The ARCH Magazine | Issue 1 | 2009 Autumn

the

AUTUMN

2009

Celebrating 20 years

Bond University’s milestone anniversary

Bond v Yale The war, the law and the conqueror

1989 on the Gold Coast My, how we have grown

Pioneering success

How Bond Uni came to be

What on earth is a Bondy?

And could you be one?

Contents Features

Alumni

4 Pioneering success

34 Where are they now?

ow Bond University H came to be

24 Celebrating 20 years Bond’s history literally unfolds

30 Stop playing games with me New Bond research fuels the censorship debate

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The day Bond law students took on Yale and won

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Bond’s founder shares his thoughts

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15 The Gold Coast in 1989

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14 M eet Bond’s 21 Technology in new Chancellor 1989 16 R esearching the future

32 Manage your career

On campus

50 Bond quiz

Scholars unveil their findings

10 T he Gumboot Brigade

Founding staff think back

48 The Alan Bond perspective

To join The Arch mailing list please send an email to development@bond.edu.au

3 Chancellor’s message

News & research

46 War stories

Et cetera

Opinion

12 Vice-Chancellor’s vision for Bond

46

Editorial enquiries:

What does this really mean?

38 Being a Bondy

wo generous people, T two decades of support

CONTACT US

Office of Development Bond University Gold Coast Queensland 4229 Australia Ph: +61 7 5595 4403

Alumni tell their stories

22 A lasting contribution

Autumn 2009

42 Faculty update Learn the latest from your school

win an ’89 Cullen cabernet sauvignon merlot

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Chancellor’s message

Theirs was a bold vision

of political and industry leaders made a highly risky but ultimately historical decision: to build Australia’s first private university.

Theirs was a bold vision to create a unique learning experience in Australia. Classes would be smaller, leading academics and teachers would be drawn from across the globe and the buildings, facilities and technology would rival the best in the world. The university would also be international in focus, but uniquely Australian in character.

A robust scholarship program would be developed to ensure access for Australia’s best and brightest.

And above all, students would always come first.

When the first students arrived in 1989, much of the campus we know and admire today was still little more than a construction site. But the spirit of Bond University, the ‘survival against all odds’ attitude that has come to define its success and forge its international reputation, was already visible. The students and staff of those early years took great risks to come to Bond. But they were calculated, intelligent risks and they paid dividends.

It has been particularly gratifying to follow the success of both our early staff and alumni, and I am thrilled that we have the opportunity to hear some of their stories in The Arch.

And since those difficult early days, Bond University has both survived and thrived. Today

It is the people that make Bond University such an extraordinary place to teach and learn

Bond offers a unique educational experience, boasting state-of-the-art facilities, the smallest student to staff ratio in the nation, a world-class education and consistently high ratings for student satisfaction.

Launching The Arch has been, not surprisingly, a much easier and less controversial process than building the University itself. But I believe it is fitting that as Bond University celebrates its 20th anniversary this year, and looks forward to many more decades of success ahead, we now have a forum in which to record our history, publish our new research and ensure that our many voices can be heard.

This is also a significant year for me personally: I am retiring as Bond University’s Chancellor.

During my six-year tenure, I have witnessed tremendous growth at Bond. We have added significant new structures to our campus, launched new schools and programs to train our nation’s future leaders, introduced important new scholarships and continued to move forward in our quest to achieve excellence in education and research.

It has been a privilege to work beside Bond’s Vice-Chancellor Professor Robert Stable in these endeavours, and I deeply appreciate the innovation and leadership he has brought to this role. To the Deans, staff and students, and thousands of alumni of Bond University, I thank you for your support, and wish you the very best.

It is and always has been the people – our family – that make Bond University such an extraordinary place to teach and learn. So I am thrilled that as I retire, I leave you with this first issue of The Arch. As a member of the Bond family, this is your magazine. I invite your input and look forward to learning more about Bond’s unique and very personal story, through you. n

Trevor C Rowe AM Chancellor Autumn 2009

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On 3 July1986, a small group

ARCH History

Pioneering success

Bond University has come a long way since the first, muddy days in 1989 and the troubled times of the mid 1990s, evolving into one of the world’s leading universities.

By Ben Power

Bond

1987

Construction was hampered by two of the wettest years in history

University’s founders can be justifiably proud of their legacy. Their dream was to build a private university that would bring entrepreneurial flair to higher education. Today, that dream is a reality and Bond University celebrates its 20th anniversary.

Inaugural Vice-Chancellor and President of Bond University, Professor Don Watts, remembers when key founder Alan Bond was interviewed by a reporter hostile to his dreams of building a private university on Queensland’s Gold Coast.

Bond only agreed to speak if Watts could be with him. The reporter asked a blunt question: “Why is an uneducated man like Alan Bond interested in setting up a university?”

Watts recalls Bond’s response almost verbatim. Bond said, “What I really think we need in this country is a university that could take a person such as myself, with some obvious flair and entrepreneurial capabilities, and provide a framework that would teach them not to make the mistakes I make… without destroying their flair.”

A unique beginning

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Alan Bond’s mistakes saw his multi-billion dollar empire begin imploding in 1989, the year Bond University opened its doors. But the history of Bond University as the nation’s first private university is unique in Australian tertiary education. The nature of Bond University’s beginnings and its private, not-for-profit model have inspired staff and students for two decades.

The University’s pioneering spirit created a loyalty and determination that allowed it to weather criticism, survive serious crises and successfully pioneer private tertiary education in

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Australia. “The story of Bond University is a great success story,” says current ViceChancellor, Professor Robert Stable.

Like his namesake university, Alan Bond was undoubtedly a pioneer. He emigrated from England to Australia with his parents at 13 years of age, becoming an apprentice sign-writer before setting up his own business. He then moved into property speculation and development, surviving a number of financial crises. In the 1980s he rode the stock market and economic boom like no other entrepreneur: at its peak, his Bond Corporation owned numerous blue-chip assets, including the Sydney Hilton, Channel Nine in Sydney and Melbourne, and the Castlemaine, Tooheys and Swan breweries.

I felt the... bureaucracy in public education needed to be shaken Professor Don Watts Inaugural Vice-Chancellor

The story of Bond

to baulk. In a meeting at Brisbane’s Sheraton Towers on 3 July 1986, he decided to go ahead and develop Australia’s first private university, Bond University, on the Burleigh Forest site. Later that day, Queensland Premier Sir Joh Bjelke-Petersen was told of the idea and asked if he could announce it at the upcoming National Party Convention.

A mixed reaction Jo Anne Cracknell, who had been independently exploring the concept of a Gold Coast university with her husband and subsequently researched the feasibility of Bond University, recalls the mixed reaction to the announcement. “The response from people all over Australia and the world was amazing,” she says. “When the announcement was made we received letters and applications from around the world. But we also received angry correspondence from some academics in Australia who were horrified that we were introducing a private university to Australia’s traditionally public tertiary system.”

The criticism from unions – both student and academic – was fierce. There was also opposition from building unions and the Federal Education Minister, Susan Ryan. Many expressed fears that the University would be elitist and pave the way for fee-paying tertiary education in Australia. Several members of the media transferred their existing hostility towards Alan Bond onto the proposed university.

Alan Bond brought in Japanese property and tourism operator EIE to form a joint venture that would both help fund the University, and tap into Asia: an international focus was to be one of the institution’s core values. But Professor Watts says one of the most important early decisions, which helped stave off criticism, was to secure the University’s status and independence under the Bond University Act, a State act of Parliament.

“It was a very powerful signal that this was a university that was going to act independently, as all universities should do,” he says.

Professor Watts took up the Vice-Chancellor position at Bond University on 1 July 1987, arriving at what he says “really was a wasteland”.

He explains, “I took the job because I felt that at the time it was absolutely vital there was an alternative to public university education in Australia. I felt the overbearing bureaucracy in public education needed to be shaken by the existence of a private alternative.”

AT A GLANCE

Choosing the site In 1985, founders decided that the best location for the university was Burleigh Forest, a pine plantation near the Gold Coast of which Bond Corporation had taken full control in 1980.

Making the decision IN a meeting at Brisbane’s Sheraton Towers on 3 July 1986, Alan Bond decided to go ahead and develop Australia’s first private university. Later that day, Queensland Premier Sir Joh Bjelke-Petersen was told of the idea.

The university design ONE of the key features of the University is the Arch building, which was designed by Japanese architect Arata Isozaki. It is covered with sandstone from Helidon, east of Toowoomba.

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Bond toyed with the idea of starting a university college at Yanchep in Western Australia in the mid 1980s as part of a development scheme.

The late Brian Orr, managing director of a development company partly owned by Bond Corporation, had also explored starting a tertiary campus at Gaven Forest, a pine forest near Oxenford north of the Gold Coast, in the late 1970s. But in 1985, Bond and Orr (who went on to oversee the construction of Bond University) decided there was a better location for a university: Burleigh Forest, a pine plantation near the Gold Coast of which Bond Corporation had taken full control in 1980.

In 1986, Bond Corporation was still expanding rapidly, buying Pittsburgh Brewing in the US – among other assets – as the stock market continued to soar. In his book The Bold Riders, finance journalist Trevor Sykes describes Bond as Australia’s “greatest salesman”. But Sykes said Bond’s greatest talent was his ability to foresee trends before everyone else. One of them was private university education. At the time Australian universities were publicly owned, with no tradition of the great private universities found in the likes of the US. The Australian public model limited the number of tertiary places available, leaving thousands without access to university education.

Bond saw the demand and, true to form, forged ahead with plans that would have caused others

ARCH History

1989

322 students commence undergraduate and postgraduate studies

Alan Bond had grand schemes for the campus, and the University’s architecture has become synonymous with Bond University itself. The key feature is the Arch building, which was designed

by Japanese architect Arata Isozaki and is covered with sandstone from Helidon, east of Toowoomba.

The Arch building houses the library and the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences in two wings, which are joined by a two-storey arch housing the School of Information Technology and administration offices. The man-made Lake Orr and the Bell Tower on the northern corner of the Business Faculty have also become architectural focal points of the campus.

Construction was hampered by two of the wettest years in the history of the Gold Coast.

But on 15 May 1989, 322 students started undergraduate and postgraduate studies in Bond’s Faculties of Business, Humanities and Social Sciences, Information Technology and Law. “It was an exciting and emotional experience,” Professor Watts says, while Leon Pericles, a Western Australian artist who flew a kite over the building as part of the opening celebrations, says, “Nothing will ever be as exciting as starting Bond University.” Cracknell says that opening day was unforgettable: “It was pouring rain but it didn’t dampen the enthusiasm of the first students.”

Peta Fielding, a Bond Council member, was part of the first intake, having secured a scholarship to study law and Japanese. She was overseas on a student exchange program when construction of the University began. Her parents spoke with some of the early staff of the Law School. “They came away excited about what it was going to do for education in Australia,” she says. Bond also appealed to Fielding because of the flexibility of its programs: the mix of subjects she wanted to do wasn’t provided at other universities. “I could go there and create the degree I wanted,” she says.

“In hindsight I look back and think ‘jeez, what was I thinking?’ But it was my first experience of university. I probably didn’t appreciate just how big it was. Being part of the beginning like that certainly was a special time. There was an attitude that we had an opportunity to create something here and play a part in it.”

A major crisis

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Professor Watts says one of the keys to Bond University’s success was its ability to attract firstrate staff from the beginning. “We never had any problem recruiting high-quality people,” he says.

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“There was an extraordinarily marvellous unity of purpose of the people that were there and of the staff we appointed.” But he says those early decisions, including the establishment of a Law School, also boosted student recruitment and helped secure the University during the extreme adversity that was to come. “The success of the Law School was very critical to the success of the Uni,” Professor Watts says.

Bond also differentiated itself by offering three semesters, instead of two, which appealed to students looking to fast-track their education and helped improve the University’s cash flow.

Professor Watts says fees were pitched at the right level, though some disagreed. The low student numbers also meant each student received a lot of support in the sometimes bewildering first year of university life. “Every member of staff was concerned about every student on campus,” he says.

In 1990, Bond held its first graduation ceremony, and Professor Phillip Lader took over as Vice-Chancellor and President in July 1991.

The story of Bond

Inaugural Vice-Chancellor Professor Don Watts, left, during construction

President late in 1997, taking over from Professor Raoul Mortley who had served in those roles since August 1996. “During my time as Vice-Chancellor there were a number of issues we had to confront which took a lot of managerial time in the first instance: namely we didn’t own the campus,” Professor Moores reflects. After years of legal wrangling, the issue was resolved commercially with Bond University paying $65 million on 13 August 1999 for the buildings and 50 hectares of land.

Campus ownership was finally secured, but because of the controversy surrounding Alan Bond, the University’s name was often debated. In his book about Bond University, The Early Years, Brian Orr said Alan Bond himself believed using his name would be “pretentious”. But Orr wanted it because he believed only Alan Bond had the foresight, enthusiasm and funding sources to mount such an enterprise.

Resolving its tenancy In 1997, a Supreme Court judgement secured a three-year tenancy for the University, but its future remained uncertain. After years of legal wrangling, the issue was resolved commercially in 1999.

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Enrolments had reached 945 by 1990, helping the University break even by 1992. By 1993, enrolments had reached 1559 students.

Bond Corporation sold its share of the University project to EIE at the end of 1991.

In 1992, the companies that held the land title to the campus were placed into receivership.

At the time, Professor Harry Messel had become Executive Chancellor.

