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Griffith and Peking University partner to aid development of China’s public health system - 2011-12-19

Professor Peiyu Wang, International Relations and Research Expert, from China’s prestigious Peking Health Science Center in Beijing, visited Griffith University’s Gold Coast campus for the signing of a new agreement with Griffith Health on the development of a set of practical, evidence-based programs and services to address public health concerns in China and across the Asia Pacific region.

The signing ceremony was appropriately hosted on Griffith’s Gold Coast campus which adjoins a unique Health and Knowledge Precinct, including a new $150 million Griffith Health Centre and $1.76 billion Gold Coast University Hospital.

The Peking Health Science Center selected Griffith for its strengths across a number of health areas, and in particular to aid in the development of a new, comprehensive Public Health model for the nation.

“Essentially this partnership forms the basis of a bilateral program of assistance for the health sector in China,” said Professor Allan Cripps, Pro Vice Chancellor (Health), Griffith University.

“It will draw upon the benefits of each institution’s programs, collaborative links and industry, to build workforce capacity in China in the fight against respiratory and infectious diseases, cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, stroke, hypertension and mental health issues.

“The solutions found through this collaboration will also be a unique and beneficial lesson to the Australian health care system; we can learn from our colleagues at Peking based on their strong links with Government and their ability to influence national policy in preventive medicine and health.

“It will also increase our joint capacity and reputation in public health research globally, and see our students and staff welcome the opportunity to work together with Peking on a multi-disease international health project with China’s No. 1 University,” he said.

As the partnership develops, and in order to maintain and enhance the collaboration, both Griffith and Peking University Health Science Center will allocate a significant portion of funds over a period of three years to cover a number of exchange fellowships/PhD scholarships; facilitate applications for grant schemes to support priority-driven public health research; provide joint forums and workshops; and collaborate with local, state, national and international health entities to gain further support for this significant partnership.

Griffith University has had a long history of engagement with Peking University and first partnered with Beijing Medical University in 1996 (which later became part of Peking University’s Faculty of Medicine) for scholarly exchanges and teaching collaboration.

Since that time, there has been a range of cooperative activities between the two institutions that have enabled their ongoing professional association, not only at the institutional level, but also between two Nations as significant partners in Health education and research development.

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2012 AustCham China Scholarship Recipients Announced - 2011-12-07

The China-Australia Chamber of Commerce (AustCham Beijing) is pleased to announce the 2012 AustCham China Scholarship recipients. In early 2012, eight individuals will travel to China and commence a comprehensive nine month career development platform aimed at fostering the next generation of Sino-Australian business leaders. During the traineeship, scholars will receive Mandarin language training, access to AustCham Beijing’s professional business network, mentoring and sponsorship to attend business and industry seminars.

The purpose of the Scholarship program is to prepare Australia’s future business leaders with the skills and experience necessary to navigate and thrive in the changing global marketplace. All recipients have demonstrated exceptional
academic results, extra-curricular excellence and the potential to become future Australia-China business leaders. High performing scholars are well positioned to be offered a full time role at the conclusion of the Scholarship program.

The 2012 recipients are:

Samantha Cook - University of Melbourne - Mallesons Stephen Jaques
Roger Dong - University of Melbourne - Runge Limited
Laura Fenwick - Queensland University of Technology - Woods Bagot Architectural Design
Amy Hallam - Environmental Resource Management
Robert Hopkins - University of NSW - Cochlear Medical Device (Beijing)
David Lin - University of Melbourne - BlueScope Steel China
Georgina O'Loughlin - Westpac Banking Corporation
David Williams - University of Queensland - WesTrac China

This year over 150 applications were received from students in 26 universities across Australia. Applicants included State and National sporting representatives, academic scholarship recipients and representatives from China student organisations. With an average university entrance mark of 95.87% and a grade point average of 83.44% the 2012 AustCham China Scholarship has again attracted students from the top echelon of Australian graduates. This year 72% of applicants hold an intermediate or higher level of mandarin proficiency, 28% have studied at a university level in China and 62% have previously travelled to China. These results have again secured the AustCham China Scholarship its place among leading international graduate and scholarship programs.

The Scholarship would not be possible without the support of the Australia-China Council, National Australia Bank, Asia Pacific Access and our eight placement companies.

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Beijing Information Session on the Knight Review now available for viewing online - 2011-11-30

In December of 2010, Mr Michael Knight AO was given a special commission to conduct a strategic review of the Australian student visa program for the Government of Australia by the Minister for Immigration and Citizenship, Mr Chris Bowen MP, and the Minister for Education, Employment and Workplace Relations, Senator Chris Evans.

Mr Knight visited the People’s Republic of China from 9 to 16 March 2011 and held discussions with a range of interested parties, including Chinese officials, education agents, educational institutions and prospective students in Beijing, Shenyang and Shanghai, to assist him to develop a broad understanding of the relationship between Australia’s student visa requirements and decisions by Chinese students to study in Australia.

Mr Knight presented a report on the outcomes of his review to the Government of Australia on 30 June 2011. The Government considered the report and on 22 September announced a series of measures to implement the recommendations contained in the report.

Information on these measures are available by clicking here . Translations into Chinese of key points are also available by clicking here.

The Department of Immigration and Citizenship, in conjunction with Australian Education International and the Australian Trade Commission hosted a series of information sessions at various locations around China between 29 November and 9 December 2011 to give interested parties an overview of changes and an opportunity to ask any questions they may have.

The Beijing session, conducted on 29 November, was filmed and is now available for viewing by any interested stake holder by clicking on the below link:

View Beijing Knight Review Information Session

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China Southern Launches new Flights from Guangzhou and Beijing to Perth - 2011-11-09

The new flights will depart each Wednesday, Friday and Sunday from Beijing and Guangzhou and are expected to increase the number of Chinese visitors to Perth each year from 15,000 to 45,000 within 12 months.

The new flights are expected to be well-received by those in the Australia-China resources sector, as some 70 per cent of Australia's exports to China come from Western Australia.

They are also likely to prove popular with Chinese students studying at Western Australian universities. Students and alumni spoken to by the Australia China Alumni Association we're excited about the news and looking forward to trailing the new services.

"Between the University of Western Australia, Murdoch University, Curtin University of Technology and Edith Cowan University, many thousands of Chinese would be studying in Perth at any particular time of year" said Edward Smith, Founder of the Australia China Alumni Association.

"It will also make it easier for Australian students from Western Australia to study in China. And the new expanded capacity will be great for the tourist industry in both countries".

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NSW Universities receive A$96m in Australian Research Council Grants - 2011-11-02

NSW RESEARCHERS TO DEVELOP SEARCH AND RESCUE ROBOTS
01 Nov 2011

Robots that can navigate on their own during search and rescue operations and better targeting of cancer tumours are just two of the research projects that will benefit from more than $96 million of Federal Government funding.

Announcing funding for 328 NSW research projects, Innovation Minister Senator Kim Carr said investing in research was vital for the development of new ideas, the creation of jobs and a better quality of life for all Australians.

“We rely on our researchers to help feed the hungry, cure the sick, protect the environment and secure our future. That is why the Government is providing $310 million to Australia’s research institutions through the Australian Research Council’s major grant schemes,” Senator Carr said.

“Researchers at the University of Technology, Sydney, will use a $320,000 grant to develop technology that will help robots navigate on their own in unknown environments, such as during search and rescue operations.

“The University of Sydney will receive a $600,000 grant for an adaptable new linear accelerator for medical radiation research. This will help better target cancer tumours, help develop new medical devices and save lives.

“And researchers at the University of New South Wales will receive a $122,000 grant to design new kinds of materials that can be die-castable in bulk, bulk metallic glasses. These unique metallic glasses exhibit mechanical performance superior to existing alloys and have a vast range of commercial applications.

“This $96 million investment is great news for the NSW community because it highlights the excellent local research talent and supports new interstate and international research partnerships. I congratulate the successful institutions, researchers and partners.”

The 328 research projects were announced as part of the Australian Research Council’s 2012 Major Grants Announcement, with $310 million announced for over 1,000 research projects nationwide. Funding will begin in 2012 and be administered over a period of up to five years under the Discovery Indigenous Researchers Development, Discovery Projects, Linkage Infrastructure, Equipment and Facilities Projects and Linkage Projects scheme.

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Queensland Universities win A$52m in Australian Research Council Funding - 2011-11-02

The ability to communicate directly with the public when disaster strikes is a step closer as Queensland researchers share more than $52 million in Federal Government funding.

Announcing funding for 169 Queensland research projects, Innovation Minister Senator Kim Carr said investing in research was vital for the development of new ideas, the creation of jobs and a better quality of life for all Australians.

“We rely on our researchers to help feed the hungry, cure the sick, protect the environment and secure our future. That is why the Government is providing $310 million to Australia’s research institutions through the Australian Research Council’s major grant schemes,” Senator Carr said.

“Researchers at the Queensland University of Technology will use a $188,000 grant to analyse how social media was used during recent natural disasters in Queensland in the hope of developing better public communication strategies that could save lives in future disasters.

“University of Queensland researchers will receive $333,000 grant to optimise starter culture strains to improve flavour, quality and efficiency in cheese making.

“And researchers at Griffith University will use a $280,000 grant to identify why students from poor urban backgrounds or rural communities are at risk of failing at school mathematics.

“This $52 million investment is great news for the Queensland community because it highlights local research talent and supports new interstate and international research partnerships. I congratulate the successful institutions, researchers and partners.”

The 169 research projects were announced as part of the Australian Research Council’s 2012 Major Grants Announcement, with $310 million announced for over 1,000 research projects nationwide. Funding will begin in 2012 and be administered over a period of up to five years under the Discovery Indigenous Researchers Development, Discovery Projects, Linkage Infrastructure, Equipment and Facilities Projects and Linkage Projects scheme.

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Macquarie University sets up new Soft Power Advocacy and Research Centre (SPARC) - 2011-10-31

Australia can, and should, play a major role in facilitating co-operation between India and China, an expert in international relations argues.

Speaking at the launch of the Soft Power Advocacy and Research Centre (SPARC) at Macquarie University on 18th Oct, Professor Naren Chitty A.M. said that while Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao had resolved to collaborate on security and trade, there was an opportunity to create much stronger ties through spaces of soft power.

“Soft power” describes the attraction between cities, countries and cultures, and how this is used in public diplomacy and governance. In contrast to “hard power” – the use of force and coercion – soft power exploits attractive and compelling characteristics for a purpose.

For example, the exchange of culture – including films, music and people – can be an effective way of bridging divides, particularly as it is known that Indian films are already popular in China.

“Australia, understandably, wants to see increased co-operation between China and India,” Professor Chitty says. “Despite their past border disputes, that’s entirely feasible.

“China and India are no longer obsessed with GDP growth. Both have begun focusing on other values as well, such as quality, environmental protection, social security and creativity.

“Over the next decade they will increasingly be entering four soft power spaces: co-operation in space, health care, education and poverty alleviation. Australia, through its high levels of development in science, technology, industry, education and media, can play a critical role in developing this relationship.”

About SPARC
-----------------
The Soft Power Advocacy and Research Centre (SPARC) at Macquarie University is the first dedicated research centre of its kind in Australia. In particular the centre will focus on relationships between Australia, China and India, and areas where Indian and Chinese cultures overlap, in the 21st Century.

