Fourteen nationalities represented at CQU Melbourne graduation
Published on 30 November, 2006
A total of 14 nationalities will be represented when 293 graduates attend the CQU Melbourne graduation ceremony, from 2pm on Wednesday December 12.
Attendees are from countries ranging from the large (China, Indonesia and India) to the smaller (Nepal and Mauritius).
Most are from the Faculty of Business & Informatics, but a few are from Arts, Humanities & Education.
The Chancellor and Vice-Chancellor will officiate at the ceremony in the Grand Hyatt's Savoy Ballroom.
Guest speaker Tony Smith (pictured) is the Chairman of the Lasallian Foundation (Asia Pacific), an organisation which raises revenue to provide assistance to those in need in the Asia Pacific region.
Tony oversees programs including emergency relief; education for the poor and marginalised; funding of micro-credit programs for village groups and empowering locals; raising revenue for housing, clothing, feeding and educating orphans and young AIDS victims and the provision of programs and advocacy for child workers.
Tony was a secondary school teacher for 9 years, while also lecturing part-time. As the first Director of the Australian Catholic University (ACU) commercial arm in Victoria, Tony raised revenue from educational training and consultancies and established an ELICOS Centre and international student office.
In 1998, Tony took up the position of Sub-Dean at CQU’s Melbourne International Campus, later moving to the role of Manager, Academic Programs, with responsibility for sustaining the quality of Teaching and Learning across CQU’s international campuses.
The systems set in place during this period of significant growth helped the University to preserve education quality in demanding times.
Tony then moved to the role of General Manager, Academic Operations, for Campus Group Holdings, before retiring in 2004.
Tony has been involved in various voluntary roles with welfare services, mainly associated with young people. He chaired the governing body of Vaugirard, a service which provides emergency accommodation, support and training for youth at risk in Melbourne’s southern suburbs and the Board of Kids Help Line Australia Ltd, a free telephone counselling service which provides 24 hour confidential service to Australian children.