What followed was a battle for Bond University’s existence. To recoup finance, EIE receivers sought offers for the University estate, including campus, land and buildings, free of tenants. The University of Queensland won a tender to purchase the land, and with its future threatened, Bond University issued a court challenge to resolve its tenancy. A 1997 Supreme Court judgment secured a three-year tenancy, but the University’s future was still uncertain.

The issue was still bubbling away when Professor Ken Moores, a founding staff member, became Vice-Chancellor and

ARCH History

Construction of the Arch building

2005

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Bond University’s Medical School was opened by Prime Minister John Howard

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Professor Watts says he has never heard of any other faintly supportable name. “If not Bond, then what?” he asks. “Geographic names are out of the question for a private campus. In any case, the University had successfully established the name in the marketplace where people had no reason to associate it with any such sponsor misdemeanors. Interestingly, I believe Yale had much the same dilemma. It would have cost a lot of money – money that wasn’t available – to change the name and to recreate a position in the international market.”

While Bond University was never to shake off its founder’s name, it was time to move further away from the start-up phase. The early days “attracted pioneers who were committed to working together,” Professor Moores says. “But there always comes a time with any venture where you have got to get professional and add a few more requirements.”

During his tenure Professor Moores focused on a number of initiatives, including building long-term relationships and strategic alliances with selected schools around Australia. But becoming more professional didn’t mean ditching the University’s uniqueness and competitive advantages. Professor Moores says that Bond University was always very studentfocused. “We started using the term, ‘a student as a customer’, right at the beginning,” he says.

“We listen to them as customers. They have always been most responsible in that particular capacity.” One of the University’s strengths were the smaller class sizes, which have been maintained to this day. “If people come here and pay a premium price for our product, they need

to experience a different style of education, an education that is no longer being enabled in the public sector,” Professor Moores says.

The Law School had been critical to the success of Bond and it was time to add another flagship school to its line-up. In 2004, the Australian Medical Council approved Bond’s undergraduate Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery degrees, and construction began on the Bond University Health Sciences and Medicine building. The building was opened in 2005 by Prime Minister John Howard and the first medical students began.

There were... issues we had to confront – namely, we didn’t own the campus Professor Ken Moores Vice-Chancellor, 1997 to 2003

The story of Bond

Professor Don Watts (centre) and Brian Orr (right), who oversaw the building project, on site during construction

Construction of ornamental lake and southside buildings

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Current Vice-Chancellor Professor Robert Stable says Bond has always generated unique loyalty from students and staff. “Because of the way the University is operated and the relatively small number of students, everyone who comes here develops a sense of ownership of the model and of the University,” he says, adding that the University is often viewed as ‘my uni’ rather than ‘Bond Uni’. “People who have been involved – the key players – haven’t been involved because they were on the payroll,” he says. “They were involved because they believed in the model.”

Students have increasingly responded to the Bond model. By 2002, the University had generated $2.1 million of surplus income over operating expenses. Bond’s success is also reflected in student numbers and rankings: in just 20 years, enrolments have increased from 322 to 4187 students on campus.

For two years in a row, 2007 and 2008, Bond was awarded five-star ratings across 10 key performance categories in The Good Universities Guide.

Professor Stable says the administration continues to focus on putting the right people in place as well as working hard on branding and recruitment. “We will remain studentand quality-focused,” he says. “We will remain the university with the best staff-to-student ratio in the country. We will continue to recruit the best academic staff in the country.

We also have the highest percentage of PhDqualified staff in the country and we will continue to do that. Our research endeavours are increasing enormously each year. In the past five years, we have increased our success in dollar terms with research grants by more than 10-fold.”

“Support from the local community has always been crucial to the University’s success,” Professor Stable continues. “We were the first university on the Gold Coast. We have enjoyed an excellent relationship with the community here. The people of the Gold Coast really appreciate that we’re here. We’re an international university; we contribute to the local economy and culture in terms of bringing students from 80 countries around the world to study.”

Professor Stable says Bond University is “well on track” to reach its goal of 5000 students on campus. It’s a long way from that first day in 1989 and the dark days of the mid 1990s. The University has evolved significantly during the past 20 years and it is the vision, optimism and entrepreneurial flair that inspired its creation that will ensure its survival and success. n

ARCH Campus

Professor Mark Pearson Professor of Journalism

The

Gumboot Brigade, then and now

Bond’s earliest employees called themselves the ‘Gumboot Brigade’ for the many days they sloshed through mud on the fledgling campus.

Four staff members who have given two decades to Bond reflect on life at our University, then and now.

Alan Finch Registrar

What was it like working at Bond in 1989?

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I knew nearly every student and all the other staff.

As staff, we socialised together, argued, shared common trials and tribulations, and of course, uncertainties and fears. We were all risk-takers who had come to Bond, knowing and accepting that the future of our fledgling University was by no means secure.

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Tell us about the first lecture at Bond University.

My colleague, then Associate Professor Peter Putnis, had the honour of delivering that lecture.

He had planned to start by screening the 1986 launch and explosion of the ill-fated Space Shuttle Challenger, but a technical error caused significant delay. Peter recovered brilliantly to use both the Challenger disaster and our own technical problems as examples of the need for good communication.

What’s been the biggest change in Bond University?

Back then, the new sandstone walls were full of hopes and dreams in the midst of grave uncertainties about the University’s future. Today, many of the ambitions of the first students have been fulfilled. The University is in a much stronger state to face a new era.

What do you enjoy most about being part of Bond?

Paddling my kayak from home, I look up to see that impressive sandstone arch gleaming in the morning sun and know that when I paddle home that evening, I’ll have played a small but significant role in its learning community.

In 20 years at Bond University, who is the student you remember best?

Probably Luca Mazzocchi; he was so full of mischief and cheek. Luca negotiated the installation of vending machines in the residences without any consultation with Bond. When I took him to task about it he argued that we were supposed to be an entrepreneurial university. And he still wanted a share of the takings!

What is one of your most powerful memories of your time at Bond?

On the morning of 15 May we were gathered for the first new student welcome. Steve Johnson, the foundation Dean of Business, had just tragically drowned in a flash flood in the Mudgeeraba Creek days earlier. Our first Vice-Chancellor, Don Watts, was in tears. He announced that if any student was in Surfers Paradise and got stuck or in trouble, they only needed to call and he would personally drive in and get them.

Staff update Denise Agnew

Human Resources and Quality Officer

Describe the atmosphere at Bond in 1989.

There was financial insecurity and staff had to be innovative and resourceful in many different ways to keep going. There was an amazing spirit and camaraderie. Staff gave more than could ever have been expected because they cared and wanted Bond to succeed. The passion and commitment was palpable, and it was inspirational to be part of Bond.

Tell us about the University’s first graduation ceremony.

It was exciting and moving at the same time. Because of the uncertainty of those early days, it was a huge achievement for the staff and students. I remember watching the academic procession and it brought tears to my eyes. It was a really proud day for students, parents and staff, and justified the huge effort put in by everyone.

You’ve stuck with Bond University for 20 years. What makes it so special?

What makes it special is the commitment and dedication of the staff, and the individual attention given to students. There is an ongoing commitment to improvement and it is a stimulating environment in which to work. It is also wonderful to hear about our alumni who are now scattered all over the world in fantastic jobs.

Professor Ken Moores Professor and Director of Australian Centre for Family Business

Describe the University campus in 1989.

The campus early in 1989 was growing by the day and watching the masons affix the sandstone block by block was comforting: the campus would clearly be a great landmark. But a university without students is a lonely place, so it was not until 15 May 1989, when 322 students entered the campus, that Bond truly came to life.

privilege of ending the long-running ownership issue by securing ownership of the campus on 13 August 1999. No longer were we tenants, but this was now our own property, our rightful home.

What will Bond be like in 2029?

By 2029, not only will our leadership in teaching be enhanced, but Bond University will also have achieved greater recognition for its scholarship across selected fields. Like the great private universities of the world, this will be achieved by the significant re-investment of profits and other funds into research, research that seeks to inform our teaching in ways that keep it both innovative and at the vanguard of best practice. n

What marks the biggest change for Bond in its 20-year history?

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For me, the one event that marked the biggest change was the acquisition of the campus by the university operating company. As the then Vice-Chancellor and President, I had the great

ARCH Opinion

Leading thechange agenda

In recent years, Bond University has grown, refurbished and improved. Vice-Chancellor and President Professor Robert Stable tells why his grandchildren might struggle to gain places at Bond.

Bond

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University has a number of common features with some of the best universities in the world. In some ways, we are a lot closer to the not-for-profit universities in the United States – such as Harvard, Yale, Princeton and Dartmouth – than we are to other universities here in Australia. And it should be noted that the top 20 universities in the United States are all private, not-for-profit universities. That is why the university sector in Australia needs a university or universities like Bond. Because we are about diversity in the sector, we are about stimulating the sector and we are about providing choice. We are about leading the change agenda, as witnessed by the fact that we were the first university to have three full semesters a year, a system that other universities in Australia are only now trying to implement: we did it 20 years ago.

Another of the things that sets us apart from the large public universities is our size. We do not want to exceed 5000 students and that allows us to maintain our community approach, so we can continue as a close-knit family, even as we have increasing numbers of alumni around the world.

We have an excellent staff-to-student ratio – around one teacher for every 10 students – and our academics are among the best qualified in the country, with a high percentage holding PhDs. Our model of teaching also sets us apart. Our strategies of providing core subjects for

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undergraduates, exposing them to issues such as communication and critical thinking, having accelerated degrees, and providing work placement and internships, all contribute to fulfilling our mandate of bringing ambition to life. Part of this is our strong connection to business and private enterprise, with whom we have a natural affiliation.

Our achievements are confirmed by the results of the surveys used to compile The Good Universities Guide. In 10 categories that relate to student experience – categories such as the quality of programs, graduate outcomes, qualifications of staff and excellence of facilities – we are the only university to achieve five stars in all categories.

As a small university, we are doing very well in research, something we need to do in order to fulfil our ambitions. Our PhD student numbers are growing: last year we had 120 PhD students, the year before that we had 83. These students help drive the research agenda and the academic rigour of the University in terms of the stimulation they put on the library to provide material for their research, as well as the questions they raise and new thinking they inspire among the teaching staff. It’s important for a good university to have PhD students and Bond welcomes them in increasing numbers.

Our research funding, in terms of grants, has increased enormously in recent years, and

Vice-Chancellor

A global education The reality is that nowadays life is global. Unless you live in one of the most remote parts of the world, the global society will continue to impact very heavily on each and every one of us.

So much business in this day and age is tied up internationally, because of the suppliers we use or the goods we produce and export. Accepting that we live in a global community, today’s students need an education that gives them the broadest possible exposure in terms of the learning community of which they are a part. That includes having fellow students from around the world and Bond offers that: there are currently 80 nations represented on campus. Because our students are learning in an environment with other students who have totally different perspectives, they are helped enormously to prepare for a career that is truly global. Proof of that can be found by looking at what Bond alumni have achieved around the world: we have partners in law firms in New York, and we have leaders in global businesses such as Virgin and Samsung. One alumnus is a member of the Canadian Parliament and another is a Major in the British army, just to name a few examples.

Of course, it isn’t just the students who contribute to this global perspective: we recruit academics from around the world. This allows us to ensure that our programs are not taught purely

We are about stimulating the sector and we are about providing choice Professor Robert Stable Vice-Chancellor

from an Australian context, and enables us to offer degrees such as the Bachelor of International Business and Bachelor of International Relations.

We have programs in International Trading and law subjects in Sharia Law, for example. All of this – the environment on campus, the community, the social environment with foreign students, the academics with their global perspective – means that students at Bond get an excellent preparation, probably second to none, for living or doing business around the world.

The global connection that we create doesn’t end when a student graduates. Because we have alumni chapters all around the world, graduates can meet other Bond graduates in Jakarta, Shanghai, New York, London, and numerous other major cities around the world.

Bond’s continuing development Our library, while being a relatively young library, was designed in an era when very few people had computers. Now, about 95 percent of our students use laptops. Although this University opened with a different teaching model to that which is found in traditional universities, the architects who designed the libraries in those traditional universities also designed ours. In that kind of setting, libraries were places where students would go to study privately.

But university libraries nowadays are totally different places. They’re places where students

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2009 will be another record year. In 2008 we obtained a $4 million Australian Fellowship grant. There were 71 applications for this grant and Bond University was among only 12 successful applicants. That would have been unheard of five years ago and there’ll be more of this sort of success to come.

ARCH Opinion

often meet to collaborate, and the new library development will provide extra group rooms, spaces where students can go to study in small groups or alone, and where they can undertake research, which these days is primarily done on the Internet rather than through books.

Our new library will provide even better facilities: it will provide extra seminar rooms and, very importantly, it will create a dedicated space to assist students who need support with their academic writing. The space will also be used to assist our Centre For Teaching and Learning, providing support for staff in order to ensure our academics have the best skills.

Our state-of-the-art Balnaves Foundation Multimedia Learning Centre is another facility of which the University is justifiably proud.

This is due to the generous support of Dr Neil Balnaves, who donated $1.5 million to the project. His belief in the value of the unique opportunities we provide at Bond inspired him to do something substantial, and this contribution was the result. His generosity is a perfect example of successful people providing benefaction that allows future generations to enjoy similar or even better opportunities than they did. The Balnaves Foundation provides support to education, medicine and the arts, with a focus on young

Below: (Left to right): Vice-Chancellor Professor Robert Stable, Dr Helen Nugent and Chancellor Trevor Rowe

people, and Dr Balnaves’ gift to Bond helps fulfil his Foundation’s goals.