Soft power is an area of emerging global significance and its use in public diplomacy and governance is vital in building future relations between nations, organisations and communities.

SPARC’s upcoming major projects include:
------------------------------------------------------
■2011 Bruce Allen Memorial Lecture by Maurice Newman A.C. (Chairman of the Australian Broadcasting Corporation) “Broadcasting Australia: Antipodal Soft Power”
■A DFAT-funded project with the ABC and Tsinghua University measuring changing perceptions of Chinese journalists and program-makers following exposure to Australian education, culture, science and technology
■An Australia-India Institute-funded project investigating “the soft power dimension to Australia’s engagement with rising India”.
■The SPARC Visiting Professor Program whereby Macquarie University will host an international expert on soft power and international relations in April 2012. The program will involve a series of high profile addresses to a wide variety of public audiences including students, academics, industry, government and media.

About SPARC Director Professor Naren Chitty A.M.
---------------------------------------------------------------
Prior to joining Macquarie University, Naren Chitty had a distinguished career as a planner and public diplomat. Starting out as a member of the team that brought national television to Sri Lanka in 1982, Chitty was soon posted to Washington DC to work as a counsellor in the Sri Lankan Embassy during the Reagan years.

Much of Professor Chitty’s work in Washington focused on public diplomacy, however he was also commissioned to join delegations to CHOGMs in Nassau and Vancouver as well as to be a representative at the Assembly of Parties of the International Telecommunication Satellite Organization (INTELSAT).

He completed a PhD in international relations at the School of International Service of American University in Washington D.C.

Professor Naren Chitty A.M. began his career as an academic in 1989. He introduced masters (1991), doctoral (1992) and undergraduate (2003) degrees in International Communication at Macquarie University and was the foundation editor of the Journal of International Communication.

He was awarded the Order of Australia on Australia Day 2009 'for services to education particularly in the field of international communication as a researcher and academic and to a range of professional associations'.

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La Trobe sets up Confucius Institute - 2011-10-17

La Trobe University will strengthen its China links across the higher education sector, business, government and the community with the establishment of a prestigious Confucius Institute in conjunction with Chongqing University.

chinaThe Institute is being established with the support of the Chinese Government as a non-profit public institution with a strong focus on Chinese language and culture.

Senior Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Professor John Rosenberg, says it will build on La Trobe’s existing strengths in Chinese language and culture programs.

The Institute’s first program starts on October 5, with a tailor-made course in beginners Chinese featuring convenient after-hours class times for students and the public – and the award of a special introductory set of scholarships.

‘The establishment of the Confucius Institute is a significant initiative for the University and we are looking forward to the official launch in mid November,’ says Professor Rosenberg.

Although based on the University’s main Melbourne campus, Institute programs will be rolled out on regional campuses, with cultural events already planned for Bendigo from the middle of next year.

Professor Rosenberg says the Confucius Institute will lead to a better understanding of China by staff, students and the community in general.

‘The Institute will provide valuable opportunities for academics on all our campuses to share ideas and experiences and enhance our reputation in promoting Chinese culture. This will lead to an increased profile for the University nationally and internationally, particularly in China,’ says Professor Rosenberg.

La Trobe joins a select group of 322 Confucius Institutes world-wide, ten of which are in Australia.

Professor Pei Likun, Executive Director of the University’s Centre for China Studies, says Confucius Institutes are established under the auspices of the Office of the Chinese Language Council International, an affiliate of the Chinese Ministry of Education.

She says the new Confucius Institute is based on a partnership between La Trobe University and Chongqing University in south western China, one of China’s top 39 key national universities. Chongqing is China’s most populous city, with 32 million people.

‘It is highly unusual to have more than one Confucius Institute in a city, and it is thus a privilege for La Trobe University to have been given permission to establish a third Confucius Institute in Melbourne. Part of the rationale for this has been our strong regional mission,’ says Professor Pei.

The inaugural Chinese language course will be held over ten weeks, from 5 October to 7 December, 2011 with classes every Wednesday, from 6.30 to 8.30 pm.

To read more follow this link

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New Australian Consul-General to Shanghai appointed by Foreign Affairs Minister Kevin Rudd - 2011-09-29

The Foreign Minister, Kevin Rudd, has today (28 Sept) announced that Ms Alice Cawte will be Australia's next Consul-General in Shanghai.

Ms Cawte is expected to take up her appointment next month and she will replace Mr Tom Connor who has been Consul-General since July 2008.

Shanghai is the commercial and financial centre of China and a major gateway for foreign trade and investment. Together with neighbouring Jiangsu and Zhejiang Provinces, Shanghai is part of China's biggest and most dynamic regional economy — the Yangtze-River Delta economic zone. This zone accounts for about one third of Australia's total trade with China.

The Consulate-General in Shanghai covers a consular district of five provinces, in addition to the municipality of Shanghai, with a combined population of over 300 million, offering significant and growing trade and investment opportunities for Australian business. The district is home to a large and growing Australian expatriate community.

Ms Cawte is a senior career officer in the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT). She has previously served overseas in Beijing and in Noumea and as Representative of the Australian Commerce and Industry Office in Taipei.

Ms Cawte holds a Bachelor of Arts with Honours from Sydney University. She speaks Mandarin.

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Ensuring overseas postgrads stay - Opinion Piece in The Australian - 2011-08-19

Ensuring overseas postgrads stay

International postgraduate students have much to offer Australia as we transition to a knowledge economy, writes Swinburne Vice-Chancellor Professor Linda Kristjanson in the Australian.

During this year's State of the Union address to the US Congress, US President Barack Obama highlighted the important contributions international education makes to his nation.

He posed the question: why do we train international students in our education system to advanced degree level, and then send them home to compete against us? We should encourage them to stay in the US, he argued, to run research labs and build new businesses.

His comments equally apply to Australia.

Australia's international education achievements are notable:

We know that international education has become a multi-billion dollar export earner for our nation.

But more importantly, the international education sector exports successful graduates who are better prepared for future careers as a result of their Australian educational experience.

Graduates we educate have developed valuable skills, learned about Australian values, made Australian friends and networks, and will forever hold our nation in their hearts and minds as a place in which they spent their formative intellectual years.

The impact and value of these outcomes are impossible to estimate.

International education fosters friendships and alliances. When business and political leaders around the world and particularly in our region have graduated from Australia's universities, we are better placed to understand each other and build shared opportunities.

How do we ensure that international research students who graduate with PhDs in increasing numbers remain in Australia to contribute their expertise as academics or as contributors to industry innovation, or return home and maintain active research connections with their colleagues in Australia?

There is no doubt that the public diplomacy and goodwill outcomes of international education are of enormous benefit to our nation. In the global race for research output and knowledge creation the population of Australian-trained PhD graduates help us to compete against much larger nations, such as the USA.

It is these non-tangible benefits, in addition to the economic benefits, that Australia will lose to other countries unless the government takes fast action on the student visa program.

Latest figures released yesterday by the Department of Immigration again confirm the predicted dramatic plunge in international students. At first glance the statistics suggest that student visa grants have increased overall.

However, look closer and it is clear that there is a significant decline in offshore visa applications and that it is the onshore visa applications that are holding up the international student numbers.

Australia has received the lowest number of offshore student visa applications for higher education programs since 2006 - from a height of 99,000 in 2007 to 60,000 in 2011. Total offshore visa applications were down by 20 per cent in 2010-2011, with offshore visa applications from higher education applicants down 17 per cent.

Fourteen of Australia's 15 key international student markets have slumped significantly. India is down 63 per cent, China is down nearly 25 per cent.

Australia once boasted the world's best student visa program. It was fair, transparent and consistent. However, since the government toughened up student visa arrangements international students have been voting with their feet and applying elsewhere. The immigration figures demonstrate this.

Federal government strategies such as the high level delegation currently being headed up by the Minister for Tertiary Education, Chris Evans, in India are admirable signs of goodwill but they will provide no immediate relief. The new Australia-India Education Council is a most welcome development and it has the support of both governments and the universities, but it will not make our student visa program competitive with the rest of the world once more.

The strong Aussie dollar, which makes life here more expensive for foreign students, is also not going to change overnight.

The one barrier to changing the downward decline of the international student market that can be changed and that can have an immediate impact rests with Parliament. The Knight review into the student visa program is due to be released shortly. It is Australia's only immediate hope of an end to the tightened visa requirements and a change in the tide of plunging international student numbers.

At the very least, we hope that the new visa program will provide certainty for visa applicants. We hope that it provides fast-track opportunities for genuine students bound for our universities: students who aspire to study in Australia to create a better future for themselves and their communities.

If we do not take action, we are at risk of falling behind as a knowledge economy and becoming culturally introverted. Instead, we call for a future that builds on the forward-thinking success of our historical leadership in international education, ensuring that we build a stronger economy and advance Australia's world standing.

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UQ Researchers Develop a Dissolvable Needle-free Nanopatch for Vaccine Delivery - 2011-08-05

UQ research has found the Nanopatch – a needle-free, pain-free method of vaccine delivery – is now dissolvable, eliminating the possibility of needle-stick injury.

Project leader Professor Mark Kendall, from the Australian Institute for Bioengineering and Nanotechnology, said the finding confirmed that the Nanopatch was a potential safer, cheaper alternative to needle vaccines.

The study was published recently in scientific journal Small.

“What we have been able to show for the first time is that the Nanopatch is completely dissolvable,” Professor Kendall said.

“That means zero needles, zero sharps, zero opportunity for contamination and zero chance of needle-stick injury.

“The World Health Organisation estimates that 30 percent of vaccinations in Africa are unsafe due to cross contamination caused by needle-stick injury. That's a healthcare burden of about $25 per administration.”

The Nanopatch is smaller than a postage stamp and is packed with thousands of tiny projections – invisible to the human eye – now dried to include the vaccine itself together with biocompatible excipients.

When the patch is placed against the skin, these projections push through the outer skin layer and deliver the biomolecules to the target cells.

When dry, the device is stable and strong. When the Nanopatch is applied to the skin, the projections immediately become wet, dissolving within minutes.

Research published in journal Plos One in April found that the Nanopatch achieved a protective immune response using an unprecedented one-hundredth of the standard needle and syringe dose.

Professor Kendall said this was 10 times better than any other delivery method.

Being both painless and needle-free, the Nanopatch offers hope for those with needle phobia, as well as improving the vaccination experience for young children.

"When compared to a needle and syringe, a Nanopatch is cheap to produce and it is easy to imagine a situation in which a Government might provide vaccinations for a pandemic such as swine flu to be collected from a chemist or sent in the mail,” Professor Kendall said.

He said the work had been in progress for five years and his team hoped to start clinical trials soon.

The study was conducted using influenza vaccine but Professor Kendall said any vaccine could potentially be delivered via the Nanopatch.

Also published in a separate paper in Small is research showing the Nanopatch's success extends to candidate vaccines for West Nile virus and Chukunga virus.

Professor Kendall is based at both UQ's Australian Institute for Bioengineering and Nanotechnology and the Diamantina Institute.

His collaborators for this work include Professor Ian Frazer and researchers from the University of Melbourne.


