More than 300 graduates and their friends and families are due to attend Central Queensland University graduation ceremonies in Rockhampton this Saturday (Oct 11).

The ceremonies will be held at the Rockhampton Baptist Tabernacle in Norman Road.

About 250 graduates (including 2 PhDs) from the faculties of 'Business & Law', 'Education & Creative Arts' and 'Engineering & Physical Systems' will attend the 10am morning ceremony.

They will hear from morning ceremony guest speaker the Honourable Paul Braddy, the former State Member for Rockhampton and senior Queensland Minister, who is now Chair of the Queensland Education and Training Board. He is also President of Public Sector Development Queensland, which provides strategic direction on public sector vocational leadership and development issues.

The graduates' closing address for the morning ceremony will be delivered by Brooke Veliscek, who is graduating with 1st class Honours and has obtained the highest GPA of the female engineering student cohort.

The morning ceremony will also hear announcement of the recipients of the Vice-Chancellor's Awards for Excellence to General Staff. (see details below) During the afternoon ceremony (from 2pm), around 80 graduates (including 9 PhDs) will attend from the faculties of 'Arts, Health & Sciences' and 'Informatics & Communication'. Interdisciplinary awards will also be presented.

The afternoon graduates will hear from guest speaker Bronwyn Morris. Ms Morris is a prominent Chartered Accountant and has a portfolio of business interests which include government and listed public company directorships as well as charitable organisations. She achieved a milestone as the first female partner of KPMG amd, since retiring from that firm in 1996, has gained extensive experience of boards, committees and corporate governance processes.

The graduates' closing address for the afternoon ceremony will be delivered by Louise Challen, who is graduating with a Bachelor of Science (with Distinction).

The afternoon ceremony will include presentation of the Vice-Chancellor's Awards for Quality Teaching. (see details below). ENDS For details call 4930 6535.

Vice Chancellor's Award for Excellence (General Staff) Ms Sandy Lowien, Graduation Office Ms Linda Sait, Faculty of Engineering and Physical Systems Vice-Chancellor's Award for Quality Teaching Ms Yvonne Toft, Faculty of Arts, Health and Science Ms Prue Howard, Faculty of Engineering and Physical Systems Ms Lowien, in her role as Manager, Graduations, has made an exceptional contribution to the University community, encompassing staff, students and their families, and the communities in which our campuses are located.

Ms Sait, in her role as Administration Officer (Systems), has made an exceptional contribution to the University community and particularly to the staff and students of the Faculty of Engineering and Physical Systems.

Ms Toft and Ms Howard as joint recipients have collaborated to bring together two disciplines, engineering design and human performance to develop graduates that have both technical expertise and an ability to recognise and respond to human issues in design. Through interdisciplinary scholarship they overcame an extremely complex intellectual exercise, which required them to bridge methodological and framework differences whilst at the same time retaining discipline specific integrity.