The future I’ve been at Bond since January 2004, and they’ve been an absolutely fantastic five years.

I’ve been in the privileged position of being able to appoint a well-tuned, highly focused, outcome-oriented senior management and leadership team for the University. I’ve been very fortunate to work with a Chancellor and Council who are passionate and committed to the University. Together, we’ve taken Bond University from being an institution with around 2000 students to a point where we will achieve our target of 5000 students in the next 18 months. We have refurbished and improved almost every part of the University and we’ve done this in less than five years.

My only hope is that my future grandchildren will be able to get a place at Bond, because in our vision, I expect it will be difficult to get into.

There’ll be 5000 places – 2500 for Australians and 2500 for internationals – and it will be highly competitive. That’s because discerning parents and students will recognise, even more so than now, that Bond is where they’ll get the very best university education, and it will be the most sought-after tertiary institution in Australia. n

New Chancellor commences inMay In March this year, Bond University announced that Dr Helen Nugent AO would succeed Trevor Rowe as the Chancellor on 22 May 2009.

“Carrying on the Bond tradition of identifying globally recognised business and community leaders, the Bond University Council has appointed a suitably eminent successor to Chancellor Trevor C Rowe AM,” said Vice-Chancellor Professor Robert Stable.

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Dr Nugent is currently a NonExecutive Company Director of Macquarie Bank, Origin Energy and Freehills, and the Chairman of Funds SA, Swiss Re Life & Health (Australia), and Hudson Australia.

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Vice-Chancellor Professor Robert Stable

In 2004, Dr Nugent was awarded Officer in the Order of Australia (AO) for her services to business, particularly banking, in corporate governance, the arts and the community.

“The Bond University Council is delighted to have attracted a Chancellor of Dr Nugent’s commercial and community standing,” said Chancellor Rowe.

Dr Nugent has a prolific academic history. In 1971, she graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree with First Class Honours from the University of Queensland (UQ).

In 1978, she was awarded a Doctorate of Philosophy, also from UQ. In 1982, she achieved a Master of Business Administration with Distinction from the Harvard Business School. Dr Nugent was a tutor then senior tutor at the University of Queensland from 1971 to 1980.

In addition, Dr Nugent has also had a number of university associations throughout her career. She was President of the Harvard Business School Association of Victoria from 1988 to 1990, and Director of the same association from 1984 to 1990.

Dr Nugent said, “I am honoured to be appointed the next Chancellor of Bond University. Chancellor Trevor Rowe has achieved so much over the past six years as a result of his strong engagement with business and government. His focus on excellence has provided a solid platform for the University’s future and I look forward to taking up the position of Chancellor during such a high point in Bond University’s history.

“Chancellor Rowe’s contribution to Australian education has been inspiring,” Dr Nugent continued, “and I am committed to continuing his success.” n

Out of interest

Above: The Gold Coast as it was in 1989 This page: The Gold Coast in 2009, with a population that has more than doubled

When Bond University opened in

1989, the Gold Coast was in the midst of a massive property boom that saw the construction of a number of high-rise buildings.

The past few years have witnessed another property boom, but this time on a much larger scale. The tallest building is now Q1, the largest building in the Southern Hemisphere at 78 stories or 322.5 metres tall, which is more than twice the size of 1989’s tallest building, The Peninsula.

The Q1 is symbolic of the transformation of the Gold Coast into a major city. Gold Coast Mayor Ron Clarke says the area has “exploded” in the past 20 years.

“Mainly because its location is so perfect,” he says. “It never gets too hot and never gets too cold.” That climate has attracted ‘sea-changers’ and people from overseas looking for a better lifestyle.

Since the late 1980s, the population has more than doubled from around 225,000 to 466,000, with the number of households increasing from 65,000 to 172,000, according to Gold Coast City Council statistics.

“When members of my family left the Gold Coast in the ’80s it was on the verge of becoming an international holiday resort,” says historian Robert Longhurst, who has penned histories of the Gold Coast area. “Now it’s a mixture of that and one of Australia’s biggest cities.”

“It’s certainly a major city; it’s the second biggest city in Queensland,” says Clarke, adding that the Gold Coast is now bigger than Canberra and Tasmania in budgetary terms.

The population growth has spurred development of new residential areas.

Mr Clarke says a prime example is Robina, a town he believes was driven by the establishment of Bond University.

But it is not just the size of the Gold Coast that has changed, as the whole demographic and economic mix is now different. Some 26.2 percent of the population was born overseas. If you include children of people born overseas, 40 percent of the population is international. The city boasts 82 different ethnic groups speaking 121 languages.

Tourism has also exploded – helped by events such as the Indy 300, which began in 1991 – with the number of annual domestic visitors surging from 1.9 million in the late 1980s to 3.6 million.

International tourist numbers have grown from 327,000 a year to 830,000.

Japanese tourists led an international tourist invasion in the ’80s, coming a close second to New Zealanders in visitor numbers. But now Chinese visitors have surpassed the Japanese as the region’s second largest group of visitors.

But surprisingly, tourism contributes less to the local economy now than it did 20 years ago. Once representing 60 percent of economic activity, it now makes up 25 percent.

“We have got into six or seven other very important areas, including education,” Mr Clarke says. The other growing industries are IT, marine, food and beverage, building and construction, and film.

By the time Bond University turns 40, Mr Clarke says Council expects the Gold Coast’s population to have doubled again. n

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In 1989... on the Gold Coast

ARCH News

the future

Researching

From cancer vaccines to the electric car, university-based research has given the world an extraordinary range of knowledge and innovation. That’s why Bond University supports ground-breaking research in every faculty.

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By Claire Buckis

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Research at Bond

BOND

Above: Kusno Prasetya is investigating protocols for multiplayer video games

Investigating multiplayer online games Ideas for research can come from anywhere: just ask Kusno Prasetya, who is investigating protocols for multiplayer online games in the School of Information Technology. “There are more than 10 million subscribers for the game called World of Warcraft,” says Prasetya. According to analyst Screen Digest, the games have a market worth of $US1 billion worldwide. “From a business perspective these games can be very profitable. But there are still many unsolved technical problems that could reduce the game experience or, even worse, prevent people from playing the games. My research is to solve these problems,” Prasetya says.

Prasetya hopes his research will improve the games for the millions who play them. “I hope my research will create better technical support for multiplayer games that will improve the scalability, stability and efficiency of current networking technology,” he says. In practice, this will translate into opportunities for more players to join and play multiplayer games without the need of adding to or upgrading the server. It also comes with better and more accurate cheat prevention: cheating in multiplayer games could ruin the whole game structure and mechanics.

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is invested in a diverse range of research. Academics are investigating respiratory infections, archaeology, ageing, DNA profiling, family business, game theory, global trade and finance, human resources (HR), Internet safety, Internet law, medical software, multiculturalism, environmental planning, privacy, tax law, teaching and workplace productivity.

Tracey Richards, the Director of Research and Consultancy Services at Bond, says that Bond University’s growing reputation for research has also provided a funding boost. “In 2008 alone we received $2.4 million of external funds and another $1 million in government funds due to research currently being undertaken,” she says.

Last year, Bond was awarded a highly coveted National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) Fellowship Award, providing funding of more than $4 million over five years. Thanks to these funds, Professor Paul Glasziou of Oxford University will join Bond’s team of academics to investigate issues using evidence-based medicine.

The research aims to help close the gap between evidence and current clinical practice. “In Bond’s 20 year history, this is certainly the most exciting and influential grant success,” says Professor Robert Stable, Vice-Chancellor and President.

Research is fast becoming a major part of many study programs. “The University is increasing the research component in many courses, as research helps you develop problem-solving skills and lateral thinking,” says Richards. It also looks good on your résumé. “The skills sets you learn from research can be applied across the spectrum and are beneficial in any job you take.”

Research not only adds to the community’s understanding of a huge range of issues, it also benefits students, staff and the University as a whole. “From a student’s perspective, attending a university where there’s a lot of research means everything you’re learning is leading edge. If the people teaching you are doing leading edge research then you know that you are receiving the most up-to-date information, and you know you’re learning from the best,” says Richards. “From the University’s perspective, research enhances our reputation. Just look at the University of Queensland: it developed the vaccine for cervical cancer and that put the University on the map worldwide.”

So who does the research, how do they come up with ideas, and how is it funded? We spoke with some of Bond’s leading researchers to find out.

ARCH News

The research may have wider implications, as Prasetya explains: “We are also researching new telecommunications network protocols, and that could help to address a number of other problems in non-gaming applications.”

Prasetya’s research, funded by Bond University, grew out of his pure passion for multiplayer online gaming.

Preventative detention

2008

Bond was awarded the highly coveted NHMRC Fellowship Grant

The preventative detention of serious and high-risk offenders is the somewhat controversial research topic occupying Professor Patrick Keyzer, a barrister and specialist in constitutional law. Professor Keyzer has advised clients in preventive detention cases in the Supreme Court of Queensland, the High Court of Australia and the United Nations Human Rights Committee.

“We need to develop better approaches for the management of offender risk,” he says. “At present, our systems for the preventive detention of serious and high-risk offenders are not geared towards getting people to engage in behaviour change.

We hope our research will assist policy-makers to address the important issues in this area.”

This research is being funded by a grant from the Australian Research Council.

Professor Keyzer believes university-based research is crucial in the pursuit of better government policy. “Universities are independent of government, and house people with critical minds who enjoy the academic freedom to analyse and constructively criticise policies, and can suggest improvements that are grounded in the apolitical review of all available material.

The importance of their role in society cannot be overlooked,” he says.

will reveal different possible motives by examining various behavioural theories, which should help to better gauge the firms’ actual commitment to environmental matters.”

Hollindale’s research will help businesses understand the importance of environmental planning. “Environmental issues have now achieved strategic importance,” she says.

“A company’s performance in this area can either enhance or damage its image, and appeal to consumers, and may also attract the attention of lobbyists and legislators. This has forced the business community to consider its operations and business practices within the additional perspective of greenhouse gas emissions.

“Research in universities is important, not just because it increases the body of knowledge on various topics, but also because the integrity of that research is assured, due to the rigorous processes required by the university from those who undertake research. The university’s reputation is enhanced with every paper that is published or presented, attracting funding, students, and other researchers to its doors.”

Steroids and the immune system Dr Sonya Marshall-Gradisnik, from the Faculty of Health Sciences and Medicine, is investigating how both steroids and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS) can change the immune system.

“My research is in the area of how performance-enhancing agents, such as anabolic steroids, potentially affect the immune system,” says Dr Marshall-Gradisnik. “These research areas combine two areas of interest: immunology, and the health and wellbeing of people, with or without CFS.”

Environment and the corporate world

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Jan Hollindale, a Teaching Fellow in the Faculty of Business, Technology and Sustainable Development, is investigating how public companies disclose their environmental performance, specifically their greenhouse gas emissions, in annual reports.

“My research will determine what information is being voluntarily disclosed in annual reports

by Australian public companies, and what are the likely incentives for those companies to disclose before it becomes compulsory to do so,” she says. “I will uncover the type and quantity of environmental performance disclosure, and hope to find an explanation for the voluntary reporting behaviour of those firms who do it. My research

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We need to develop better approaches for the management of offender risk Dr Patrick Keyzer Professor of Law, Faculty of Law

Research at Bond

Corporate social responsibility Kevin Tang, a Postgraduate Research Assistant in the School of Sustainable Development, is studying the corporate social responsibility (CSR) of Australian real estate companies, exploring how companies look after their responsibilities to their employees and communities.

“With our nation and many others facing recession, what is the prognosis for responsible

business when economic times are hard?” asks Tang.

He hopes his research will help companies understand the importance of CSR alongside profits. “A significant part of this research is founded on the notion that it is crucial to understand the external and internal drivers that influence the development of real estate CSR policy,” he says. “If we want to set realistic and appropriate benchmarks for different sectors, a paradigm shift is required away from valuing profit maximisation as the fundamental reason for being in business.”

The research is funded by the Mirvac Group and brought Tang to Australia from his home in Malaysia. “The PhD journey takes a lot of rigor, hard work and a huge amount of knowledge to study, so it’s important to have supervisors with wide experience and extensive knowledge,” he explains.

Examining anxiety What are the factors that underpin anxiety?

Katarzyna Majtyka, a PhD student, psychologist and Teaching Fellow in the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, has made this question the focus of her research. “I began to investigate this topic for my clinical Masters degree and realised

Opposite page: Dr Sonya Marshall-Gradisnik’s research studies the impact of performanceenhancing agents on the immune system This page (Clockwise from top left): Professor Patrick Keyzer, Jan Hollindale and Kevin Tang are researching, respectively, preventative detention, environmental performance in the corporate world and corporate social responsibility

Autumn 2009

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Her research will benefit people with CFS and also help identify drug use in sporting competitions. “I intend to provide results that can assist in developing guidelines for specific bodies, such as the World Anti-Doping Agency,” she says.

“Research is highly important in the university environment, as the lecturer is able to convey new research information about a particular topic. It means that students engage with the lecturer and are able to see the relevance of the research to their degree and profession.

In addition, a strong university research program generates a dynamic and collaborative environment in which to teach and learn, by maintaining a range of skills, knowledge and thought-leadership under one roof.”

ARCH News

there were so many more questions left unresolved.

I thought that continuing my research in this area at PhD level was just a natural progression,” says Majtyka.

“The aim of the research is to gain a greater understanding of the mechanisms that underpin anxiety, and to develop markers capable of differentiating clinical from non-clinical anxiety states.”