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The Abandoned Boudoir brings Australian art and design to Beijing - 2011-07-28

In collaboration with Asialink, The Opposite House and the Australian Embassy Bejiing, Red Gate Gallery is pleased to present The Abandoned Boudoir, an Australian art and design exhibition opening in Bejing August 10, 2011. Devised as a 'pop up' display for selected international art or design festivals anywhere in the world, The Abandoned Boudoir builds on the success of Asialink's ongoing touring program that aims to promote intercultural understanding between Australia and the countries of Asia.

True to the name of the exhibition, The Abandoned Boudoir uses the hotel bedroom as an intimate exhibition space. Existing hotel artwork, bed linen, objects, furniture and lighting in the room are removed and replaced by Australian crafted objects. During the display period, the installation will undergo subtle changes to reflect the moods of its 'inhabitant', functioning as a 'living' exhibition for visitors to inspect.

Curator Marisia Lukaszewski of Aesthetic Alliance says; "The exhibition references themes such as sex, glamour, mystique, displacement, and surveillance. The objects themselves have all been created by Australian designers but are global in their approach and show no signs of their origin." Viewers are forced to think about these objects - Why are they significant to the inhabitant? What do they say about the inhabitant? How do they compare with other design objects that are showcased in the wider Beijing public outside the hotel?

The exhibition is supported by Opposite House Hotel, Asialink, and the Australian Embassy Beijing. The Asialink Visual Arts Touring Exhibition Program is also supported by the Australian Government through the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade.

Exhibition open: 10-19 August 2011. Tours starting 1pm daily, every half hour, last tour at 6.30pm. Book your tour and meet your tour guide in the Opposite House lobby.

Information: www.asialink.unimelb.edu.au/abandoned-boudoir

Bookings: www.theabandonedboudoir.eventbrite.com

Venue: The Opposite House, Building 1, No.11 Sanlitun Road, Chaoyang District, Beijing, China tel +8610 6417 6688

红门画廊很荣幸与 Asialink ，北京瑜舍酒店和澳大利亚驻华大使馆合作呈现“被遗弃的闺阁”展， 此展览将于2011年8月10日至2011年8月19日举行。

“被遗弃的闺阁”以“弹出式”可以在世界任何地方的国际设计或艺术节中展出。此展览即将进驻北京瑜舍酒店，两周的展期。2010 年年底，它作为一年一度曼谷设计艺术节的一部分在曼谷大都会酒店首次推出面世。基于 Asialink 中心正在全球巡演项目的成功。“被遗弃的闺阁”得以启动实施，旨在促进澳大利亚和亚洲国家之间的文化理解和交流。正如展览的名称所示。“被遗弃的闺阁”将酒店的卧室打造成一个亲密的展览空间。 卧室现存的艺术品，床上用品，物品，家具和照明设备都将被移走，取而代之的是澳大利亚所设计制作的艺术装置。在展示期内，这些装置还将发生微妙的变化，以反映其“居住者”的不同情绪，成为一个“活”的展览供观者品评。

展览策划者、美学联盟成员 Marisia Lukaszewski 说，“展览涉及诸如性，魅力，神秘，流离失所和监视等主题。虽然这些物品本身均由澳大利亚的设计师制作，但其艺术方法具有全球性的特点，并未显示出其特定的来源。“观众不得不对这些对象产生思考--为什么它们对“居住者”有存在的意义？它们讲述了有关“居住者”的什么故事？他们又是如何与其他展示在酒店之外北京公共区域的设计作品进行比较呢?

本次展览得到了北京瑜舍酒店，Asialink和澳大利亚驻华使馆的支持。Asialink视觉艺术巡回展览项目也得到了由外交贸易部代表的澳大利亚政府的支持。

澳大利亚使馆文化参赞陈紫霞女士将于8月10日星期三晚上7点在瑜舍酒店为展览揭幕。欢迎各位媒体朋友前来参加。

展览开放时间：2011年8月10-19日。参观每天下午1点开始，每半小时一次，末次参观下午6:30开始。欢迎预约参观。导游将在瑜舍酒店大厅等候。

更多信息请见: www.asialink.unimelb.edu.au/abandoned-boudoir
预约参观：www.theabandonedboudoir.eventbrite.com

地址和联系方式：
北京瑜舍酒店 北京朝阳区三里屯路 11 号
电话:+8610 6417 6688；网址：www.theoppositehouse.com


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White Rabbit – Contemporary Chinese Art Collection on display at UniSA Samstag Museum of Art - 2011-07-22

A selection of colourful, captivating and eclectic artworks are on display at the Samstag Museum of Art at UniSA in an exhibition that is travelling outside of Sydney for the first time.

The White Rabbit – Contemporary Chinese Art Collection exhibition, is from one of the largest and most significant collections of contemporary Chinese art in the world - the White Rabbit Collection in Sydney. Founded and entirely funded by the philanthropic Neilson Foundation, it focuses on works of art produced after 2000.

Samstag Museum Director, Erica Green, says this is a unique opportunity to experience some of the best contemporary Chinese art of the 21st century.

“This is a rare opportunity for Adelaide audiences to experience China’s rapidly changing society, from Mao’s oppressive Cultural Revolution to the excesses and exuberance of China’s economic boom,” she says.

“The White Rabbit exhibition provides an exciting introduction to the diversity and power of contemporary art practice in China, showcasing works in very different media – painting, sculpture, animation, new media and installation.”

Green says that for the majority of the new generation of artists featured in White Rabbit, their formative years were defined by the demise of the Cultural Revolution and the super-charged emergence of China as a great economic power. She says the huge social and creative changes over the past decade have produced works of art that are boldly original, with up-to-the minute themes ranging from the new political order, the lust for luxury goods and China’s economic boom, but they are also shaped by the oldest parts of Chinese culture: Taoism, Buddhism, Confucianism, martial arts and ancient legend.

The White Rabbit exhibition is presented in association with the Adelaide Festival Centre’s 2011 OzAsia Festival. The official launch by UniSA’s Adjunct Professor Dr Alfred Huang AM, will be held on Tuesday August 30.

The Samstag Museum offers free guided exhibition tours for booked groups including UniSA staff and students, secondary and tertiary students and community organisations.

The White Rabbit exhibition will be at the Samstag Museum (55 North Tce, Adelaide) until September 30. The Samstag Museum is open Tuesday to Friday 11am to 5pm, and Saturday and Sunday 2-5pm. Entry is free.

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Swinburne University of Technology's Industry PhDs to boost solar power - 2011-07-22

Unlike many students who finish intensive doctoral studies to then face the daunting task of job hunting in academia or industry, Boyuan Cai and Yinan Zhang have their career paths already mapped.

Mr Cai, 28, and Mr Zhang, 25, are pioneer students in a PhD program founded by Swinburne University of Technology and Suntech (one of the world’s largest manufacturers of solar panels) to combine academic knowledge-building with industrial pragmatism.

Before arriving in Melbourne at the end of last year, they had already completed nearly a year of training in Suntech’s R&D team at the company’s plant in Wuxi, China, where they were working on ‘thin film’ (second-generation) solar cells.

The students are based at the Victoria-Suntech Advanced Solar Facility (VSASF), a collaborative research centre at Swinburne’s Hawthorn campus funded by $5 million from Suntech, $4 million from Swinburne and $3 million from the Victorian Government’s Victorian Science Agenda Investment Fund.

They are supervised by photonics authority and VSASF director Professor Min Gu and senior research fellow Dr Baohua Jia on projects that seek to improve the efficiency of first and second-generation solar cells.

Mr Zhang graduated in 2009 from China’s Nankai University with a Bachelor of Science, for which his major was optics. He says one of the exciting aspects of his studies at Swinburne is the chance to expand his knowledge of optics into the field of nanoplasmonics – the study of how light interacts with metal surfaces at the nanoscale and a specialty research area at Swinburne – under the direction of Professor Gu.

“Nanoplasmonics technology is a completely new technology, so it’s exciting to transfer this into the knowledge of solar cells. Because it’s new, I can be more creative,” Mr Zhang says. There is also a language benefit for him and Mr Cai.

“It’s important because we need to cooperate with many people from around the world and English is the common language. This is also helpful for our research and future careers.”
Industry collaboration accelerates research cycle

The production line experience of Mr Zhang and Mr Cai equips them with practical knowledge of their employer’s business, for which they are creating solutions.

Professor Gu says that industry collaboration at the outset of a university-based research project helps to accelerate the research cycle.

“I learned this joint PhD model when I visited Seoul National University in Korea. They have many agreements with Samsung and LG. The industry gives money to the university, but students have obligations to return after finishing their PhDs. It is my belief this is why Korea developed very quickly in electronics,” Professor Gu says.

The great lesson for Professor Gu so far is the balancing act in such a partnership between the maximum level of innovation and its practical cost. A solar panel design that can achieve the theoretical limit of efficiency in the laboratory is not necessarily the best commercial option, he says. For example, the more silicon in a panel the more efficient it becomes, but to improve efficiency solely through increasing the quantity of silicon reduces the profit margin.

Most solar cells made around the world are first-generation silicon ‘wafer’ cells of about 200 micrometres in thickness and these silicon wafers account for about 60 per cent of panel cost. The wafers are treated to have positive and negative electron charges and then layered like a club sandwich in a way that conducts the solar energy.

The most efficient of Suntech’s first-generation cells are rated 19 per cent effective at turning sunlight into electricity, but the theoretical limit is 29 per cent.

Mr Zhang’s research project aims to achieve greater efficiency not by consuming more silicon, but by using innovative plasmonic nanomaterials at different positions within the silicon wafers.

Sights set on solar energy affordability

Applying the nanophotonics work of Professor Gu and Mr Zhang, Suntech hopes to dramatically improve energy-conversion efficiency to make solar energy more affordable for households.

Meanwhile, Mr Cai’s parallel project focuses on increasing the efficiency of second-generation cells – thin-film cells – by as much as 40 per cent above their current levels. These second-generation cells are far less hungry for silicon and can be applied more creatively, such as a coating on windows. But they are less efficient at turning sunlight into electricity (6 per cent with a theoretical efficiency limit of about 30 per cent).

If he succeeds in overseeing a breakthrough in conversion efficiency Mr Cai’s innovation could lead to the reopening of the company’s thin-film production line, built during the global financial crisis when the price of silicon sky-rocketed. But when the price of silicon stabilised, the production line was closed down.

Designing the industry PhDs underpinning this research was a balancing act for Professor Gu: the research must be innovative enough to satisfy the doctoral requirements of Swinburne, and it must be transferable to a commercial environment.

For Masters of Science graduate Mr Cai, the motivation to apply for this parcelled R&D traineeship and doctoral program was based on strong belief in the future of solar power. “Solar power is a promising renewable energy solution. So it is a great honour for me to be selected as a PhD student and to work at Suntech to make a contribution in the solar cell field,” Mr Cai says.

Suntech CEO Dr Zhengrong Shi hopes that by 2015, in 50 per cent of world markets, his company will have contributed to solar energy being as affordable as that sourced from the grid – a goal called ‘grid parity’.

“Two things are essential for the solar industry: sun and technology. Both are plentiful in Australia,” he says.

“Since my time studying in Australia 20 years ago, the global photovoltaic industry has achieved extraordinary growth, creating jobs and opportunities all along the value chain.

“This would not have been possible without the dedicated efforts of students and researchers at institutions like Swinburne University of Technology."

