CQUniversity academic Dr Patrick Keleher's eye-boggling keynote presentation highlighting the ‘key competencies for global practitioners' certainly got people talking recently. It was delivered at the Duale Hochschule - Baden-Wurttemburg (DHBW) Ravensburg Co-operative State University's Ravensburger Industry Conference.

Dr Patrick Keleher's eye-boggling presentation

The Ravensburger Industry Conference draws together DHBW's Departments of Industry, International Business and Banking, the Lake of Constance and Upper Swabia region's Chamber of Commerce and Industry, current students and alumni of the DHBW.

This year's presenters included representatives from the computer industry (SAP, CHG Meridan Deutsche Computer Leasing), motor industry (Audi Volkswagen, Mercedes-Benz), finance and business logistics (Barclay's Bank, Arvato Bertelsmann), hospitality equipment and food processing (Winterhalter Gastronom GmbH, Hilcona) and universities (University of Munich, Durban University of Technology, CQUniversity).

The conference focused upon internationalisation and explored the successful strategies and innovative practices global organisations have developed to extend their markets and new manufacturing channels for their products.

Dr Keleher praised the conference for the high calibre of presenters and their presentations.

"It was an excellent opportunity to share and explore the strategies developed for successful internationalisation and it also provided an excellent mechanism for DHBW to showcase its graduates, who as presenters, share their professional experiences and act as inspirational role models for current students," he said.

Dr Keleher and International Business students participating in Work Integrated Learning workshops

Professor Karin Reinhard, Director of the International Business Program at DHBW and conference convenor, highlighted she was keen to have Dr Keleher present, as one of five international keynote speakers, owing to his experiences as a leader and manager of undergraduate and postgraduate academic programs, courses and people at CQUniversity and elsewhere, to explore how different organisations successfully operate in a global market.

Dr Keleher also conducted workshops relating to Work Integrated Learning for DBHW's undergraduate International Business students, highlighting the importance of authentic and contextual learning to develop global practitioners.

The CQUniversity academic travelled to Friedrichshafen to meet with engineering academics to discuss research synergies. Furthermore, there are discussions with two potential PhD candidates to undertake their studies with CQUniversity under the supervision of Dr Keleher and Professor Reinhard.

The Duale Hochschule Ravensburg - Baden-Wurttemburg Cooperative State University is a dual sector institution and students must first demonstrate they will be continuously employed with the same employer for the duration of their studies, with confirmation from their employer, before they are able to gain entry to their program of study. This ensures students are exposed to practice-orientated work experience while studying and being employed. Students undertake 6 x 12 weeks of study mixed in with 6 x 12 weeks of practical work experience. Their system and learning strategies contrasts well with CQUniversity's Work Integrated Learning focused programs.

Dr Kelehere with Dagmar Schöbel and Anna Pogrzeba, the hard-working administrative staff co-ordinating the conference 
Conference convenor Professor Karin Reinhard and Jürgen Mossakowski , the CEO CHG Meridan Deutsche Computer Leasing