Majtyka has already presented some of her findings internationally. “I was fortunate to attend the British Psychological Society’s Annual Cognitive Psychology Conference in Southampton UK in September 2008. I presented a paper at the conference and met many of the leading researchers in my field. Receiving a lot of positive feedback and encouragement from these key researchers was a real highlight for me.”

Majtyka’s research may lead to a better understanding of clinical anxiety. “I hope to gain a greater understanding of the mechanisms that underpin anxiety states, and develop tools that can be used in clinical settings.”

More information

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To find out more about research at Bond University, visit bond.edu.au/research Phone: +61 7 5595 4194 Email: research@ bond.edu.au

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Women and journalism Professor Mark Pearson, Head of Journalism, is involved in a project that investigates why a career in journalism appeals more to women than men.

His team decided to investigate the topic when they noticed that there were more women than

men working in journalism-related fields, and in most media courses there were at least three female students to every male. The research may provide a better understanding of why men and women are sometimes drawn towards certain career paths.

“We hope we will be able to draw upon the views of high school career advisors, senior high school students and working journalists to learn why journalism is such a popular career for women and why men are less attracted to it,” he says.

“We have already produced three refereed conference papers and have been accepted for publication in the competitive and refereed journal Australian Journalism Monographs, in its 2009 edition.”

The research is funded to $8000 by the Faculty research scheme. “You don’t necessarily need large research grants to conduct useful research,” Professor Pearson says. “Sometimes the Faculty can pool its smaller grants to collaborate on significant projects, with the potential for very productive outcomes.”

He says university-based research is a unique way to investigate pressing issues that may not get a hearing otherwise. “There are very few other avenues in society, with the occasional exceptions of quality journalism and commissions of inquiry, where important questions can be investigated and answered in a systematic, independent and thorough manner to benefit our fellow citizens.

Most research makes an important difference, if only in a very small way.” n

Above: Katarzyna Majtyka is investigating anxiety Below: Professor Mark Pearson is seeking to determine why journalism is more popular among women than men

Out of interest

In 1989... technology

1989 was a big year in technology: it was

the year in which English physicist Tim BernersLee wrote his proposal for a global hypertext system that would lead to the World Wide Web. There were several far-reaching advances in desktop computing and gaming that year, too.

Microsoft launched the first version of Microsoft Office, which has since become ubiquitous in offices around the world. Intel released the 486-series microprocessor, which significantly increased computer speeds, and Nintendo released its Game Boy in Japan.

But Ian Arthur, secretary of the Australian Society for History of Engineering and Technology, says undoubtedly the biggest technological revolution during the past 20 years was the advent of the Internet. Now, around 80 percent of Australia’s population, or 16.4 million people, use the Internet, with the most popular online activities being communication, accessing information and online banking.

“The Internet is probably the most pervasive of those (technological) developments,” Arthur says.

“It’s had more than an effect just on technology.

It’s had an effect on how people communicate, how information is read, how it’s stored, how it’s available to people. You don’t necessarily go to a library any longer; you try to Google it.”

But he says the Internet revolution has only been made possible by the massive increase in speed and functionality of computers. “If computing hadn’t made the advances it had in the past 20 years, the Internet wouldn’t have worked,”

says Arthur. “The amount of storage you can get on a computer hard drive has increased according to Moore’s Law: in effect, it says that every three years the capacity of being able to store information on a hard drive, or the speed of a computer, doubles. That’s been going on for more than 20 years.”

In 1989, the personal computing revolution was beginning to accelerate. Apple announced the Macintosh Portable, but it cost a hefty $US6500.

“People 20 years ago wouldn’t have dreamed of having a computer on their workplace desk, now you couldn’t do without one,” Arthur said. “They changed the way business communicates, the way business stores information, the way tax returns are filed… in fact, all sorts of things in business.”

The Internet revolution was aided by the growth of satellites, which enabled a lot of information to be transferred quickly from one part of the world to another.

The other big change that has affected almost everyone has been mobile communications. In 1989, mobile phones were called ‘car phones’ because they were so big they had to be installed in cars. They were beginning to become more portable, with briefcase versions being marketed.

Now, 90 percent of Australians have one and they’re smaller and faster, many with Internet access and GPS mapping.

It is difficult to visualise how life in Australia was just 20 years ago without the Internet, fast computers, mobile phones and, of course, private university education. n

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1989 Above: An early laptop computer Below: Bond University’s Multimedia Learning Centre

lasting

ARCH Profile

A

contribution

John and Alison Kearney have been closely involved with Bond University since its infancy, going back 25 years. They share their memories of that long association with The Arch.

Dr Johnand Mrs Alison Kearney

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have been supporters of Bond University since its earliest days, funding the Kearney Overseas Scholarship, the Annual Law Gold Medal, the John & Alison Kearney Law Library and the John F Kearney Moot Court. They also contributed generously towards the new Legal Skills Centre facilities, and the School of Sustainable Development Living Laboratory. But before the idea of Bond University was even raised, the Kearneys had recognised the need for a tertiary institution on the Gold Coast.

“I had been thinking for some time that there should be a university on the Gold Coast to complement its development, and to give young people from the area the opportunity to go to a local university,” recalls Dr Kearney, whose Doctor of Laws, honoris causa, was conferred

by Bond University in 2000.

One earlier idea was to locate a university where the Colonial Golf Course is situated now.

But that project was slow to develop, so when the possibility of Bond University arose, the Kearneys took up the cause with enthusiasm.

Mrs Kearney attended the initial planning meetings at the Gold Coast International Hotel, helping to bring together the Gold Coast leaders whose support proved so vital. Both Dr and Mrs Kearney’s involvement continued throughout the early stages of Bond’s development, with the couple hosting one of the University’s first official functions at their property, Jabiru.

Dr Kearney remembers the words spoken at that function by one of the inaugural students.

“She got up and said, ‘Vice-Chancellor Don Watts and Deans of all the faculties, I’d like you

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to know that all the students here, including me, have put their lives and their careers on the line by coming to this untried, untested university.

And we are going to work as hard as we possibly can to make sure the degrees we take out into the world are well-qualified, eminent, highly regarded and accepted in academic, business, professional and government circles. And if you don’t do the same, we hope that you have lots of sleepless nights full of shame.’ That feeling became part of the tradition and spirit of Bond University and it helped to carry them through some of the dark days when they were facing difficulties, almost to the point of jeopardy.”

Unfortunately for Bond University, those dark days were not far away. When the property boom of the ’80s turned to bust, both Alan Bond and EIE – the Japanese bank that had provided much of the funding for Bond – got into difficulties; as a result, the University faced hard times.

“When EIE decided it wanted its money back, it fell on Bond University to repay the debt. As funds weren’t available, the place was put up for auction,” Dr Kearney explains, describing how the University of Queensland, with the support of Delfin, bought the Bond campus and surrounding area. “It looked very bad for a while. The danger was resolved when Bond University managed to buy outright the freehold title to the University campus. And really, that campaign made our University, giving rise to the slogan that revived the spirit expressed by that young woman who spoke here at Jabiru: Bond University – private, independent and here to stay.”

However, many problems resulted from those times of uncertainty.

Interview: John and Alison Kearney

Anyone who has an opportunity to go to Bond will have a very good start in life Alison Kearney

Doctorate of Laws from Bond University. Our four children and all our mature grandchildren are university graduates, so we have a long and solid university tradition,” Dr Kearney says.

Their wide experience of university education enables the Kearneys to recognise the unique and special nature of Bond University.

Dr John and Mrs Alison Kearney recognised the need for a tertiary institution on the Gold Coast before Bond University was even suggested

“It compares well with public universities.

Bond has three semesters instead of two, which is a big advantage. They’ve also got a big advantage in staying small because it allows for a much closer, personal relationships between lecturers and students,” says Dr Kearney.

“At Bond, students can take their troubles to someone who knows them personally,” adds Mrs Kearney. “Anyone who has an opportunity to go to Bond will have a very good start in life and it can only be a wonderful future for them.”

The Kearneys’ belief in Bond and the commitment that inspired them to work so hard for the University during its infancy continues today.

“Making gifts to the University has been a flow-on from the early days. We’ve realised it’s a new university, and it’s been through some difficult years, so we’ve been pleased to offer that support,” explains Dr Kearney. “I like to see what the money’s being used for; that it will help Bond, not only with current needs, but also in the future, that it should be a lasting contribution.”

“Personally I’ve continued to maintain the same passion and interest for the success of Bond University. It’s probably the best thing since sliced bread to hit the Gold Coast.” n

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“Until the University secured the title, it wasn’t really able to raise very much money. Because who would give large sums of money to a university when it didn’t even have title or secure tenure to its own campus?”

But with its tenancy secure, Bond University had reached a turning point, and began to make dramatic moves forward.

Going back to the infancy of Bond, the Kearneys helped establish a support group, ‘Friends of Bond’, with the encouragement and support of pioneer Vice-Chancellor Don Watts and his wife Michelle, as well as other significant friends of the new University. The group helped introduce the city of the Gold Coast into the life and activities of Bond.

“We recognised that with the University having no alumni base, something was needed to create the relationship between town and gown, as it were,” Dr Kearney explains.

The Friends of Bond eventually grew to more than 1000 people, all working to support the growth of the University. The Kearneys were heavily involved at that time, once again making their home available for functions.

“The significance of the Friends of Bond eventually started to wane as the numbers of alumni grew from year to year. The organisation had served its purpose, to act as if it were the alumni of the University, helping to look after the relationship between the University and the Gold Coast community,” says Dr Kearney.

Part of their belief in the need for a university on the Gold Coast stems from the Kearneys’ strong commitment to tertiary education.

“Mrs Kearney’s mother was a graduate from Melbourne University in 1917, Mrs Kearney is a graduate in Arts (ancient and modern languages) and I am a graduate in Law, class of 1948 Melbourne Law School. I am also fortunate to hold the only

years Celebrating of challenge and success A timeline of significant events

ARCH History

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years Celebrating of challenge and success A timeline of significant events

1987

Construction is hampered by two of the wettest years in the history of the Gold Coast

1989

On 15 May, the 322 inaugural students start their classes on campus

1990

Enrolments are up to 945 and Bond celebrates its first graduation ceremony

1992

Bond University’s income can meet its operating overheads for the first time

1993

Finance is shaky as financial supporters are placed into receivership

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1997

The University of Queensland (UQ) wins a tender to purchase Bond’s campus

1998

Bond negotiates with UQ to buy back the Gold Coast campus

1999

On 13 August, Bond formally purchases its own land, finally securing its destiny

1994

With backers in receivership, Bond’s campus, land and buildings are offered for sale

1995

Executive Chancellor Professor Messel accumulates significant surplus funds, which are later used to secure Bond’s survival

2000

Student enrolments reach 2000 and Bond launches the Faculty of Health Sciences

2002

Bond records a surplus income, services its debts, and declares itself ‘in the black’

2004

BOND introduces new Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery degrees

2005

PRIME Minister John Howard formally opens the Bond Medical School

2007

Bond is Australia’s highest rated university according to The Good Universities Guide

2007

A record enrolment year, with numbers up 40 percent on the previous year

2007

QUEENSLAND Premier Anna Bligh rings the Bell to launch the Macquarie Trading Room

2008

Bond opens Australia’s first six-star, Green Star-rated building, the Mirvac School of Sustainable Development

2008

The School of Hotel, Resort and Tourism Management opens

The story of Bond

2008

Bond’s Multimedia Learning Centre sets new world standards in learning facilities

2009

Bond University celebrates its 20th anniversary

2009

THE First cohort of Doctor of Physiotherapy students graduate

2009

Record enrolments bring student numbers to 4200, close to the goal of 5000

2009

Law students beat 19 leading universities to win the International Criminal Court Trial Competition

Autumn 2009

ARCH Research

Stop playing

games with me Bond University researchers debunk the common myths about computer-game players and make big waves in an ongoing censorship debate.

Do violent

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computer games breed serial killers? Have kids forgotten how to play outside? Are teens turning into square-eyed loners? Does anybody read books any more? And what ever happened to that computer geek from the ’70s with the horn-rimmed glasses and the too-short pants?

A 2008 report from Bond University’s Centre for New Media Research has changed the way the world views video games and the people who play them.

The report, conducted for Interactive Australia, surveyed more than 1600 Australian households.

After studying the demographics, habits and preferences of both “gamers” and “non-gamers” aged from three to 88, the researchers came to a stunning conclusion: people who play computer and video games are… normal.

Close to 70 percent of all Australians play video games and the mix between male and female is almost even, the report found. The average age of a gamer in Australia is 30, and will likely rise to match the national average of 36 within five years.

Australians who play computer games and those who don’t have similar levels of education and employment. And they all enjoy other non-game related activities such as dining out, socialising, and yes, reading books.

Far from being the stereotyped nerds playing alone in their rooms, the study has found that Australian gamers of all ages are playing with others, both in groups and on the Internet. The majority of parents (80 percent) are playing the games with their children, much as families in other generations played board games or cards

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together. Supporting this trend, sales of ‘family games’ rocketed from fifth position in 2007 to first position in 2008, accounting for 22 percent of all games sold, compared with only 5 percent just one year earlier.

The findings sparked massive nationwide interest, with reports in more than 100 media outlets. According to Bond University’s Dr Jeffrey Brand, one of the authors of the report, the recent rapid growth in computer game audiences likely added to the appeal of the research.

“I think adult gamers are looking for validation because this medium has more stigma attached to it than other media at the moment,” he says.