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Company founded by celebrated UQ Prof. Ian Frazer signs deal to develop new cancer vaccine - 2011-07-21

UQ Professor: Ian Frazer Cancer vaccine developer in US deal (by Jared Lynch, The Age)
July 21, 2011

CERVICAL cancer vaccine developer Prof. Ian Frazer is hoping lightning will strike twice with a new drug aimed at quashing another common cancer.

Coridon, the company Professor Frazer founded, yesterday struck a deal with Ohio State University to further develop its Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) project.

EBV is the cause of glandular fever and can trigger a range of cancers, including lymphoma.

The university and Coridon aim to complete animal studies this year.

Professor Frazer said that if the studies were successful, human trials would begin next year and hopefully the drug would be fast-tracked to commercialisation within the next three years.

Providing there are no hiccups, the drug will give Coridon and its major shareholder, the Andrew Forrest-controlled Allied Healthcare Group, a multibillion-dollar windfall.

Professor Frazer said the EBV project was different from the cervical cancer vaccine because it could prevent not only head and throat cancers but also be used to treat the diseases.

''Coridon has developed the technology, which we believe might be useful in curing cancers caused by virus infections,'' the 2006 Australian of the Year said.

''Ohio State have an interest in cancers caused by one particular virus - Epstein-Barr virus.

''We believe that this will be a very good model to get a quick answer as to whether the vaccine works because we can be fairly confident that we are dealing with a group of patients who have a high risk of getting the cancer if we don't do something about it.''

Allied Healthcare managing director Lee Rodne said the vaccine, if successful, would have a multibillion-dollar market.

''The glandular fever market is massive and in Asia there is a high rate of head and throat cancers,'' Mr Rodne said.

''The work that Coridon and Ian Frazer are currently doing clearly has the potential to be globally significant.''

Coridon is also working with the University of Washington on the company's herpes simplex virus 2 vaccine. It plans to begin human trials of that vaccine next year.

Allied Healthcare's shares jumped 1¢, or 18.2 per cent, to 6.5¢ yesterday before easing back to Tuesday's close of 5.5¢.

Editor's Note:
Prof. Frazer was made Australian of the Year in 2006 for work conducted with virologist Dr Jian Zhou which resulted in a successful vaccine for Human Papilloma Virus (HPV).

Prof. Frazer, a former Senior Lecturer at the University of Queensland (UQ) is currently Director of the Diamantina Institute for Cancer, Immunology and Metabolic Medicine which is based at UQ. He continues to teach immunology to undergraduates and graduate students at the University of Queensland, is Cancer Council Australia president, Chairman of the Australian Cancer Research Foundation's Medical Research Advisory Committee, and advises the WHO and the Gates Foundation on papillomavirus vaccines.

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NSW Government welcomes high-level Chinese film delegation to Sydney Film Festival - 2011-06-15

The NSW Government today welcomed a high level delegation of Chinese film industry representatives to Sydney for the World Premiere at the Sydney Film Festival of 33 postcards. The film is the first official co-production between Australia and China to film in Sydney.

Parliamentary Secretary to the Premier, the Hon.Marie Ficarra, welcomed the President of Zhejiang Hengdian Film Production Co.,Ltd, Mr Liu Zhijiang, one of China's most senior entertainment industry figures, who is leading the delegation that includes Mr He Yue Hua, Director, Film Division of Zhejiang Hengdian Film Production Co Ltd, Mr Chua Chye Seng, Principal Investor, IFS Capital, Mr John Sim from SAPO Investment and Ms Zhu Lin, the lead actress in the film.

For more details please click here.

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China Three Gorges Corporation Chairman Delivers Lecture at UWA - 2011-06-07

Dr Cao Guangjing, Chairman of the China Three Gorges Corporation, visited the University of Western Australia in early May to deliver the 26th Dr George Hondros memorial lecture.

In his lecture, Dr Cao said the China of his childhood was a backward country. Growing up in rural China in the 1960s, he often didn't have enough to eat even though his father was a schoolteacher and his mother farmed wheat, corn and cotton.

Today, Dr Cao is a globally acclaimed engineer, responsible for the success of the world’s biggest hydropower project with a workforce of more than 14,000 people. As chairman of the China Three Gorges Corporation, Dr Cao overseas an organization with clean-energy business interests in 25 countries, possible future collaborations with Australian companies and another four big hydropower dams underway upstream on the Yangtze River from where the Three Gorges dam is located. He attributes his success to a university education.

"Everyone knew the only way to escape poverty was to go to university," he said. "As a boy I knew nothing about university or the professions, but one of my senior high school teachers recommended that I go to Hohai University, a research university in Nanjing, to study civil engineering."

In 1997, aged 33, Dr Cao became the Three Gorges project manager, having carried out analysis of the project’s feasibility, planning and design since 1985.

"The benefits of the project outweigh the harm," he said. "The mighty Yangtze River used to flood every 10 years, resulting in great loss of life and property. Today, the project’s flood storage capacity protects the fertile Jianghan Plain."

"The project also improves the navigability of the river, with a double-line, five-stage ship lock part of the design. With more ships using the waterway, petrol consumption has decreased, resulting in a reduction of exhaust emissions. And the total amount of annual hydropower generation is equal to burning 50 million tons of raw coal."

"The project has also included building 16 ultra-large bridges over the Yangtze and its tributaries, as well as two airports, the construction of 133km of expressways, 2,000km of highways and 26 sewerage and 19 garbage treatment plants."

Dr Cao said one of the biggest problems he encountered was the fact that during its setting process, concrete releases a lot of heat.

"Failure to efficiently control the temperature rise could result in cracks, so we had to install large-capacity integrated control techniques and not a single crack appeared in four million cubic metres of concrete!"

While overseeing the project, Dr Cao completed a PhD in management training and credits his understanding of management techniques to the success of the undertaking, in which every major milestone during the 17 years of construction was reached on or ahead of schedule.

"In some ways, being a manager is like being a member of a family," said Dr Cao, whose proud parents are still alive. He has three siblings and a 20 year-old son who is majoring in electrical engineering. "You have to offer friendship and you also have to reward good work to ensure quality. It's also important to keep people well informed about the project. And they need to know that if they do a great job they’ll gain respect from their boss and honor from their government."

The Dr George Hondros lecture honors Dr Hondros (1920 – 1965) who for many years was a senior member of staff of UWA’s Department of Civil Engineering. His major legacy to Western Australia was his input into the Perth’s major Narrows Bridge project as a structural engineer. UWA and Hohai University are involved in several collaborative research projects.

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CSU Graduate Creates Award-Winning Computer App - 2011-06-07

Award winning computer software applications are being distributed throughout Asia by developer Mr Daniel Chun, a Charles Sturt University (CSU) graduate with a passion for Information and Communications Technology (ICT).

A Hong Kong resident, Mr Chun is a graduate of CSU's Master of Information Technology, completing the degree as a part-time student with CSU's Hong Kong partner institute HKUSPACE within 12 months, six months ahead of his peers.

The project he submitted as part of his university project work not only gained a distinction grade, but was later adopted as the research framework and business model he published academically. From there, a business was formed and incubated with the Hong Kong government's support through the company HK Cyberport.

"I was living in Canada four years ago," explains Mr Chun, "and while I was there I noticed a particular problem in small business and education centers. They were having difficulties handling bookings, communications and marketing due to restrictions in resources and experience. As an entrepreneur and an ICT professional, I could see that an efficient ICT system built into both internet and mobile applications would eventually make a profound impact. I proposed this conceptual project to the supervisor and he welcomed the proposal and provided me key insights as to how to approach the issue."

Mr Chun named his application ClassBooking, which is now hailed as a premium tuition and activities management system used to help parents, learning centres, tutors, instructors and students to efficiently manage their digital relationships.

"While I was completing the project as part of the Master of Information Technology coursework, I realized this could become a real business, and having the project go through the test and validation with academic rigor was important. If the project was not feasible, and did not receive above average appraisal, I would not have pursued it as a real business."

Having distributed ClassBooking in Hong Kong, Mr Chun, 45, and his business Art Group Limited have received several awards for their work including the prestigious Red Herring Asia 100 Innovative Startup Award 2010 in celebration of the company's innovative achievements as a start-up enterprise.

The Red Herring's Top 100 Asia list has become a mark of distinction for identifying promising new companies and entrepreneurs. Red Herring editors were among the first to recognise that companies such as Facebook, Twitter, Google, Yahoo, Skype, Salesforce.com, YouTube, and eBay would change the way we live and work.

"The Red Herring Asia 100 Startup Award is recognition of our team's concerted effort in creating a blue ocean service in the crowded market of web and mobile applications. We are hoping to be able to take this recognition to start offering our services in South East Asia, Australia and New Zealand."

Mr Chun believes his studies contributed significantly to making this success happen.

"The Charles Sturt University Master of Information Technology degree was a timely renewal for me after receiving my first degree in computer science 20 years ago," Mr Chun said. "The curriculum was well structured to place strong emphasis on IT project management, ethics and critical literature review at a Master degree level. This has helped me a lot in gaining a higher level and strategic view of the use of ICT in workplace, business, and in my case entrepreneurial startup in ICT."

Although Mr Chun is pleased with his success, convincing customers to adopt the application isn’t without its challenges.

"The biggest challenge we had was to educate our stakeholders and business customers to have a holistic view of the capability of the ClassBooking system and, for small business owners, sometimes their focus is not necessarily aligned and it will take some time for them to be convinced."

With business increasing in other parts of the world, and the coordination of pilot testing the ClassBooking applications in Malaysia/Indonesia/Singapore, Mr Chun still finds time to work as a part-time instructor for some of the short courses offered by HKUSPACE. CSU recently offered Mr Chun a PhD studentship with the Flexible Learning Institute to pursue his interests in Mobile Learning and Mr Chun recommends enhanced learning to anyone looking for a new challenge.

"The Master of Information Technology at Charles Sturt University is very practical for existing IT practitioners to renew their knowledge and credentials," Mr Chun says. "The curriculum is fairly flexible and is accredited by the Australia Computer Society and the British Computer Society. I was able to upgrade my associate membership in the Associate Members for Australia Computer Society (AACS) and Member for Australia Computer Society (MACS), and to gain full membership of British Computer Society (MBCS)."

"I fully recommend IT practitioners to take up this challenge. Some of the most valuable resources Charles Sturt University provides to the HKUSPACE candidates were the online library resources and their online learning environment. It really inspired me to go deeper in research, and this program has now taken me to starting my e-Learning business and pursuing a PhD in technology enhanced learning at the same time."

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UniSA Launches New Center for Asian Business - 2011-06-07

Valuable partnerships between Australian businesses and their Asian counterparts will be strengthened, ensuring their contribution to Australia's future economic growth, thanks to UniSA's new Center for Asian Business.

The Center for Asian Business represents a community of leading business, commerce, law, management and marketing experts, dedicated to producing high-quality research on Asian business and deepening the Australian understanding of the Asian business environment.

Center Director Professor Ying Zhu said the Australian business presence in Asia was becoming increasingly important for the economy.

"With the rapid growth of the Asian economies, the study of Asian business and management has become an issue of international importance, particularly in the case of Australia, given the significance of these economies to our international trading relations and economic prosperity," Professor Zhu said.

