Susan Loomes

State Director NSW

CQUniversity Sydney

Susan Loomes has been working in the education sector for over 15 years. She has graduated with an Advanced Certificate in Personnel Management (TAFE), a Bachelor of Social Science (Major in Human Resource Development), and a Graduate Certificate of Business Administration through Southern Cross University.  Susan is currently undertaking a Master of Business Research through Wollongong University articulating into a Doctor of Business Administration.

Susan is a certified professional of the Australian Human Resources Institute and the Australian Institute of Management. During her time at Southern Cross University, Susan's special interest was developing industry partnerships, such as, the joint venture between Southern Cross University and the InterContinental Hotel Group - The Hotel School. Her roles at Southern Cross University included: Manager of the School of Tourism and Hospitality Management, Community Relations and Alumni Manager and Registrar for The Hotel School.

Susan has worked at CQUniversity Sydney campus for 5 years, initially as the Associate Director Administration and now as the State Director, NSW. Her passion is providing the best educational experience for international students. Her research interests include, seeing students as customers, the social integration of international students and how Australian universities recruit their senior leaders.

As evident in the themes of her research, Susan ensures that students at CQUniversity have a wholly engaging study experience and has implemented initiatives to the campus where students are involved in environmental issues, community engagement and social activities.

Dr Alison Owens  EdD (UTS), Grad. Cert. TESOL (UNSW), BA hons (USyd)

Senior Research Associate

Alison has been teaching diverse student groups in the Australian higher education sector for over twenty years. Initially, she taught English language to students and migrants in Sydney based college and TAFE programs. In 1996, she began lecturing in Communications subjects at Sydney based universities, including CQUniversity.  For the past fourteen years Alison has delivered, managed, designed and developed courses and programs for undergraduate and postgraduate CQUniversity students with an emphasis on culturally inclusive and globally relevant content and pedagogy.

Since 2005, Alison has been actively researching and publishing in the field of intercultural education and has been the recipient of three CQUniversity Teaching and Learning Grants.

Alison regularly presents research papers at domestic and international academic conferences on themes revolving around intercultural communication, intercultural and international education, and specifically, the role of English language in globalised and technologised communications. Recent papers have explored topics including the effects of lecturer accent on listening comprehension of second language learners, textual complexity and second language reading comprehension, the relationship between customer satisfaction and academic performance, individualism/collectivism theory in relation to international student performance in university, social integration of international students, transitional learning for culturally diverse students and intercultural issues in telecommunications.  Currently she is collaborating on the production of a DVD orientation film for international students at CQUniversity as well as researching the teaching of Australian law to non-law international students and the career expectations and outcomes for repatriated Indian women graduates of business.

Alison is currently Program Coordinator of the Doctorate of Professional Studies, the Graduate Certificate TEFL and teaches research methods and ethics for the social sciences. She is an Associate of the Intercultural Education Research Centre (IERC) of CQUniversity.