But with this much more accurate picture of the average gamer comes a number of broadly applicable commercial and legislative implications. For example, the higher-thanexpected average age of gamers has added fuel to an already fiery debate over game classifications and censorship in Australia.

Just three years ago, the average age gap between gamers and non-gamers was 20 years.

Today, the difference has narrowed to within a generation, and is expected to disappear completely by 2014. But despite this, Australia remains the only nation in the developed world that does not have a classification for games suitable for adults, prompting many gamers to suggest our censorship leaders are out of touch.

“In Australia, games that do not fit within the restricted range of G to MA15+ are ‘Refused Classification’, designated ‘RC’,” the report explains. “In effect, they are banned from distribution and sale in Australia.”

Gaming

Above: At work in Bond University’s Level Up Lab

Fact: close to 70 percent of all Australians play video games Dr Jeff Brand Associate Professor, Bond University

blunt instrument that fails to test the risk to society by games. It is a blanket restriction based on assumptions and misinformation. In a sense, it’s law without legitimacy, and thus a law that offends.”

The issue has inspired a barrage of support for adult classifications in online forums.

“People, this classification is decrepit and obsolete,” one gamer rages. “The censors are squeezing adult games (which would warrant an R rating) into a flimsy teenage rating! What kind of backwards logic is this?”

But while the censorship debate continues and gamers lobby the Attorney-General to rethink classifications, the report suggests it is probably time for all of us to let go of some of our long-held stereotypes. People who play computer games are, by and large, normal. They still maintain outdoor activities, social networks, families and jobs. They still read books.

“The social and commercial implications that are already flowing from wider acceptance of games as a legitimate form of story-telling and leisure include better and more informed parenting relating to games, better social discourse and debate about games, and a stronger market to allow game designers more latitude to be innovative and creative,” says Dr Brand.

And that computer nerd who spent the summer of ’78 playing Space Invaders alone on his Atari 2600? He’s doing just fine.

“The gamers of the 1970s have families now and they play computer and video games together,” the report found. The geek and his kids probably rock the suburbs with Guitar Hero III on Wii every other weekend. n

Interactive Australia 2009 (IA9) studied 4852 individuals from 1614 Australian households. The results were published

by Bond University for the Interactive Entertainment Association of Australia, and may be fully downloaded ieaa.com.au/research

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And Australians are not happy about it. More than 90 percent of the survey respondents – regardless of whether or not they personally played games – said they wanted an adult classification, generating a rare and resounding social mandate.

“With the average age of gamers being 30, it makes no sense to censor games to a point where they are only appropriate for a 15-year-old,” Interactive Entertainment Association of Australia (IEAA) chief executive Ron Curry says.

Dr Brand agrees. “Instead of opening up the floodgates on unacceptable content, R18+ creates another regulatory tool to inform parents and others that, like other media, some games have strong content.

“What offends me about our censorship system is that it uses the absence of an R18+ for games as a

ARCH Advice

Manage your career The economic downturn is a timely reminder for all of us to be proactive when it comes to managing our careers.

By Donna Cole

MANY OF us are in danger of

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becoming so busy in our day-to-day jobs that we lose sight of what we really want from our careers. Kirsty Mitchell, Bond University’s Employment Services Manager, says busy professionals can too easily forget what appealed to them about their role in the first place.

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“Actively managing your career has to be a very dynamic process,” Mitchell says. “To be truly proactive about your career you must think three to five years ahead and begin to cultivate relationships you will potentially need. Many of us make friends within our work environments but lose valuable external contacts.”

Career management

Top tips Professional career advisors Kirsty Mitchell and Caroline Johnston share the secrets of their trade.

•H ave a career compass: maintain an interest/ curiosity list to avoid being bogged down in work that doesn’t interest you • M aintain an annual job checklist • P eriodically touch base with a career professional • R emember: “Inspiration doesn’t stick, nor does bathing, so do it regularly” – author Zig Ziglar •K now what you are good at and what your strengths are, and focus on them • L earn how to communicate what your strengths are, selling your ‘wow factors’ • S eek information when networking, rather than talking about yourself •C ultivate a strong understanding of what you want in a job •M aintain relationships, the more varied the better •B ecome a lifelong learner: it’s about learning a living rather than earning a living •M odern candidates need to be resilient, proactive, adaptable and flexible in the face of constant change. We all forget how quickly the job market can change •D uring periods of career stress and crisis, remember: don’t compare your insides to other’s outsides.

It is truly a very unfair comparison

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Mitchell suggests getting back to basics when planning your career progression. “Think about things like: What am I interested in? And what am I good at?”

She says an economic downturn is a good opportunity for people to take their “career pulse” and reflect on whether they are in a job they really want. She also suggests that each of us should consider ourselves “self-employed”, rather than handing our career management over to a job supervisor.

“We all should think about what we have to offer and who will buy it,” she says. “Handing responsibility for your career to an external party, such as a supervisor, means handing over all the control and responsibility for your professional future. We have to be responsible for sustaining our own careers.”

Mitchell’s comments are echoed by Caroline Johnston, managing director of Perth-based asOne Solutions, who agrees that work has become a much more complex equation during the past 10 to 15 years.

Both women agree that for many people, work has become increasingly about personal meaning, whereas for previous generations and

in developing countries, work was – and is – purely about economic necessity. “Many people now really want to work in what they call their purpose or passion. If they can do that they usually find that when they are working they don’t actually feel like they are at work,” says Johnston.

In today’s challenging economic environment, Johnston says those already in corporate roles need to be aware that many quality candidates have come into the job market, and that employers now have real options.

“Those who have been in a particular role for a while need to continue to add value to their career and be conscious of upping the ante on their performance. Employers are looking for people who want to stay and grow the business,” she says.

Johnston believes education about active career management should start in high-school.

“We see a lot of young adults go on to university and into an area they find they are not really suited to. People entering tertiary education or the workforce would be far better equipped if they were provided with some career coaching and related skills at high school level,” she says.

“Sadly, we often come across this in career coaching, frequently with candidates who have been in the workforce and feeling unfulfilled and frustrated for years.”

Perth-based Sally Bender turned to an expert to help her actively manage her career.

“It was incredible to find the focus through someone helping me examine where my career was headed and the ability to then sort the wheat from the chaff,” she says.

“The action plans we agreed on allow me to direct my energy where I am able to see tangible results. And by breaking my larger career goal into manageable steps, I have lost the feeling of being overwhelmed, and gained tremendous energy.”

Jules Varnet, also from Perth, is another who turned to a mentor and recruitment expert to help him establish smart, achievable goals.

“Career coaching provided me with the clarity of understanding about where my initial goals needed to lie. Without some help I would have continued to flounder in making any pace with my undefined goals.”

Varnet says the help he received also gave him more confidence in understanding his true career wants and needs, and his family obligations.

“By setting goals that included actual dates, I was committing myself to an action plan while allowing myself to be flexible and, when necessary, to change to another date.” n

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Where are they now?

Alumni from across two decades bring us up to speed on life after Bond.

Gabrielle Requena

Thinking back, how did you feel on your first day at Bond?

Excited, nervous and relieved not to be going to Griffith Uni!

What is your funniest memory?

Having a Jennifer Hawkins moment while collecting an award onstage with a skirt malfunction and no backstage to hide in.

What was your favourite class?

Internet Marketing with Marilyn Jones.

The class was entirely based on real-life case studies in a new and evolving area. Also, I benefited from Marilyn’s high expectations: with her teaching me, I wasn’t going to get away with anything!

What was your first job after graduating from Bond?

I had to build business information data warehouses as a management consultant in Deloitte Consulting’s graduate program, which was shocking! Anyone who knows me knows I am the most untechnical person out there. I soon convinced them to move me into strategy and change management.

What is your job today? What does it entail?

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I own a business called Front Media, which helps other businesses be successful online. We have a full-service digital offering across all elements of online marketing, including online campaigns, search engine marketing (SEM), search engine optimisation (SEO), web development, social seeding and large scale promotions.

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Anna (and Sam) Austin

What did you study at Bond?

Sam studied a combined law/commerce degree and I studied a Bachelor of Commerce.

Tell us about your life since Bond.

After a brief romance at Bond, Sam and I never thought we would cross paths again. However, as fate would have it, an opportunity arose when a Swedish friend of Sam’s invited him to his wedding in southern Sweden. I’m Swedish and was living there, so Sam dropped me a line. Now we live together with our daughter Emmy.

What was special about Bond?

The fountains that worked every full moon minus one day, the turf war between Juicy Bits and the T-house, small classes, good teacher contact and the high quality education.

What’s your fondest Bond memory?

For Sam it was the moment when Paul Messara sank a full court three-point basket, at the buzzer, to beat the Yanks in the USA vs Rest of the World basketball game: nothing but net! For me, it was meeting my future husband in a Cost Management Systems class. Romantic, huh?

What was Bond’s most profound impact on your career ?

Career-wise, Bond gave us the confidence and ability to be big fish in a small pond, and even bigger fish in an ocean. No limits, nothing impossible. I was able to go to London, not get overawed, and work with great success as a buyer for a large jewellery concern. Sam used his experience to move to Sweden, learn the Swedish language and work for a Swedish company as the logistics coordinator.

What would you tell future Bondies?

Make an effort to stay in touch with those with whom you found common ground. And don’t spend all day at the beach… go to the library, too!

Where are they now?

When and what did you study?

I started in Bond’s first semester, in May of 1989, among the first intake. I did an Arts degree majoring in Japanese and a Law degree.

Tell us about life since graduating.

Bond launched my career, in terms of the experiences I had, the people I met and the networks I developed. It’s been one adventure after another.

After leaving Bond I practised law for a while, then went to the United States and did an MBA. I worked on the organising committee for the Winter Olympics in Nagano, Japan, and got married. Next I worked at the Australian Consulate General in Honolulu, but then my husband and I became partners in a brewery in Hawaii. We moved back to Australia in 2002 to start the Burleigh Brewing company.

Perry Cross

When and what did you study?

A Bachelor of Communication (Business) in 1997-2000.

Tell us about life since graduating.

I travelled to the United States as an advisor to the United Nations General Assembly on behalf of Young Australians.

While there, I met my look-alike, the late Christopher Reeve, and we discussed research and how to raise awareness and funds to find a cure for paralysis. I have also met with the GovernorGeneral and the Prime Minister to lobby them about the legalisation on stem cell research. In

What was the most valuable thing about your education at Bond?

Bond taught – and still teaches – with so much focus on skills, not just learning information but being able to do something with it. Beyond that, because we were the very first intake and Bond was Australia’s first private university, we faced prejudice. It taught me that when you believe in something, no matter what, you should just do it.

What is your happiest memory?

To think back on that time, the whole thing was so happy and positive: living on campus, interacting with the lecturers and fellow students. Even the hard times are good memories.

What was Bond’s most profound impact on your life?

The attitude and spirit we came away with has been invaluable. Tackling challenges, I learned a large part of that there. Going back to the campus feels a lot like going home.

2005 I released my autobiography, Still Standing, and in the same year the Perry Cross Foundation was established to raise money to fund medical research to find a cure for paralysis. The Foundation currently funds research scholarships at Bond University. Recently, I travelled to India to receive stem cell therapy that has enabled me to breathe unaided again, yet another incredible moment.

This page: (Above) Peta Fielding (Left) Perry Cross with Adam Gilchrist, ambassador of the Perry Cross Foundation Opposite page: (Far left) Gabrielle Requena (Above left) Anna and Sam Austin with their daughter Emmy

What’s the most valuable thing you took away from Bond?

My education was number one but I also established a great ongoing network of friends.

What was special about Bond when you attended?

The small classes, professionalism and contact with tutors.

What is your happiest memory of Bond?

Graduation day: I thought it was never going to happen!

What has been Bond’s most profound impact on your life?

Since graduating I have been fortunate to maintain a close relationship with the Bond fraternity. The Perry Cross Foundation’s research at the Bond Medical School is overseen by Professor Kuldip Bedi and focuses on a cure for paralysis. Support for this is always welcome, so if you’d like to learn more, please visit perryxfoundation.org for more details.

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Peta Fielding

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Scott Pendlebury

When did you attend Bond?

I attended Bond in the first undergraduate class, commencing 1989 Semester 2, or, “the 892 class.” In fact, I was active at Bond before this inaugural class, playing the first season for the Bond University rugby team early in 1989.

What did you study?

I did a Bachelor of Commerce with majors in Finance, Insurance and Risk Management (Actuarial Science).

Tell us about life since graduating.

The first few years of my post-Bond life are a blur of ridiculous working hours, continued education, global travel and many employers.

In the mid 1990s, I switched my career from the number-crunching world of actuarial advisory to investment banking.

Now I focus on consulting on strategy and mergers and acquisitions in the mid-cap corporate sector in Australia for Credit Suisse.

I enjoy the entrepreneurial nature of the work and clients in this space. Life is different to those early post-Bond days: stress is less and career comes second to family.

What’s the most valuable thing you learned at Bond?

Maintain your friendships, have a go and act with confidence.

What was special about Bond?

This page: (Above) Scott Pendlebury (Above right) Edward Brockhoff Opposite page: (Far right) Kim Serafini (Right) Nyree Corby

It was uncharted, the 892s had no footsteps in which to follow. We embarked on an ambitious agenda to complete three-year degrees in two years and produce exceptional graduates.

Socially, we tested the boundaries. I like to think we helped the University define its rules!

What’s your happiest memory?