"There is a need to expand Australia's knowledge of the Asian region, to conduct quality research and ensure that research findings are accessible and applicable to Australian companies who aspire to engage in business and trade partnerships with their Asian counterparts."

In 2011 and 2012 the Center, housed within the International Graduate School of Business, will establish local and international advisory boards of highly regarded academics and business leaders in order to cement its regional presence and relevance.

Additionally, the Center will continue to extend the impact of its research through local and regional academic and business collaboration, fostering strong relationships with Australian and international academic institutions, business councils, and industry and governmental bodies.

Professor Zhu said the Center will focus on Australia's dominant trading partners and foster strong partnerships with local, international business and academic communities.

"The Center strives to support the regional economy by assisting businesses, particularly Australian companies, in their Asian ventures. We will do so by providing high-quality, in-depth research and facilitating a range of networking and events designed to encourage greater business collaboration within the region."

The Center's research concentrates on seven cross-disciplinary themes, ranging from international finance and investment to cross-cultural human resource management.

To learn more about UniSA’s Centre for Asian Business visit www.unisa.edu.au/asianbusiness

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Griffith University's Australia-China Futures Dialogues Visiting Fellowship 2010 Award Holder Returns From China - 2011-06-07

Dr Adrian Cheung, award holder of the Australia-China Futures Dialogues Visiting Fellowship 2010, recently returned to Griffith University after a three month visit to China.

Collaborating with the Department of Finance of the Guanghua School of Management at Peking University, Dr Cheung undertook a research project examining the role of managerial cognition on corporate social responsibility in determining corporate economic performance.

The Australia-China Futures Dialogues is a Griffith University, Peking University and Queensland State Government future orientated partnership that focuses on how the Asia Pacific region will evolve in the next 20 years and how this evolution can be shaped. The fellowship awards support not only Griffith University PhD students and researchers in the areas of humanities and social sciences to undertake research at Peking University for a period of up to three months, but also PhD students and researchers from Peking University to participate in research for three months at Griffith University.

Working closely with several experts on the project, Dr Cheung learnt about the latest finance and management research developments in China. Dr Cheung thoroughly enjoyed his experience at Peking University and looks forward to utilising the knowledge and ideas he gained on his visit in his future research.

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Honorary Professorship from China for Murdoch Vice Chancellor - 2011-06-07

A senior delegation from the Guangdong University of Business (GUBS), located in Guangdong Province, China, visited Murdoch University in April to present a prestigious award to Murdoch's Vice Chancellor, Professor Gary Martin.

The delegation, headed by GUBS First Vice President Professor Yong Heming, awarded an honorary professorship to Professor Martin at a special ceremony at Murdoch University’s South Street campus.
It is the first time GUBS has awarded an honorary professorship to an Australian.

GUBS is one of the key institutions in higher learning in Guangdong Province and has approximately 23,000 students studying undergraduate and graduate programs in economics, management, law, English, Chinese literature, and science and engineering.

"Our university has awarded an honorary professorship to Professor Martin for his outstanding leadership in advancing international education relationships in China and with our university," Professor Yong said.

"Professor Martin has worked tirelessly to provide opportunities for GUBS students to have a social and educational experience in Perth and is well recognized across China for building strategic relationships with Chinese universities."

Professor Martin, who is also Chairman of Perth Education City, said that he was delighted to receive an award from such a highly-esteemed Chinese university as GUBS.

"We have worked very closely with GUBS to provide opportunities for business and media students to complete part of their degree studies at Murdoch," he said.

Professor Martin said that the university’s relationship with GUBS was part of Murdoch's comprehensive China Engagement Strategy which had multiple objectives.

"We embarked upon the engagement strategy because we felt that it was important for Murdoch to be strongly linked with Australia's largest trading partner," Professor Martin said.

"We work closely with like-minded institutions in China so that there are clear educational, cultural and economic benefits to Murdoch and our partners and the communities that our institutions serve."

"One key objective relates to how we make Murdoch University an attractive option for Chinese students so that they can complete part of their qualification here. We also want to give Murdoch students the opportunity to study at our partner institutions."

"Other objectives relate to how we can work collaboratively to advance our research and research training and how we can deliver certain Murdoch courses in partnership with Chinese universities in China."

Professor Martin said that over the past two years Murdoch had finalized around 20 agreements with Chinese universities in Eastern China, Northern China and Southern China.

A key component of Murdoch's engagement strategy was focused in Zhejiang Province situated on China’s south-eastern coast but was not limited to that area in China, Professor Martin said.

"We have developed a strong relationship with Zhejiang University of Technology in Hangzhou, which has officially become our sister university."

"As part of that arrangement, several groups of Chinese students have traveled to Murdoch for two weeks at a time experiencing life on an Australian campus, and we have also sent Murdoch students to ZJUT."

Professor Martin said that partnerships with Chinese universities were expected to result in around 300 Chinese students commencing study at Murdoch each year, from the beginning of next year.

"Our partnership arrangements between Murdoch and Chinese universities cover a broad range of disciplines including business, information technology, media and communications, renewable energy, engineering and biomedical science," he said.

Professor Martin said the key to engagement with Chinese universities was the development of mutual relationships at all levels.

"It is not simply enough to have agreements signed by the respective vice chancellors of universities," he added.

"There needs to be engagement of academic and general staff at all levels of the university if these relationships are to deliver benefits for both universities."

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CQUniversity PhD Graduate Welcomes Peers to ICT2011 - 2011-06-07

CQUniversity PhD graduate Philip Tsang is keen to welcome academics from his alma mater to the upcoming ICT2011 health care symposium, which he is hosting in Hong Kong from July 11-13.

Dr Tsang, who graduated in 2000 with his PhD in Communications/Informatics, is juggling his organizing committee role with his position as Vice President (Academic and Research) of the Caritas Institute of Higher Education. The Caritas Institute is a newly-accredited degree granting higher education institute with 40 years of history. It aspires to become the first Catholic university in China.

"I'm proud of my Queensland education experience and would be delighted to entertain students, staff, professionals and government officials from Queensland at ICT2011," he says.

"I would be delighted to receive them at the Peninsula hotel when they visit Hong Kong."

Before joining Caritas, Dr Tsang worked his way up from lecturer to become Associate Professor in Communications Technology at the Open University of Hong Kong (OUHK). He gained the prestigious OUHK President's Award for Distinguished Achievement over three years between 2007-2009.
Professor Tsang's publications have appeared under leading imprints such as Oxford University Press, Wiley, Elsevier, IEEE, Springer, and World Scientific. He has not forgotten his own backyard either, with works published by CityU and OUHK Press.

As an innovative and creative scholar, since 2002 during Guinness World Record Week Professor Tsang has organized the Hong Kong Longitudinal WiFi Sea, Land and Air Surveys projects.

During the decade since graduation from CQUniversity, Dr Tasang has established and maintained strong collaborative working relationships with students, faculty, staff, administrators, professional bodies and the media. Externally, he has served as an executive committee member for a number of key professional bodies and government departments in the HKSAR, China.

He has been awarded AUD8 million in teaching and research grants from the Hong Kong government and Johnson & Johnson Medical Services.

Dr Tsang has been editor for three refereed international teaching and learning journals (Int'l Journal of Learning and Innovation, Interactive Technology and Smart Education, Int'l Journal of e-finance) and has served as an editorial member on a number of other international journals (including Int'l Journal of Mobile Communications and Engineering Application of Artificial Intelligence). He has authored five ICT education monographs, and edited six ICT education monographs.

The former Queensland student recently published the seminal Health and ICT monograph Intelligent Technologies for Bridging the Grey Digital Divide with Queensland academics and researchers. He has also edited Social Media Tools and Platform for Education with researchers from Stanford University and the Hybrid Learning proceedings from a major conference in China.

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New Confucius Centre for the University of Newcastle - 2011-06-01

China and Australia strengthened valued ties on May 11 with the official opening of a Confucius Institute at the University of Newcastle. Appointed by the Chinese Ministry of Education, it is the only Confucius Institute outside a capital city in Australia.

Dignitaries gathered to celebrate the opening of the Center, which unveiled a statue of Confucius donated by The Australian Confucius Research Society. Confucius' family was represented by Kong He, a University of Newcastle student and member of the 76th generation of Confucius' descendants.

The University of Newcastle has established strong collaborative relationships with China's Ministry of Education and its institutions, including Hanban, the China Scholarship Council and the Chinese Service Centre for Scholarly Exchange. Consul-General Professor Bai Gang represented the Ministry of Education at the opening.

Professor Nicholas Saunders, Vice Chancellor and President of the University of Newcastle, said it was a privilege to establish the Confucius Institute in partnership with Huazhong Normal University, represented
at the opening by Vice President Professor Li Xiangnong. The two institutions share a long and established relationship, particularly in the areas of teaching and research.

"We are extremely grateful to the Australian Chinese State Councillor, Ms Liu Yandong and the former Prime Minister of Australia, the Honourable Mr Kevin Rudd, whose full support contributed enormously to the success of our bid," said Professor Saunders.

"I hope that from today our Confucius Institute will become a regional center of excellence that not only promotes Chinese culture and language, but also forges greater understanding and deeper appreciation of China, strengthening our bond with our good friends in China. "

The establishment of Confucius Institutes by the Chinese Government provides an opportunity for people all over the world to learn about Chinese language and culture. There are now 322 Confucius Institutes established in 96 countries around the world.

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Former Peking University President revisits Griffith University - 2011-06-01

Distinguished scholar and former President of Peking University Professor Xu Zhihong recently revisited the Peking University-Griffith University Research and Learning Centre at Griffith University's Nathan campus, five years after its official opening in 2006.

"It is marvelous to welcome Professor Xu back to Queensland and to the Nathan campus and to reflect on the vast contributions he has made, not only to building excellent relations with our university, but between the two nations as significant partners in education and research development," said Professor Ian O'Connor, Vice Chancellor and President of Griffith University.

"The Peking University - Griffith University Research and Learning Centre has been particularly successful for the development of a range of collaborative activities in many fields of education priority, and complements Griffith's strengths and leadership in the Asia Pacific region," said Professor O'Connor.

The Centre was the foundation for the recent Memorandum of Understanding involving the Griffith Asia Institute (GAI), Peking University and the Queensland State Government to establish a future orientated partnership between Australia and China titled Australia China Futures Dialogues.

The Dialogues incorporate three yearly events: an Annual Leader's Lecture, Second Track Dialogue and an Emerging Leaders Dialogue and brings together leaders and emerging leaders to discuss issues of importance to the Asia Pacific region.

"Looking back over Professor Xu's career there is no doubt he is an exceptional leader," said Professor O'Connor.

Professor Xu was awarded the First Prize of the Natural Science of Chinese Academy of Sciences Award in 1990 and the Third Prize of National Natural Science Award in the following year. Most recently Professor Xu was elected President of International Association for Plant Tissue Culture and Biotechnology and is now Chairman of the Chinese National Committee of Man and of Biosphere, UNESCO and Chairman of the Chinese Society of Plant Biology.

"The current initiatives we share with this prestigious institution would not have been possible without the support and encouragement of Professor Xu; in the establishment of our partnership and for its prospective mutual value," said Professor O'Connor.

