Today he notes the enrolment of many thousands of students spread throughout Australia and overseas.

The early students of the Department of Business were able to graduate with three-year Associateships. Postgraduate students were presented with a Diploma in Business Administration. Once the institution's degree granting status was confirmed, the recipients of all but one of the early awards were granted degrees on a retrospective basis.

Courses began with accreditation by the Australian Society of Certified Practicising Accountants and have since been accredited by the Institute of Chartered Accountants.

Professor Fagg began his time in the department under the guidance of John Carkeek (now deceased), who emphasised the critical and interdisciplinary approaches to accountancy and management. Careek's crucial role was later recognised in the naming of the Business building as the John Carkeek Building.

Professor Fagg remembers the initial use of electronic/mechanical calculators and when they gave way to electronic calculators and later punchcard computers, one of which took up two rooms of floor space.

The use of computers grew rapidly in the 1970s; the first word processor was connected to a noisy daisy-wheel printer.

The Faculty now boasts extensive computer and videoconference links among campuses that link students with the Faculty across Australia and overseas.

To meet ever increasing demand, the Faculty works to dovetail degree programs with workplace training modules in a co-delivery partnership with major employers, creating tailor-made job development opportunities.

A significant development was the introduction of online MBA programs. Postgraduate students are drawn to the programs at CQU because of the felxibility they offer. You can study for a degree without having to attend lectures on-campus.

Professor Fagg said the Faculty aimed to make the most of its networked multi-campus system to make sure students had access to regional, capital city and overseas viewpoints and case studies.

"Our expertise is dispersed ... For example, the fact our Sydney campus is near the stock exchange is of interest to the finance discipline. We can draw on our existing contacts to develop expertise on doing Business in Hong Kong," he said.

Professor Fagg said the Faculty aimed to cater for a rapidly changing world by offering a flexible skeletal structure on which students could hang the subjects most relevant to their professional needs.

Photo: Professor Kevin Fagg OAM continues with CQU after 35 years.