I have several. The pub crawls were a major event at the start of each semester or the Bondy 500 car rallies that started in 1989, and the Dragon Boat Club, which was formed by a number of athletes at Bond.

What has been Bond’s most profound impact on your life?

Bond taught me to choose my destiny, have a go, and that hard work pays off. These attitudes are responsible for my success to date.

What advice would you offer future Bondies?

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Bond gave me the chance to invest in myself.

I encourage future generations to do the same.

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Edward Brockhoff

When did you attend Bond and what were your first impressions?

My first day at Bond was in May 2002. I actually didn’t want to go to Bond: I applied for a scholarship because I thought it would be good practice for applications to other universities. Then I visited Bond for the scholarship finalist weekend in 2001, and my attitude turned full circle in a matter of moments when I saw the campus. But it was meeting and interacting with the students that convinced me Bond was my sort of place. They were friendly, intelligent and diverse. I could tell immediately they had a passion for Bond, for its students, staff and ethos. I wanted to be part of it.

What was your first job after Bond?

After graduation, I went overseas for a year, visiting friends from Bond through North America, Europe and Asia. Then I worked for six months in Adelaide as an Associate to two judges of the Supreme Court in South Australia. I have just spent a year in Sydney and Canberra as Associate to Justice Michael Kirby of the High Court of Australia.

What’s your ultimate career goal?

I have just finished my 12-month term as Justice Michael Kirby’s Associate. The Judge retired in early February so I have also retired, but in the absence of a nice judicial pension I will have to find myself another job! Ultimately, I would love to live and work overseas in the area of international diplomacy. It would capitalise on my studies in law and international relations at Bond, my work experience thus far, and my passion for different cultures and people.

How has your Bond education helped your career?

Bond encourages practical learning, and that has helped me in my employment so far. Plus, my confidence level, ability to interact with others and creative approach to problem solving have all been sharpened by my Bond experience.

Where are they now?

What were your first impressions of Bond University?

I was a “Student for the Day” in 1990. I was in awe of the people I met who shared their experience with me. It seemed so fun! The inaugural students were so proud of their opportunity to study at Bond: I wanted that feeling.

What was your favourite class?

Dr Jeffrey Brand taught Organisational Communication. I really enjoyed it and as a consequence I did really well. This boded well for me, because soon after graduating I ended up in London working as a Management Consultant for a firm that specialised in mergers and acquisitions strategy. I developed a fabulous career that began in that field. There is no way I would

Nyree Corby

When and what did you study at Bond University?

I started a Bachelor of Arts in 1997 (972), majoring in International Relations. Then I changed to a Bachelor of Communications (Business), in marketing and multimedia.

Tell us about your life since graduation.

I worked briefly at AIS Media in Brisbane as part of the founding online media team, then I was poached by Singleton’s to work in direct response on the American Express account. I started as

have been as successful so quickly, if it were not for the Professor’s inspiration and dedication to his students, including me.

What is your job today?

A bit of everything! For my businesses I’m responsible for strategy, product development, finances and marketing. Yet none of it would be possible without a range of mentors, advisors and consultants. I also enjoy being an international speaker who inspires and empowers. I’m an author and guest contributor for various academic and lifestyle publications and I’ll be hosting my own radio and TV shows that will come out in 2010.

How has Bond helped your career?

It has been invaluable! The friends I made have helped in countless ways, either as inspirational role models (unknowingly), or they’ve provided practical advice when it’s needed most.

a ‘suit’ but moved into creative after completing AWARD School. I loved it, but my business sensibilities pulled me into strategy. That move gave me the platform to start my own agency, Topia, after being at Singleton’s for only a year and a half.

The Topia Project initially consulted to a number of small, medium and large advertising agencies as well as directly to clients, helping them create leverage in a traditional marketing mix with online channels. During this time I built up a large amount of intellectual property, off the back of which I started the full-service advertising agency, Topia.

That brings me to today: I’m CEO of the agency, with clients including Sensis, Canada Tourism Commission and Village Roadshow.

To read more

alumni profiles log on to bond.edu.au/ alumni

What was special about Bond?

I certainly had a busy social life at Bond. Palaver was always a laugh, as was Law Ball. Plus, I loved the intimacy of classes and the attention the students received from tutors and lecturers. You don’t get that at other universities.

What’s your happiest Bond memory?

Meeting some wonderful people that I’m still very close friends with now.

What has been Bond’s most profound impact on your life and career?

It gave me a strong foundation in marketing and work experience at Singleton Ogilvy and Mather. Dr Jeff Brand’s wonderful subject on New Communication Technologies is what inspired me to pursue the type of advertising agency that I have today! n

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Kim Serafini

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Being a Bondy The who, the what, the where and the how of the Bond University alumni network.

“Look to your left and look to

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your right,” valedictorian Matthew Cantatore told his fellow Bond University graduates in May 2008. “Look around at your fellow students and you’ll understand the connection we share: we’re all Bondies.”

Being a Bondy is something that has united Bond students and alumni for the past 20 years.

Bond University is unlike any tertiary institution in Australia, and its students and graduates share a host of experiences that only they understand.

Launching a private university in Australia was a high-risk adventure by any estimation, and the early administrators, financiers and staff faced enormous challenges with limited resources but enormous dedication. And Bond’s earliest students were also risk-takers. “Our first cohort of students were investing their futures in something entirely new and untested in Australian education,” says Registrar Alan Finch, who has been with Bond since 1987.

The passing of 20 years has certainly removed a lot of the risk from being associated with Bond. The University is a truly independent institution that offers globally respected degrees and research programs. Student numbers continue to grow carefully and steadily, the new buildings and facilities are state-of-the-art, and Bond alumni consistently vote it first in student satisfaction.

But that spirit of adventure, of stepping out into the unknown in search of something wonderful and of testing the boundaries, defines Bond students and alumni as much today as it did two decades ago.

“It’s that extra element to Bond, that risktaking, laugh-in-the-face-of-danger attitude, that consistently characterises this University as one of Australia’s best,” Cantatore told his cohort last year.

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True Bondies, the past and present students and staff-members of Bond University, will understand what Cantatore was talking about when he encouraged his fellow graduates to emulate Bond and “be unreasonable” in their hopes and endeavours. He said Bond began as and remained “unreasonable”, punching well above its weight in the national and international arenas while continually seeking excellence.

“Embrace what it truly means to be a Bondy: be unreasonable,” Cantatore urged at his own graduation. “Innovate, don’t be afraid to be unfashionable, break the rules. Be unreasonable about yourself and you can achieve the impossible. Rid yourself of the constraints of what is ‘reasonable’ and you’ll find you can achieve anything.”

A Bond experience is about coming together with like-minded individuals George Raptis Bond University graduate, 2007

Alumni program

The Bond alumni network To be filled with hope and creativity, and to be equipped with the skills and knowledge to justify your optimism: that’s what makes a true Bondy.

The Bond alumni network is a vibrant community of “unreasonable” Bondies, many of whom take an active role in the administration and operations of Bond University. The alumni network offers the kind of professional and social support that only true Bondies can understand or provide.

With local chapters in more than 20 countries, it brings its members a number of social, professional and personal benefits, and provides opportunities for Bond graduates to stay involved in the leadership, direction, educational content and development of their alma mater.

In 2008, Bond University started a new tradition to commemorate each new student’s membership in the Bond network: the alumni pin.

Pins are given to students on the day they start their studies at Bond and have been sent retrospectively to two decades of Bond alumni.

Each pin is marked with the year the student joined Bond. That year becomes their ‘alumnus year’, the year by which they are forever recognised as members of the Bond family.

The pins are another link between Bondies past and present, and those yet to join their ranks.

Each student has different ambitions, networks and friendships. But every one of them is a Bondy.

They and only they know what it is to participate in the unique Bond learning experience.

strategy and operations. In addition, several other Bond alumni have been invited to join the newly formed Trustee Members Group, a group designed to lead a new ‘culture of giving’ that will secure Bond’s future success.

And as Bond continues to expand and improve its alumni program, past students are also contributing to the direction and content of the contemporary education experience at Bond.

Bond alumni are uniquely qualified to mentor students, offering guidance on studying as well as practical advice on working in their chosen field. The mentor program is an opportunity for self-development, professional development and skills development for both mentor and student.

Bond alumni are frequently invited to be guest speakers at both student and alumni events on campus. Their voices are particularly relevant to current students: they alone can combine their experience on-campus with professional and personal skills gained since graduating.

Bond alumni benefactors As they continue to progress and succeed in their careers, many alumni reach a point where they feel eager and able to give back to their University.

These former students become the University’s benefactors and their support is critical in helping Bond achieve its long-term goals.

Each person’s motivation and capacity for giving are personal, and Bond maintains a number

Defining a Bondy “Being a Bondy is something we’ll never lose. It’s the singing of pub-crawl chants on buses with our best mates, or listening to others making fools of themselves doing it.

It’s avoiding eye contact with over-enthusiastic campaigners when Student Council elections come around. It’s Palaver, Law Ball, Drink the Pub Dry, Thursday night at Don’s, Bus Law rugby,Victoria versus the rest of the world AFL. “It’s the angst and excitement you felt on your first day of class, and the intimidation of walking into your first exam. It’s the dreaded feeling of having to leave for holidays and the joy of returning to see old friends and meet new ones. And it’s how you felt on your graduation, your first day as a member of the Bond alumni: the culmination of all your efforts.”

Matthew Cantatore, 2008

Bond alumni leaders

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The alumni of any university are among its most important and influential networks. Alumni, if they are active in their alma mater, have the capacity to influence long-term strategic direction, guide future generations of students and make possible new development and research initiatives.

For Bond University, the alumni network is made up of thousands of potential leaders. An alumnus’ combination of experience, adventures, personal growth and challenges overcome since leaving Bond – alongside the wealth of learning and friendships they gained while on campus – makes their voice extremely valuable to today’s students.

Two members of the alumni network sit on the Bond University Council, helping direct future

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of options to ensure its alumni and the companies they represent are supported in their philanthropy.

These range from bequests and legacies to ongoing development programs, academic endowments to recognition in exclusive benefactor groups. For more information, log on to bond.edu.au/about/ alumni-and-giving.

Bond is a non-profit institution and receives limited government funding. Surplus income is invested directly back into students, and the University relies on philanthropic support to develop and grow. In many cases, it is the alumni who have helped Bond realise its dream of providing excellence in education.

Where did all the Bondies go?

Bond University was always international in its perspective and that is reflected in today’s student body: nearly half have travelled from overseas to become a Bondy, and, between them, they represent more than 80 different countries.

Naturally, Bond alumni reflect this trend after they graduate. They are scattered across 108 different countries and, to support them, there are local alumni chapters in more than 20 countries worldwide, from Paris to Hong Kong

IN THE NEWS

New scholarship for alumni In celebration of our 20th anniversary, Bond University is thrilled to offer one past Bondy a postgraduate scholarship to further their education.

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The offer is exclusive to Bond University alumni: you must have completed a full undergraduate degree in order to apply. Plus the application process will take into account your proven commitment to the Bond alumni network and demonstrated involvement in extracurricular activities during your earlier studies at Bond.

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The full-fee 20th Anniversary Postgraduate Alumni Scholarship is applicable to any postgraduate program except the Doctorate of Physiotherapy.

Both domestic and international alumni are eligible to apply for this generous new scholarship. All interested applicants can apply online at alumni.bond.edu.au.

and New York to Byron Bay. But while the Bond alumni network is vibrant, active and global, we have lost touch with a number of students. And we’re very keen to find them again.

Last year, Bond University launched a global campaign to find our missing Bondies. Our goal is to have an up-to-date contact list of every Bondy.

We want to be able to send them communications like The Arch, invite them to celebrations such as the 20th Anniversary Gala Ball, and learn what they have been doing since they graduated.

It’s not hyperbole to say that Bond staff personally care for their students. And that doesn’t change after they graduate! We want to know what is happening with our alumni: whether they’ve been promoted, changed jobs, moved countries, gotten married or gone travelling.

But most importantly, we want to hear those Bondy voices again. Bond University invites each alumnus to share their ideas and tell us what their alma mater could be doing better. Nobody knows what Bond University needs better than its students, present and past.

If you’re a “missing Bondy”, we want to hear from you: update your contact details online at alumni.bond.edu.au. Or if you’re in touch with other missing Bondies, encourage them to update their contact details. n

Giving back George Raptis graduated from Bond University in 2007 with Bachelor degrees in both Law and Commerce. At his graduation, he made a generous gift to Bond in the hope that his fellow graduates would follow suit. “A Bond experience is about coming together with like-minded

individuals to form a community unparalleled in Australian universities,” he said.

“For me it logically followed that the best way to remain a part of this community was to give back with time and resources, to maintain my connection with the University and enhance the community that had given so much to me.”

Alumni program

Bond University maintains a vibrant alumni network that offers a number of opportunities to its members.

Social • E xclusive invitations to social events hosted by your local chapter Professional • Lifelong career assistance and worldwide job contacts • Free borrowing rights and membership in Bond’s main and Law libraries Communications • Monthly alumni newsletters • Free subscription to The Arch • A lifelong email-forwarding service and email address Personal • Discount membership of the Bond University Sports Centre • Discount home loan and credit card rates (ANZ Bank)

How to join the alumni network To join the Bond University alumni network, simply log on to the secure Bond alumni portal at alumni.bond.edu.au.

You’ll need your student ID number to log in. If you can’t remember it, email the Alumni Office at alumni@bond.edu.au or call them on +61 7 5595 1093, and they’ll give you the number.