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Former Peking University President revisits Griffith University - 2011-06-01

Distinguished scholar and former President of Peking University Professor Xu Zhihong recently revisited the Peking University-Griffith University Research and Learning Centre at Griffith University's Nathan campus, five years after its official opening in 2006.

"It is marvelous to welcome Professor Xu back to Queensland and to the
Nathan campus and to reflect on the vast contributions he has made, not
only to building excellent relations with our university, but between the two nations as significant partners in education and research development," said Professor Ian O'Connor, Vice Chancellor and President of Griffith University.

"The Peking University - Griffith University Research and Learning Centre has been particularly successful for the development of a range of collaborative activities in many fields of education priority, and complements Griffith's strengths and leadership in the Asia Pacific region," said Professor O'Connor.

The Centre was the foundation for the recent Memorandum of Understanding involving the Griffith Asia Institute (GAI), Peking University and the Queensland State Government to establish a future orientated partnership between Australia and China titled Australia China Futures Dialogues.

The Dialogues incorporate three yearly events: an Annual Leader's Lecture, Second Track Dialogue and an Emerging Leaders Dialogue and brings together leaders and emerging leaders to discuss issues of importance to the Asia Pacific region.

"Looking back over Professor Xu's career there is no doubt he is an
exceptional leader," said Professor O'Connor.

Professor Xu was awarded the First Prize of the Natural Science of Chinese
Academy of Sciences Award in 1990 and the Third Prize of National Natural Science Award in the following year. Most recently Professor Xu was elected President of International Association for Plant Tissue Culture and Biotechnology and is now Chairman of the Chinese National Committee of Man and of Biosphere, UNESCO and Chairman of the Chinese Society of Plant Biology.

"The current initiatives we share with this prestigious institution would not have been possible without the support and encouragement of Professor Xu; in the establishment of our partnership and for its prospective mutual value," said Professor O'Connor.

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New UTS Partnership Set to Strengthen China-Australia Relations - 2011-05-27

At a time when short-term gains are often put ahead of long-term benefits, three organizations have joined forces to focus on the future.

The University of Technology, Sydney (UTS) has entered into a partnership with a large and diversified Chinese corporation, China Raybo International Corporation Limited (CRIC), and an Australian funds management company, EG Funds Management, to create the China-Australia Strategic Relations Institute.

UTS Vice-Chancellor Professor Ross Milbourne said the memorandum of understanding for the Institute forges new links between two countries that share a bright and confident outlook spanning the 21st century, and is demonstrative of their shared commitment to higher learning.

"The importance of this partnership to China-Australia relations was acknowledged by the Prime Minister who took the time to witness the signing of the MOU when in China on 27 April," Professor Milbourne said.

"The Government's approach to education places knowledge acquisition, and its innovative application, at the heart of Australia's future development. UTS is proud to be sharing and fostering international partnerships such as this, the benefits of which will be multifaceted and long-lasting for Australia and UTS."

The initiative will support talented Chinese and Australian students undertaking their studies in China-Australia relations. It will also support post-doctoral research fellowships – working closely with researchers at UTS – that will add to the internationally recognised body of research already undertaken by the University through the UTS China Research Centre.

Dr. Chunsheng Suo, Chairman of CRIC, sees the initiative attracting students already interested in promoting bilateral friendship.

"The purpose is to provide an opportunity for young people from both Australia and China to deepen their understanding of the two countries, to learn from each other, and to cultivate their talents for the healthy development and future progress of China-Australia relations," Dr Chunsheng Suo said.

According to Mr Adam Geha, CEO, EG Funds Management, few Australian companies outside the mining sector have developed a deep economic relationship with China, which represents both a significant challenge and opportunity for Australia.

"As so much of our prosperity is mutual, as we are in overlapping time zones, as Australia is considered a 'safe haven', the relationship deserves to be deeper. Much of Australia's future will turn to the next generation, so we really do need to intensify the funding of research and the business training necessary to further facilitate China-Australia trade," Mr Geha said.

"Hence EG is proud to be associated with UTS and its new Australia China Strategic Relations Institute supported by the visionary Dr Chunsheng Suo."

The partnership represents another link to China for UTS. It comes less than a year after the landmark $25 million donation from Dr Chau Chak Wing, most of which will underpin the construction of Australia's first Frank Gehry-designed building for the UTS Business School.

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麦考瑞大学校友会圆满结束 - 2011-05-25

5月20日晚上，麦考瑞大学应用金融中心校友会在三里屯瑜舍酒店隆重举行。麦考瑞大学金融中心的主任Kevin教授、麦考瑞应用金融硕士中国区主任Steve教授、校友会负责人Leonie、清华大学继续教育学院金融培训中心主任秦宝波、副主任滕运、麦考瑞项目组各位成员以及100多位已经毕业的校友和在校校友参加了此次活动。

活动开始，Steve教授用中文主持，赢得了在场校友的热烈掌声。金融中心主任Kevin教授发表了讲话，表达了对已毕业校友和在读校友的殷切期望和衷心的祝福。随后，在场的一百多位校友进行了长达3个多小时的互动和交流，并互相交换了名片，大家在热烈欢快的气氛中结束了本次校友会。

更多详细信息请查看此链接
http://www.tsinghua-macquarie.com/article.php?t_id=356

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Macquarie University Vice-Chancellor speaks at Tsinghua University centenary celebrations - 2011-05-12

Macquarie University Vice-Chancellor Professor Steven Schwartz had the rare honour of being invited to speak at the centenary celebrations of Tsinghua University, China, in April.

Professor Schwartz was in China attending a number of events together with Australian Prime Minister, Julia Gillard.

Established in 1911 on the former royal gardens of the Qing Dynasty in north-west Beijing, Tsinghua University is often cited as China’s leading research and teaching university.

Tsinghua's alumni include Chinese President Hu Jintao, top legislator Wu Bangguo, Vice President Xi Jinping, and former premier Zhu Rongji – as well as three Nobel Prize winners, Lee Tsung-dao, Yang Chen-ning and Lee Yuan-tseh. In 2010, Tsinghua was ranked 58th in the world by the Times HES.

Professor Schwartz’ speech was titled The Modern Significance of the Tsinghua University Motto: Self-Discipline and Social Commitment.

Macquarie University has a deep and abiding friendship and professional relationship with Tsinghua’s School of Continuing Education through Macquarie’s Applied Finance Centre. Macquarie offers its Masters and Postgraduate Certificate programs in applied finance with Tsinghua.

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Former Peking University President revisits Griffith University - 2011-05-12

Professor Xu Zhihong & Professor Ian O'Connor Distinguished scholar and former President of Peking University Professor Xu Zhihong recently revisited the Peking University - Griffith University Research and Learning Centre at Griffith University’s Nathan campus, five years after its official opening in 2006.

“It is marvelous to welcome Professor Xu back to Queensland and to the Nathan campus and to reflect on the vast contributions he has made, not only to building excellent relations with our university, but between the two nations as significant partners in education and research development,” said Professor Ian O’Connor, Vice Chancellor and President, Griffith University.

“The Peking University - Griffith University Research and Learning Centre has been particularly successful for the development of a range of collaborative activities in many fields of education priority, and complements Griffith’s strengths and leadership in the Asia Pacific region,” said Professor O’Connor.

The Centre was the foundation for the recent Memorandum of Understanding involving the Griffith Asia Institute (GAI), Peking University and the Queensland State Government to establish a future orientated partnership between Australia and China titled Australia China Futures Dialogues.

The Dialogues incorporate three yearly events: an Annual Leader’s Lecture, Second Track Dialogue and an Emerging Leaders Dialogue and brings together leaders and emerging leaders to discuss issues of importance to the Asia Pacific region.

“Looking back over Professor Xu’s career there is no doubt he is an exceptional leader, said Professor O’Connor.

Professor Xu was awarded the “First Prize of the Natural Science of Chinese Academy of Sciences Award” in 1990 and the “Third Prize of National Natural Science Award” in the following year. Most recently Professor Xu was elected President of International Association for Plant Tissue Culture and Biotechnology and is now Chairman of the Chinese National Committee of Man and of Biosphere, UNESCO and Chairman of the Chinese Society of Plant Biology.

“The current initiatives we share with this prestigious institution would not have been possible without the support and encouragement of Professor Xu; in the establishment of our partnership and for its prospective mutual value”, said Professor O’Connor.

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Griffith University’s Australia-China Futures Dialogues Visiting Fellowship 2010 Award Holder Returns From China - 2011-05-12

Dr Adrian Cheung, award holder of the Australia-China Futures Dialogues Visiting Fellowship 2010, recently returned to Griffith University after a three month visit to China.

Collaborating with the Department of Finance of the Guanghua School of Management at Peking University, Dr Cheung undertook a research project examining the role of managerial cognition on corporate social responsibility in determining corporate economic performance.

The Australia-China Futures Dialogues is a Griffith University, Peking University and Queensland State Government future orientated partnership that focuses on how the Asia Pacific region will evolve in the next 20 years and how this evolution can be shaped. The fellowship awards support not only Griffith University PhD students and researchers in the areas of humanities and social sciences to undertake research at Peking University for a period of up to three months, but also PhD students and researchers from Peking University to participate in research for three months at Griffith University.

Working closely with several experts on the project, Dr Cheung learnt about the latest finance and management research developments in China. Dr Cheung thoroughly enjoyed his experience at Peking University and looks forward to utilising the knowledge and ideas he gained on his visit in his future research.

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“行胜于言”-澳洲麦考瑞大学校长盛赞清华百年成就的缘由　 - 2011-04-28

本月23日，澳洲麦考瑞大学校长史蒂文.施瓦茨教授在参与清华大学百年校庆的一次主题演讲中提到：“清华百年的成功背后总有原因－优秀的计划，洞察学生需要，通过改革来适应并且传递你们的目标。现在我想要关注你们能够在这一百年成功的一个原因，我相信你们的成功尽在清华的校训：自强不息，厚德载物；而清华的精髓所在，就是以此发展出的“行胜于言”的校风。”

100年来，清华大学做为最优秀的高等教育学府，培育了成千上万出类拔萃的人才。清华现拥有15所学院以及55个系，包括理学、工程学、人文社会科学、法学、医学、历史、哲学、经济、管理、教育以及艺术。在读学生超过三万六千人，包括一万四千多名本科生以及一万四千多名硕士生。

除去学术上的成就，清华大学在承担社会责任方面的成就也获得了施瓦茨教授的盛誉：“清华大学通过教育扶贫工程，在偏远贫困地区建立了57个新的远程教育站点，包括在江西、河南、安徽、甘肃、云南以及内蒙古。该工程现在有总计170个站点，覆盖了全中国 12个较贫困省区。团队中包括海外志愿者，他们为中学老师和学生提供丰富的项目，包括电脑和英文课程，文化讲座，以及分享学习经验。从2003年起，大学已经开始直接为超过四百万人口覆盖超过200个中国欠发达地区提供教育项目以及服务。”

作为清华应用金融学硕士的合作伙伴，麦考瑞大学校长施瓦茨教授在演讲的最后向清华的师生祝贺到：“清华华的各位同僚们，你们的工作非常优秀。你们的行动胜过万语千言。
我赞赏并祝贺你们，为你们的自强不息，厚德载物，以及它所带给你们的卓越的成绩。并且，我真诚地向这所伟大的学校的灵魂致敬！”

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Chinese Steel Manufacturer Sets Up Research Arm at UQ - 2011-04-19

Research leading to more sustainable steel production could result from a new agreement signed on April 9 by one of the world's top three steel producers and four Australian universities.