Once you’ve logged in, don’t forget to follow the prompts to update your contact details. That will enable us to send you future communications, invite you to University events and offer you mentoring and speaking opportunities on campus.

You’ll also have the chance to join your local chapter of the Bond alumni network.

Local chapters exist across the globe and provide the opportunity for business and personal networking and support. If there is no local chapter near you, we encourage you to start one and we’ll support you every inch of the way!

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Join the alumni network

ARCH News

Faculty update Each faculty at Bond University continues to provide students with unparalleled educational opportunities.

Read on to learn about their recent successes and plans for the future.

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Professor Raoul Mortley AO: Dean, Faculty of Humanities & Social Sciences

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Humanities and Social Sciences

The Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences is a vibrant and diverse faculty that encompasses an extensive collection of disciplines, from the long established areas of academia such as philosophy through to newer areas of study, like computer games and multimedia.

The Faculty has a strong commitment to offering vocationally relevant programs that encompass multi-disciplinary components, both internally and across other faculties, ensuring that each student receives a well-rounded education that is applicable to a wide range of careers. This commitment is evidenced by the introduction of the Faculty’s new hybrid degrees and professional degrees. The professional degrees are programs that require either an inter-disciplinary component or a work experience/internship segment at a relevant company.

Part of Bond University from its inception, this Faculty has witnessed many changes during the past 20 years and in 2007, after a significant increase in student numbers, it split into three schools. The School of Humanities teaches international relations, languages, applied linguistics, education and arts. The School of Communication and Media teaches communication, journalism, film and television, computer games and multimedia. The School of Social Sciences teaches criminology, psychology, counselling and behaviour management.

The three-school structure facilitates a more focused administrative approach to each of the education programs. This is an important factor

Faculty update in the quality control of program creation as well as industry relevance, student experience and staff and student outcomes.

The Faculty’s commitment to a quality experience for both staff and students has earned it a reputation for innovation and attracts academics who are leaders in both research and teaching quality.

Interactive Australia

At the end of 2008, Dr Jeffrey Brand, Head of the School of Communication and Media, and a team of Bond staff-members and students, completed Interactive Australia 2009, a comprehensive study of the computer gaming habits and opinions of Australians. The research revealed some interesting findings, many of which dispelled common computer gaming myths and fuelled the Australian games classification debate (turn to page 30 for more on this story).

Also in 2008, two Humanities and Social Sciences staff-members, Dr Stuart Murray and Dr Mary Power, received citations from the Australian Learning and Teaching Council for outstanding contributions to student learning.

Into the community

The Faculty’s commitment to excellence extends beyond the classroom and into the wider community. A new initiative of the Faculty is the Professional Forum events, which were created to increase community engagement and contribute tangibly to the areas in which the Faculty taught.

In 2008, the Professional Forums focused on public relations and behaviour management, and proved to be a great success, attracting many professionals within these areas and receiving positive feedback from attendees. Faculty leaders intend that the events will continue and become important features on the training and development calendars of professionals in each of the areas represented by the Faculty.

a range of postgraduate diplomas and a Masters of Laws, Master of Jurisprudence or Master of Business Law. Three intakes a year allow students maximum flexibility when planning their study path, and the intensive program enables students to complete an undergraduate degree in less than three years.

Bond Law graduates have established high profile careers with top-tier law firms across Australia and in 38 countries worldwide. Many students choose to expand their career options by undertaking a double degree, combining their law studies with any of the other Bachelor degree programs in the University.

Bond Law programs offer a unique and exciting learning experience that challenges and captivates students in and out of the classroom, firing their ambition and bringing it to life.

Foundation Professor Jim Corkery looks back

Professor Corkery fondly recollects his first day of teaching at Bond University on 15 May 1989: “I was on crutches after a rugby injury and we had to walk through mud and puddles to get to the Cerum Theatre for the first day of lectures.”

The campus is now unrecognisable from those early days, when the buildings were being built around a pine forest. Professor Corkery says that in the late 1980s, his academic colleagues were intrigued and a little envious of the concept of a private university. Two decades on, Bond University has continued to intrigue and inspire its counterparts.

One of Professor Corkery’s fondest memories is the very moving inaugural graduation ceremony in May 1991. It was held

Masters of the moot IN THE TRADITION of all great law schools, Bond Law has, for 20 years, excelled in mooting competitions around the globe. Bond Law won two mooting competitions in 2008, the National Family Law Moot in Hobart and the Beijing Foreign Studies University (BFSU) / Wan Hui Da Intellectual Property Law Moot Court Competition in Beijing.

In February 2009, Bond Law students won the International Criminal Court Trial Competition in The Hague, beating both Yale and Utrecht Universities in the finals (see page 46 for more about this).

Bond Law moot competitors demonstrate the key attributes of all Bond students: commitment, dedication, tenacity and a love of competition!

Professor Geraldine Mackenzie: Dean, Faculty of Law

Law

Professor Geraldine Mackenzie Dean – Faculty of Law

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Established in 1989 as one of Bond University’s foundation faculties, Bond Law has built an international reputation for the quality of its courses, the professionalism of its teaching and the success of its graduates.

As a world-class legal educator with a gilt-edged reputation, the Faculty of Law attracts Australia’s most pre-eminent legal academics, who take a personal interest in each student’s progress. Small tutorials with no more than 12 students help to create an exciting and inspiring learning environment.

Students study programs such as Bachelor of Laws, Bachelor of Business Law, Juris Doctor,

ARCH News

School of Hotel, Resort and Tourism Management THE SCHOOL OF Hotel, Resort and Tourism Management welcomed its first students in January 2009.

Headed by Professor Elizabeth Roberts, whose background includes 16 years at Cornell University, the School offers programs in International Hotel and Resort Management and Tourism Management.

To ensure teaching reflects industry needs, the School has partnered with Marriott International, and established Executive and Regional Advisory Boards with representatives from Jones Lang LaSalle, Accor, Inter Continental, Carnival Cruise Line, the Tourism and Transport Forum, Warner Village Theme Parks and Queensland Tourism Industry Council, among others.

in the Princeton Room, with barely a dozen graduating students.

“Each graduate’s story was recounted as he or she crossed the stage. It was a family event with some tears and many cheers.”

Legal Skills Centre

Bond University is home to one of the

leading legal education facilities in the world, with the opening of the Legal Skills Centre 18 months ago.

The $10.2 million building is modelled on best-practice technology used in Australian courts and is equipped with electronic evidence management systems (the paperless courtroom), including video conferencing, wireless networking and video streaming, as well as the latest in teaching technologies.

The Legal Skills Centre was designed to give students hands-on experience in practicing their legal skills in a simulated courtroom environment. This ensures that as graduates, they will be able to walk into any courtroom and feel at home.

Business,Technology & Sustainable Development The Faculty of Business, Technology and Sustainable Development has grown to become Bond’s ‘super-faculty’, housing the School of Business, School of Information Technology, School of Sustainable Development and School

Professor George Earl Dean, Faculty of Business,Technology & Sustainable Development

of Hotel, Resort and Tourism Management.

In addition, the Faculty’s Centre for Executive Education offers short courses and executive programs for individuals and industry representatives.

Students have access to state-of-the-art facilities, including the award winning Mirvac School of Sustainable Development building and ‘Living Laboratory’, as well as the cutting edge Macquarie Trading Room. These resources help graduates hit the ground running and make an immediate impact in the workplace.

The Faculty also presents Bond Business Leaders Forums, an exclusive series of presentations from some of the most respected and high profile Australian and international business leaders. In 2008, speakers included Greg Paramor (former Managing Director, Mirvac Group), Paul O’Sullivan (DirectorGeneral of Security, ASIO) and David Baffsky AO (Honorary Chairman, Accor Asia-Pacific).

The Faculty research centres have a strong reputation for excellence, making valuable contributions to the University and the broader community through collaborative research projects, consultancy, publications and media comment. Current research projects include family business, Internet security and software assurance, globalisation and development, sustainable property, planning and infrastructure, and good/bad leadership, just to name a few.

Mirvac School of Sustainable Development building launch

The highly-anticipated Mirvac School of Sustainable Development building was officially launched by Acting Prime Minister The Hon Julia Gillard MP on 11 August 2008. The building is the first in Australia to achieve a six Green Star – Education PILOT Certified Rating for design by the Green Building Council of Australia. Features include minimised energy consumption using natural light and mixed-mode ventilation. Water tanks and grey water recycling mean less reliance on the local water supply, and the building achieves a more than 80 percent reduction in carbon emissions. The building has attracted interest from the media, school groups and external organisations. Visit bond.edu.au/sdev to learn more.

Globalisation & Development Centre conference

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Professor George Earl: Dean, Faculty of Business,Technology & Sustainable Development

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In September 2008, the School of Business Globalisation & Development Centre hosted its first major conference. ‘How Globalisation is Shaping the Asia-Pacific: Multi-Disciplinary Perspectives’ attracted many national and international identities to the Gold Coast.

The conference was an initiative to encourage

Faculty update cooperation and understanding in the rapidly changing Asia-Pacific region. Several international speakers gave insightful presentations, including Andrew Rose (Rocca Professor of International Business, University of California-Berkeley), Nayan Chanda (Director of Yale University’s Center for the Study of Globalization and Policy) and Marcus Noland (formerly on the Council of Economic Advisers to the US President).

Health Sciences and Medicine

BioSMART team leads the way

The BioSMART team, comprising Sonya Marshall,

Russ Chess-Williams, Peter Johnson, Kevin Ashton, Greg Dux and John Leggett, was recently awarded a prestigious Australian Learning and Teaching Council Award (formerly known as the Carrick Award).

The Citation was awarded for Outstanding Contribution to Student Learning and to the quality of student learning over a sustained period of time.

The team was recognised for its implementation of the BioSMART program (SMART stands for ‘Scientific Methods for Analytical, Reasoning and Critical Thinking’) to enhance graduate outcomes in biomedical sciences.

Professor Chris Del Mar: Dean, Faculty of Health Sciences and Medicine

The program incorporates a range of teaching, learning and support programs for students, including one-on-one learning, PBL, Journal Club presentations and research projects.

$4m research grant announced The Faculty is delighted to announce that with the help of a $4 million National Health and Medical Research Council Australia Fellowship, Professor Paul Glasziou of Oxford University will join the academic team at Bond in early 2010.

Professor Glasziou will use the fellowship to undertake research that will contribute new knowledge about the process and implementation of evidence-based medicine. This research will help effectively close the gap between best available evidence and current clinical practice.

The recipients of these prestigious fellowships are recognised as having made outstanding contributions to health and medical research and are leading researchers in their fields.

Grant helps student assist Vietnamese clinic

Bond University medical student Eliza Lanyon was the sole Queensland recipient of the 2008 Medical Insurance Group Australia (MIGA) grant for developing communities. Eliza used the grant to help the Kim Long Charity Clinic in Hue, Vietnam.

The funding helped Lanyon travel to and spend six weeks working at the Clinic, seeing around 250 patients a day. She also used the funding to pay for some medical aid. “Working with the women in the clinic has been a truly amazing experience and I recommend it to any students in the future,” she says. MIGA, an indemnity insurance group, awards five grants a year to Australian medical students who wish to travel to developing communities. n Autumn 2009

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Bond University’s newest faculty, the Faculty of Health Sciences and Medicine, is dedicated to shaping individuals who are distinguished by their superior scientific acumen and professionalism as well as their ethics, compassion and humanity. The Faculty offers a range of innovative programs in Biomedical Science, Children’s Services, Exercise Science, Forensic Science, Health Sciences, High Performance Science, Medicine, Physiotherapy, Sport Management and Sports Science.

During the past three years, the number of students studying Faculty programs has tripled, and in 2009 the Faculty is looking forward to celebrating the graduation of its inaugural medicine and physiotherapy cohorts. Both programs have highly competitive entry standards and heavily use problem-based learning (PBL) as a teaching and learning method. Students spend approximately 50 percent of each course in varied clinical settings, providing them with critical real-life experience.

In addition to its teaching programs, the Faculty is committed to the expansion and continuing development of its PhD, Masters and Honours programs, and prides itself on the quality of its academics and their commitment to research.

The Faculty has experienced a significant growth in higher degree research students and external funding during the past three years.

ARCH Law

War stories The battle of Bond v Yale

Earlier this year, five Bondies went head-to-head in international criminal law with 19 of the world’s best universities, and won.

But behind every great victory is an even better story, so we entered the trenches for the inside scoop.

The Hague, Netherlands, February 2009:

Just like the previous seven days, the morning of the International Criminal Court (ICC) Trial Competition grand final dawned overcast, grey and cold. “It certainly lacked our lovely Gold Coast sunshine,” reflects Bond team member Julien du Vergier.

But it was also calm. The five-person Bond Law mooting team of du Vergier, Kate Mitchell, Kristen Zornada, Heidi Rulfs and Lauren Ferguson entered the final with quiet confidence.

The build-up to this moment had been intense.

“We had put in six months of preparation, written 30,000 words of memorials and spent many hours of practice moots,” says du Vergier. “We were

We were perceived as the underdogs Julien du Vergier Bond Law team member

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Kate Mitchell, Julien du Vergier, Kristen Zornada, Lauren Ferguson and Heidi Ruffs

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perceived as the underdogs, but I think all Bond teams revel in that opportunity: it gave us the chance to really ‘take it’ to the opposition.”

Underdogs? Law at Bond University? Not likely. The ICC Trial Competition is the third international mooting competition Bond has won in 12 months: teams from Bond also took out the recent International Intellectual Property Law Mooting Competition in Beijing and won first place in the National Family Law Mooting Competition.

With a string of wins like these behind it, Bond has become, according to Vice-Chancellor Professor Robert Stable, “arguably the best advocacy-teaching university in the world.”

Today, Bond’s Faculty of Law faces international competitors not as an underdog but as a serious and formidable contender.

“At Bond, we really do set the bar quite high and there’s no one in the world that we should fear,” agrees du Vergier. “In fact if anything, other universities should be fearing Bond Law!” But back in The Netherlands, it wasn’t all bravado. Not just yet. First, there was the hard slog, with the team – and Faculty members, including coach and Senior Teaching Fellow Joseph Crowley – working together until the wee hours of the morning for months on end.

Then came the actual competition. On the first day of court the role of Defense Counsel was taken by du Vergier and he was “absolutely outstanding”, according to Crowley. “The judge commented that du Vergier was incredibly engaging and had an excellent understanding of the law and facts.”

“The judges both acknowledged that the Defense had something of an uphill battle in some

Moot court victory “You must remember that Yale had received three awards prior to the announcement of the overall winner,” said du Vergier. “So when Bond University was announced as the overall winner, the room absolutely erupted.”

Each member of the Bond team took home different memories and lessons from the competition. But for du Vergier, the ICC Trial Competition carried with it added emotion: it marked the end of an era for him, the completion of a full circle.

Lauren Ferguson in Bond University’s moot court

“This is my fifth year at Bond and I graduate next semester. When I started at Bond back in 2005 I was part of the successful Jessup mooting team in Washington, and that was a truly defining moment in my time at Bond.

“So to be sitting in a very similar position today, once again to be in a mooting competition involving international law and once again to be blessed with a great team… it was a heartwarming and reflective experience to finish my degree in a similar vein to how I began it five years ago. I feel a little bit emotional about the whole process.” n

The International Criminal Court (ICC) Trial Competition allows the world’s top law students to improve their knowledge of the ICC and its proceedings, and to become familiar with the famous legal institutions in The Hague. Visit icc-trialcompetition.org for more information.

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areas, and that du Vergier handled it very well. So well, in fact, that one judge said if he hadn’t been aware of the legal issues surrounding the problem he would not have known there were any weak points in the Defense claim.”

In the second moot, Mitchell took the Prosecution and “absolutely dominated”, according to Crowley. The judges described her as “unflappable”.

As the competition continued, the Bond team took the time to get to know their fellow competitors, earning their friendship and respect.

“To meet others, share our individual stories with them, our backgrounds, and a history of Australia and Bond University, is one of the functions of a team at an international competition,” says du Vergier. “We were there to compete at a peak level, but it was certainly not all about winning. To actually build long-lasting relationships and learn from the journey; that’s the approach we wanted to take.”

By the time that chilly grand final day dawned, it had become apparent to most that Bond University faced fellow finalists Yale and Utrecht Universities not as an underdog, but as a popular favourite. Moments before the grand final was to start, the team from Pretoria University – last year’s winners – and the team from Santa Clara, winners of the US round of the competitions, entered the room wearing Bond University pins in support of the Australians. It was “one of the most moving moments of the competition.”

During the grand final, Bond was to take the role of Victim’s Counsel, a relatively new and sometimes controversial third participating counsel in the International Criminal Court.

The goal of Victim’s Counsel is to ensure that victims have a role to play before the Court: they can be involved in restorative justice so that the crimes they have suffered can be aired in the international community.

With Zornada on main submissions and Mitchell on rebuttal, the Bond team entered the grand final with creativity and precision. Zornada and Mitchell were outstanding, says du Vergier, and each delivered one of their best moots ever.

Certainly the judges thought so. One judge tried to catch Zornada out by asking her for specific civil law jurisdictions and their practice regarding victim participation. “Kristen promptly discussed and analysed the state practice from Argentina, France, Belgium, Germany, Spain, Italy and Brazil.

They were pretty taken aback!” says Crowley.

In rebuttal, the judges questioned Mitchell with intensity, but she won them over. One of the judges even admitted to “converting” to the victim notion, based on Bond’s argument.

Then the room held its breath for the winners to be announced.

ARCH Profile

Alan Bond

perspective

The

Alan Bond doesn’t have a tertiary education. But before his much-publicised downfall, he inspired and helped found the ground-breaking and extraordinarily successful university that still bears his name.

By Mary Kiley

I have always believed in education,” says

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Alan Bond, “and higher education helps you avoid some of life’s pitfalls.”

Bond is not a university graduate himself but the high-profile businessman, who has experienced many of life’s pitfalls, has always been an admirer of educational institutions. So when he was approached to become involved in the launch of Australia’s first private university, he knew where to look for inspiration: he wanted a university based on the Harvard model, placing heavy educational focus on real-life case studies.

“We (in the corporate community) had felt for some time that young graduates were coming out of universities, but weren’t able to apply their degrees in a commercial sense straight away,” he says. “They had to go back into an extensive training program and we wanted to try to change that.”

The opportunity to build such a university was presented to Bond by a Bond Corporation employee, the late Brian Orr. “Brian was aware we had an interest in education and we also had this land on the Gold Coast,” he recalls.

Bond had previously considered building a university in Western Australia (WA), but he instead shifted his focus to the Gold Coast land,

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and preparations for the university began. During the initial planning, he sought advice from experts in the tertiary education field. They were happy to give it, despite the fact that the new university would operate in competition with their own.

“We got help, funnily enough, from other universities, because they wanted to see the model,” Bond remembers. “Very few chancellors and vice-chancellors get the opportunity to take a blank piece of paper and say, ‘What would you do if you were building a university?’ ” And, from the start, what Bond wanted was clear.

“We wanted to attract up to 40 percent overseas students. We wanted a standard of education that would attract local and overseas students, with a high emphasis on preparing graduates to go into the workplace armed with what they’d learned through their studies for their degrees.

“I felt that Australia, as a trading partner, at that stage had failed to understand a lot of its Asian neighbours. The best way to understand them was to get students from Asian countries to come here and understand our culture, and to have our students relate to them at both business and academic levels. That was missing from the other universities.”

This new private university was, essentially, designed to fill what was seen as a gap in the market.

Interview: Alan Bond These days, Bond’s involvement in the University is limited to attending alumni meetings held in London (where he’s now based) or giving speeches to various faculties, when invited. But he maintains a fatherly interest in the institution that bears his name – and which still boasts the coat of arms he designed.

“That was my artistic bent,” chuckles the former signwriter. “And I came up with the wording of the motto.”

And when asked if, despite all the problems he encountered while trying to make the idea of Bond University a reality, he would do it all again, he’s in no doubt.

“Oh yes,” he declares. “The motto is ‘Forever Learning’ and you are.” n

AT A GLANCE

The Japanese connection One of Bond’s stated aims in founding the University was to forge better relationships with our Asian neighbours, so seeking assistance from Japanese friends was a logical step.

“After we’d gotten the approval, we invited the Japanese to come in because the expenditure at that stage had escalated,” he recalls.

“I asked a Japanese business associate of mine, whose own group had been involved in universities previously, to become involved. We put Harunori Takahashi on our advisory board and then Bungo Ishizaki, who was a professor at a university in Japan.”

Harunori Takahashi headed up EIE Development Company, Ltd. It became the joint venture partner with Bond Corp in the development of the University. Bond credits Takahashi with introducing him to the renowned Japanese architect Arata Isozaki, who designed the University’s iconic Arch building.

While financial problems later forced EIE to withdraw, Takahashi’s role in the building of the University is commemorated in an engraving on the bell in the Bell Tower. He died of a brain haemorrhage in July 2005, aged 59.

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“With Australia being a nation that would have to sell into the Asian community, we felt that other universities were not focusing on that relationship with other countries.”

Bond also felt that the opportunity to take fewer holidays and get their degrees faster would be attractive to international students.

Unfortunately, it soon became apparent that not everyone was keen on the idea of a private university being built in Australia.

“There was huge resistance,” reflects Bond.

“The Federal Government discouraged it. They didn’t want a private university that would make them have to lift the standards of their own universities.”

He is adamant, however, that the resistance did not stem from the perception that people would be able to “buy” their degree from the private university.

“No, I don’t think so,” he says. “The resistance was at the government level before the Bond University Act was passed.”

The Bond University Act, passed by Sir Joh Bjelke-Petersen’s Government, was assented to on 23 April 1987. This gave Bond its university status. From then on it was full steam ahead until the University opened its doors to the first intake of students in May 1989. The whole enterprise had taken roughly five years from concept to opening day, which was “quite quick, really, in those days,” admits Bond.

When it came to choosing the right person to head up the fledgling University, Bond looked close to home.

“Our first Vice-Chancellor was Don Watts from Curtin University of Technology, so from the early stages of the trials and tribulations that any new business goes through, he had his fair share,” he laughs.

The difficulties inherent in getting a private university up and running are why Bond believes there are not more institutions like it in Australia.

“The economics are difficult,” he says. “It’s a big job to take something like this on and very few people are prepared to do it.”

Despite – or perhaps because of – the obstacles he had to overcome, Bond is proud of the university he helped build. When he began working on the project he even devised a 50-year business plan for the University and, 20 years on, he believes it has already achieved many of the goals he set way back then.

“I wanted it to be the number one business university in Australia and that’s the way I see it,” he says. “I am very pleased with the quality of the staff. The University is attracting a very high standard of student, and former students are going on to have great success.”

ARCH Prize

WIN

A 20-YEAR-OLD CABERNET SAUVIGNON MERLOT Bond is your university, but how much do you really know about the history of those lovely sandstone corridors?

Channel your inner Bondy: answer each of the questions below for your chance to win a bottle of Cullen Margaret River Cabernet Sauvignon Merlot (1989 vintage, of course).

STOP THE PRESS

You can submit your answers via the Bond University website. Simply log on to bond.edu.au/ thearchquiz (Hint: all the answers can be found in this issue of The Arch.)

1 2

Who was Bond University’s inaugural Vice-Chancellor?

3 4

Name three of the areas of study offered in Bond’s Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences.

5

Bond University’s School of Sustainable Development building achieved Australia’s first six-star rating for what?

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6 7 8 9 arch

Bond University manages a series of presentations by some of the most respected and high-profile Australian and international business leaders. What is this series called?

Bond University’s earliest employees gave themselves a name that reflected the muddy conditions on campus. Name the group and four of its members.

Who rang the bell for Bond University’s Macquarie Trading Room in 2007?

What is the date of Bond University’s 20th Anniversary Gala Ball?

Who is the Dean of the Faculty of Health Sciences and Medicine?

Where was Bond University’s inaugural graduation ceremony held (in 1990)?

Bond University quiz

The School of Information Technology, the School of Sustainable Development and the School of Hotel, Resort and Tourism Management are part of which Bond faculty?

11 12 13

Who is the researcher investigating protocols for multiplayer online games?

14

A joint venture was formed with property and tourism operator EIE to help fund Bond’s beginnings. What nationality was EIE?

15 16 17

What was the name of the Act that secured Bond’s status and indepedence?

18 19 20

What weather conditions hampered Bond University’s construction?

Name Bond University’s newest school (launched in 2008).

Politician Susan Ryan was among those who opposed the decision to start Australia’s first private university after it was announced.

What was her portfolio at the time?

Name the architect who designed the Arch building on Bond’s Gold Coast campus?

What type of sandstone is used to clad Bond’s iconic buildings such as the Library, the Arch and the Clock and Bell Towers, and where is it from?

The first Bond University students started classes on what date?

Who will join Bond’s academic team from Oxford University in 2010, with the help of a National Health and Medical Research Council Australia Fellowship?

21 22 23 24 25

How many students started at Bond University on the first day?

26 27 28

In terms of semester structure, how did Bond differ from other universities?

Name two of the faculties providing classes in Bond’s first year.

Bond’s Law School caps tutorial numbers at how many students?

Name the Dean of Bond’s Faculty of Law. A Bond University BioSMART team recently won a prestigious Australian Learning and Teaching Council Award. What was the award for?

By the time of Bond’s first graduation ceremony, who was the Vice-Chancellor?

Name one of Bond University’s inaugural students.

29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47

In what year did Bond University first break even financially?

Bond University launched a new school in 2007, with the support of corporate partner Mirvac. What is the name of the school?

Professor George Earl is the Dean of which Bond University faculty?

Name the new Dean of the Faculty of Law at Bond University.

Name four of the programs that are available in Bond University’s Faculty of Health Sciences and Medicine.

Which Bond alumnus worked for Justice Michael Kirby?

Name the two locations where Alan Bond and Bond Corporation considered starting universities in the late 1970s and early 1980s.

On 13 August 1999, Bond University’s existence was finally made secure.

What happened?

What term is used at Bond to describe the university’s student focus?

On what date did Alan Bond formally decide to go ahead with the development of Australia’s first private university? (Hint: the decision was made in a meeting at Brisbane’s Sheraton Towers.)

What degree did the Australian Medical Council approve for Bond in 2004?

Who officially opened the Bond University Medical School?

Bond’s student body grew quickly. In 1990, following strong growth in the Business and Law Faculties, how many students were there?

Name two of the schools within the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences.

Bond University students represent how many countries?

Name Bond University’s newest faculty.

It is Bond’s goal to have how many students on campus?

Professor Raoul Mortley is the Dean of which Bond faculty?

Bond University law students won three mooting competitions in the past 12 months.

What were they?

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Time to reconnect?

www.alumni.bond.edu.au