Shanghai-based Baosteel Group has partnered with The University of Queensland (UQ), University of New South Wales, Monash University and the University of Wollongong to establish the Baosteel-Australia Joint Research and Development Centre.

The Joint R&D Centre will be headquartered at UQ's St Lucia campus in Brisbane, and it will receive up to AUD25 million from Baosteel over five years for research and development projects.

Baosteel Group Chairman Xu Lejiang led a delegation of Baosteel executives to Australia for the signing of the agreement and attended the centre's launch at UQ.

"The Centre will provide Baosteel with technological support to explore a sustainable development route for the high carbon steel industry," he said.

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University of Wollongong SBS Alumni Event in Beijing - 2011-04-19

The Sydney Business School, a division of the University of Wollongong, held a well attended alumni gathering in Beijing at the Peninsula Hotel on April 17. Some 50+ alumni alumni and friends gathered to hear an update from Professor John Glynn, Executive Dean (Business).

Key points of interest were the Sydney Business School's new AUD3 million harbourside premises in the Gateway Office Tower, which overlooks Sydney Harbour at Circular Quay. The new two floor facilities include hi-tech teaching spaces, a modern library, a student cafe and social spaces for events and networking, as well as a great terrace.

All SBS alumni are encouraged to drop in to see the new facilities when next in Sydney, and the SBS has a competition running for one lucky alumnus or alumna to win a return trip to Sydney by sharing their graduate story. Contact Zhu Chen via email at czhu@uow.edu.au for more details. Professor Glynn also highlighted that this year the University is celebrating its 60th Anniversary and encouraged alumni to get invovled with the celebrations.

Alumni were treated to a short presentation by Edward Smith, Founder of the Australia China Alumni Association, and an inspirational career talk by Uni of Wollongong alumni Simon Chung, Group Chief Operating Officer of ChinaSoft International Ltd, which employs some 11,000 staff across China and in several overseas locations. ChinaSoft is a leading Chinese software firm with revenues in the billions of RMB provides software engineering services, business process outsourcing, and IT training to some 300 Universities in 70 cities across China.

The event, ably hosted by alumni volunteer Yang Miao (who works at Lenovo), closed with much networking over a sumptuous lunch banquet and plans for fast-tracking growth of the Beijing alumni chapter.

UOW was placed in the top 2% of universities in the world by its performance in three international rankings during 2010:
• the QS World University Rankings 2010;
• Shanghai Jiao Tong Academic Ranking of World Universities 2010, and
•Times Higher Education World University Rankings 2010.

SBS was ranked QS Global 200 Top Business Schools 2010:
• The school is one of the world's top 200 business schools currently preferred by the most international employers for the purpose of hiring MBA graduates;
• The school is ranked No. 18 in Asia and Australasia,
• A confirmation of the school's graduates' employability in the global market.

SBS' MBA achieved a 5 star rating from the Graduate Management Association of Australia (GMAA) in 2010 :
• One of only eight university MBA programs to be accorded the highest ranking in the GMAA’s 2010 star rating classification.

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New Deakin University Alumni Awards: Call for Nominations - 2011-04-18

The Deakin University Central Alumni Office is encouraging all alumni in China to nominate graduates for their recently unveiled Alumni Awards. The Awards aim to recognize prominent alumni around the world who have achieved outstanding success in service to their profession, service to the community or service to Deakin University.

The awards will be provided in two categories: the Young Alumni Awards open to all graduates under 30 and the General Alumni Awards open to all alumni aged 30 and over. Nominations close on 30 June 2011 and will be awarded as part of Semester 2 graduation ceremonies.

"The Awards are a fantastic way for Deakin to officially recognize our outstanding graduates each year, and promote the very important contribution our staff makes towards helping to foster these great achievements," said Alastair Lee from the Deakin Central Alumni Office.

For more information, visit the Alumni website.

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Flinders Hosts Health Sciences Delegation from Central South University, China - 2011-04-18

Flinders University Faculty of Health Sciences hosted a delegation of researchers from China's Central South University from 11-13 April. The group, consisting of 17 members from the university Hunan Province, aimed to foster research collaborations and develop a stronger working relationship between the two universities.

The delegation was following-up the work started by the Flinders University delegation to CSU in 2010. The cooperation will develop through a new scheme which will provide funding for up to 10 Health Science research-specific projects. Flinders University hopes this partnership will help develop pathways for CSU students to undertake PhD studies at Flinders through the Chinese Fee Waiver Scholarship program.

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澳大利亚斯威本科技大学 2011中国之行 - 2011-03-29

2011年3月28日到4月1日，由副校长杰弗雷•斯玛特（Jeffrey Smart）率领的斯威本科技大学代表团一行7人将访问中国的北京、上海、南京、徐州等城市。除了访问中方合作大学、签署校际合作协议外，斯威本将与中国矿业大学联合举办分享中澳双方联合研究、联合教学经验的研讨会。届时，中国驻澳大利亚前教育参赞，江苏省教育厅相关领导将出席活动并针对中澳两国高校合作研究教学发表主题演讲。

斯威本科技大学与众多的中国大学建立起了包括合作研究、联合教学等良好的合作关系，合作伙伴包括：清华大学，复旦大学，上海华中科技大学、对外经济贸易大学、上海理工大学、南京航空航天大学、中国矿业大学等。副校长杰弗雷•斯玛特（Jeffrey Smart）先生, 说：“中国是个注重教育的国家，我们也非常有兴趣与中国的合作伙伴在科研技术领域建立友好合作关系，以便中国和澳大利亚的研究者可以共同工作，共创佳绩。良好的合作关系也能促使中国和澳大利亚两国成为世界知识经济中的一股新的科研和创新力量。”

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中澳科研团队首次实现反多普勒效应 - 2011-03-29

上海理工大学和澳大利亚斯威本科技大学的学者首次通过实验在负折射材料中实现了光学波段的反“多普勒”效应，这为人类将来实现制作“隐形衣”的梦想提供了可能性！

多普勒效应为人们所熟知。从物理学上讲，多普勒效应描述的是当观察者和声源/光源之间有相对运动时，声波和光波的频率变化。 大部分人只能从声音上感觉到多普勒效应的存在，比如当火车接近时，我们感觉到声调变尖锐（频率增大），而当火车渐远时，感觉到声调变低（频率下降）。光学里也有类似的多普勒效应，当观察者和物体接近时，光的频率也会增加，表现为光的颜色向蓝光方向偏移（蓝光频率高、红光频率低），而当光源快速离去时，光的频率会减小，表现为光的颜色会向红光方向偏移。

在上海理工大学庄松林院士和斯威本科技大学顾敏院士的带领下，中澳联合科研团队首次在光学波段实现了反多普勒效应，即当光波探测器和物体接近时，实现了由蓝光向红光的偏移，即光频的递减。斯威本科技大学微光子学中心负责人顾敏院士说：“此次发现是世界上首次在光学波段实现反多普勒效应。”

反多普勒效应不会自然发生，因为自然界存在的所有物质的折光系数都大于等于1。科研工作者此次巧妙地运用了由硅制造的具有负折射特性的纳米结构光子晶体完成了实验。对于负折射材料斯威本大学高级研究员、研究论文合著者贾宝华博士解释道：“举例来说，如果将一根棍子放在水里，你会看到棍子向上弯曲。如果是一种负折射率材料，这种弯曲恰恰相反。这是一种反直觉的现象。” “这种负折射材料可以有广泛的用途，比如研制具有超分辨能力的超透镜，用于下一代高密度光盘存储。”文章合著者李向平博士说。在实验过程中，科研工作者发射一束激光到特制的光子晶体“超棱镜”上，再通过改变棱镜和探测器的距离，从而实现了多普勒效应的逆转。

反多普勒效应的发现，为科幻小说中描述的尖端的技术，如隐形衣等的发明提供了更大的可能性，因为其类似的物理机制。顾教授认为科幻小说中描述的有些尖端技术可能比我们大多数人认为的更快的成为现实。对这一效应更深层次的理解会在科技应用方面产生非常积极的意义，它可以用于天文学家测量其他天体接近、离开地球的速度；运用在雷达上测量物体的速度；或者应用到医学成像技术上监测人体的血液流动。

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Swinburne welcomes Chinese Minister - 2011-03-29

The Chinese Minister of Science and Technology, Minister Wan Gang, toured Swinburne's research facilities on March 29. The Minister focused his visit on the university's new Advanced Technologies Centre (ATC), as well the breakthrough research Swinburne's Centre for Micro-Photonics is undertaking with a number of Chinese institutions.

The Center for Micro-Photonics is cooperating with Tsinghua University to deliver the first generation of terabyte capacity multi-dimensional CD drives and discs by 2015, according to center director Professor Min Gu. They will be able to hold more than 200 DVD quality movies.

"This data storage technology is not only a breakthrough - it will have a huge social and economic impact on our way of life and fundamentally change our current education, remote medicines and national defence," said Professor Gu.

“It is important for the minister to understand the impact of the technology and the importance of the collaborations we have formed with institutions in China.

“Tsinghua University is the top technology university in China and a good match for Swinburne’s technology focus. With the minister’s assistance, we hope to develop more linkages with industry in China, particularly in Shenzhen and Guangdong provinces where the best ICT industries are located.”

Acting Swinburne Vice-Chancellor, Professor Andy Flitman said the landscape of Swinburne’s campuses had changed rapidly over the past year.

“The new ATC is now an iconic building in Melbourne and has intrigued many people in what we are doing here. We have certainly grown significantly in 2011 and these developments have changed the way we move ahead. We now have a very good platform to move into next tier of world-class universities," Flitman said.

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Senior Swinburne University Delegation Tours China - 2011-03-24

A high-level delegation from Swinburne University of Technology met with partner Chinese universities based in Xuzhou, Nanjing and Weihai in March. The group, led by Swinburne Pro Vice-Chancellor (International and Recruitment) Jeffrey Smart, visited China University of Mining and Technology (CUMT), Nanjing Audit University (NAU), Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine (NUCM) and Shandong University (Weihai campus).

In Xuzhou, Swinburne hosted a Collaborative Education Partnership and Research Symposium with CUMT, which will mark the universities' 10 year partnership.

Mr Smart said the symposium showcased the unique Collaborative Articulation Program (CAP) offered by both universities since 2002.

"Our universities have been friends for a long time, so the symposium is a great opportunity to highlight the special nature of the collaboration which has turned out many successful graduates," he said.

The CAP model allows students to experience two education systems and graduate with a degree from CUMT and Swinburne.

"The model works so well because it combines the best elements of a Chinese and an Australian education and allows us to learn from each other to the mutual benefit of the universities, students and staff," he said.

"China's education system is internationally renowned and I believe there are many opportunities to expand and develop our suite of programs and partnerships to meet the needs and priorities of the nation."

"Swinburne is keen to discuss how we can grow our relationship into the area of research cooperation with our partners. A combination of researchers working across the Chinese and Australian systems provides both countries with the opportunity to lift our knowledge creation output. Australia and China, working together, should aim to become a new research and innovation force in the global knowledge economy."

In Nanjing, Swinburne will sign a new CAP agreement with NAU to offer IT programs, with plans to commence the first intake in September 2011.

Students who successfully complete three years of NAU's program in China can come to Australia to undertake a year of bachelor studies with the option to progress to masters studies at Swinburne.

Swinburne will also sign a new CAP agreement with Shandong University (Weihai campus) to offer a suite of joint programs in biotechnology, biomedical sciences, information technology, business and commerce.

"The university welcomes this new relationship with Shandong University, one of the oldest and most prestigious universities in China," Mr Smart said.

The other delegates include Ben Mackenzie (International Partnerships Director), Russell Crawford (Faculty of Life and Social Sciences Dean), Lilydale Kay Lipson (Faculty of Higher Education Lilydale Dean) and Bruce Calway (Faculty of Higher Education Lilydale Associate Dean Research).

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Deakin University and Chinese Steel Giant Join Forces - 2011-03-22

Deakin University and Chinese steel giant, Wuhan Iron and Steel (Group) Corporation (WISCO), have launched a new venture set to have a major impact on the future of the global car manufacturing industry. On March 22, the two organizations launched the joint Center for Automotive Steel Research and Innovation (CASRI). The new research center will be based at Deakin University's Geelong Waurn Ponds Campus and focus on the advanced steels and metal forming processes needed to secure the future of car manufacturing.

Director of Deakin's Institute for Technology Research and Innovation and metal processing expert, Alfred Deakin Professor Peter Hodgson, said the Center would draw on the strengths of both organizations.

"The Center will bring together the technical development know-how of WISCO with the Australian research expertise at ITRI to advance steel manufacturing processes for the car industry," he said. "The future of the car industry lies in taking manufacturing to a new level where stronger and lighter steels are used to produce cheaper vehicles with low environmental emissions. We believe we can go a long way to making this a reality through the work of CASRI."

The Center’s research will focus on:
• fundamental metallurgical research that will develop ultrastrong steels of high formability,
• developing advanced metal forming processes to enhance the competitiveness of automotive industries by maintaining high quality at low manufacturing cost,
• training research scientists, engineers and managers of high calibre who will become the leaders of Australian and Chinese automotive industry.

Deakin’s Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Research) Professor Lee Astheimer said the launch of the Centre was an exciting step for Australian research.

"Deakin University is a world leader in material research, having achieved the highest rating band of five in the recent National Excellence in Research for Australia evaluation, and WISCO is the third largest steel making company in China and the seventh largest in the world," Professor Astheimer said.

"The strategic partnership formed between these two materials research and processing leaders acknowledges the importance of the relationship between our two countries and demonstrates the growing recognition of Geelong, Victoria and Australia as a 'knowledge economy'."

"WISCO is one of the most important auto material (steel) suppliers in China and we understand the importance of undertaking both fundamental and applied research to maintain our leadership in the industry," said Professor Lianchun Fu, the Chief Engineer of WISCO. "The collaboration between Deakin and WISCO in automotive materials will certainly underpin WISCO’s position."

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CSU Hosts Inaugural Alumni Events in Beijing and Shanghai - 2011-03-18

Charles Sturt University alumni in Beijing and Shanghai had the opportunity to attend their university's inaugural China alumni events in March. Amanda Tarbitt, CSU's International Marketing Officer, and Professor John Atkinson, Head of the International School of Business and Partnerships, met with alumni for drinks and dinner in Beijing on March 9 and in Shanghai on March 12.

The dinners were part of CSU's new drive to re-engage with the graduates from their Bachelor of Business program in China. CSU has spent more than 11 years delivering this program, which sees more than 500 graduates every year.

"Even though our partner universities are located outside Beijing and Shanghai we were pleasantly surprised with the number of students who attended our first alumni get together in these cities," said Professor Hearn.

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Griffith Alumnus brings new style to the art of Animation - 2011-03-17

Had Xin Li stayed in his home city of Harbin, there is little doubt he would have become a highly sought after painter in the traditional Chinese manner. As a child, he studied classical Chinese calligraphy and showed great potential as a painter. His art pieces have since won various prizes worldwide and have been exhibited in Russia, Japan and Hong Kong.

Xin recently graduated with a Bachelor of Animation and is already attracting international attention with his unique paint-on-glass style.

Only a few animators worldwide possess the skill in both fine arts and animation to achieve success in this technique. It is experimental, and belongs to a niche market even within animation, already a niche filmmaking genre.

His first short film Warm Winter was screened at Toronto Reel Asian International Film Festival, Cinanima International Animated Film Festival, ASIFA International Animation Day Film Festival and Anirmau Spanish Film Festival. His second short film The Umbrella evokes the poignant relationship between a father and daughter. It will be released on the festival circuit this year.

Xin is working on his third film Stag, Tigress, Hunter where he will further explore the rare paint-on-glass animation style. For more information visit Xin Li's website.

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UniSA Opens New China Office - 2011-03-10

Around 30 guests attended the grand ceremony to mark the opening of the new University of South Australia (UniSA) office in Beijing on March 7, including Australian Trade Commissioner Jane Wallis. The office was officially opened by Rob Greig, Director of UniSA International, together with the other UniSA staff involved in China, including Regional Manager Angela Mules, Business Development Manager for the Division of Business Sally Kok, China Coordinator Sharon Lu and Joanna Lui, Business Development UniSA International.

The office will have two staff members - Manager Lindsay Nie and Marketing Officer Guo Lina. They will provide an ongoing presence in the market to help support UniSA's strategy for greater Institutional and network engagement throughout the year. The office will also provide office facilities for visiting UniSA Staff in Beijing for meetings and ongoing work. In time the office may help to assist with student application support.

"The China office opening is an exciting development for UniSA and culminates a year of planning that supports an evolving strategy over the past few years, "China is a key priority for UniSA's International strategy. We have key partnerships with top universities across China and deliver transnational MBA and Civil Engineering programs. China is also UniSA's largest market for international students studying onshore in Adelaide, where the current enrolment is 3,000 Chinese students."

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University of New South Wales

Welcome our New Gold Partner - the University of New Wales! - 2011-03-10

The ACAA is pleased to welcome the University of New South Wales (UNSW) on board as our new Gold Partner! The university is planning an exciting calendar of alumni events in 2011 and we look forward to working with them to grow their network in China. For more information on UNSW, please see their profile on our website.

UNSW offers alumni a range of ongoing benefits, including web-based email accounts, subscriptions to UNSWorld Magazine, and membership to the university library, bookshop and The Graduate Union. Alumni can also enjoy discounts on lifelong learning courses, Australia Ensemble performances, Hewlett-Packard products, and Anywhere Travel and Campus Travel products. For more information, please see the UNSW alumni website.

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New Swinburne Uni research shows Virtual presence akin to Physical for Kids - 2011-03-09

For parents in China that have to make international business trips, video communications tools can be an important parenting aid.

According to a new research from Swinburne University of Technology, video communication tools such as Skype may help maintain family relationships with young children when physical presence is not possible.

Easing the anxiety of parents and grandparents who may be separated from younger family members, the new study found that for young children a video connection can provide many of the same benefits as a physical presence.

"We found that children as young as 17 months who were physically separated from a parent gained reassurance from the video presence of that parent," said Joanne Tarasuik, a PhD student conducting the research.

"These findings are promising for maintaining family ties in today's society where family members are often geographically separated.

"During such times of separation, video communication may provide these young children with connection to the parent and help them by psychologically lessening the distance caused by geographical separation."

The study looked at 41 children aged 17 months to five years to explore whether video communication with a parent afforded them a sense of proximity and security.

Each child had a free play session with the parent, followed by two physical separation/reunion episodes. During one of the physical separation episodes, the parent was ‘virtually available' to the child via a video link.

The researchers found that children exhibited a similar level of interactivity with their parent by video as they did in person.

"The children left alone played longer in a strange room when their parent was virtually available to them compared to when they were left alone with neither physical nor video contact with their parent," said Tarasuik's supervisor, Dr Jordy Kaufman.

"At the end of the video separation, the younger participants required less physical contact with their parent than they did after the session where they were left entirely alone."

The study Almost Being There: Video Communication with Young Children is published in PLoS ONE, an interactive open-access journal published by the Public Library of Science for the communication of all peer-reviewed scientific and medical research: http://www.plosone.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pone.0017129

Established in 1908, Swinburne has committed to investing $250 million in infrastructure and research over four years. The university has recently opened the Advanced Technologies Centre at its Hawthorn campus, which houses research and learning spaces and represents the single largest investment in Swinburne’s 100 year history.

Overseas students began studying at Swinburne in the 1950s. Today, the university is home to nearly 7,000 international students from more than 100 different countries. Almost 1000 Chinese students are currently studying at Swinburne.

澳洲最新研究发现与宝宝视频联络与实际陪伴效果类似

澳大利亚斯威本科技大学的最新研究表明，当父母，祖父或外祖父母不能在孩子身边陪伴时，视频通话工具如Skype，可以帮助维护父母与孩子的家庭关系，其效果与在孩子身边陪伴的效果非常类似。这对于那要经常要去世界各地出差的中国父母来说，可以将视频通话工具作为一个一个儿童教育的重要辅助手段。

执行本次研究的研究者Joanne Tarasuik说：“我们发现不在父母身边的孩子，即使只有17个月大，也能通过视频对话来感受到父母的存在。视频通话可以让孩子在心理上感觉离父母的地理距离变近。由于现在社会很多家庭成员在不同的地区工作居住， 这项发现对于保持家庭成员的紧密联系有着积极的意义。”

该项研究是通过对41名年龄从17个月大到5岁的孩子与父母实际相处和视频通话时研究对比而得。同时，该项研究成果“就像在身边-与孩子视频沟通 (Almost Being There: Video Communication with Young Children)”，已经在科学和医学类的业内杂志PloS ONE 上发表。有兴趣者可点击http://www.plosone.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pone.0017129阅读。

自1908年成立以来，斯威本科技大学一直注重科研和基础设施的建设，在最近的四年中就投入了两亿五千万澳元来提高和完善相关设施。位于霍桑校园（Hawthorn Campus）的高级研究中心（the Advanced Technologies Centre）也在近期投入使用。该研究中心为斯威本科技大学成立百年以来的最大的单独投资项目，投入使用后可以更好的为学校的教学，科研和学习服务。

斯威本科技大学自19世纪50年代就开始接受来自世界各地的留学生，目前有来自100多个国家的7000多家国际留学生，其中中国留学生有1000多名。


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Murdoch Honors Famous Chinese Roboticist - 2011-03-01

One of China's most famous roboticists traveled to Perth to receive an honorary doctorate from Murdoch University for his contribution to agricultural engineering in March 2. Acting Vice Chancellor Professor Gary Martin said Professor Zhang was nominated for an honorary doctorate because of his indelible contribution to agricultural research.

"Professor Zhang’s contribution to the design architecture of small agricultural machinery and modern robot technology for use in agricultural, forestry and stock-breeding has made a significant contribution to agricultural research and development in China," he said.

Professor Zhang Li-bin is president of Zhejiang University of Technology (ZJUT), Murdoch’s sister university in Hangzhou, China. The relationship between Murdoch University and ZJUT allows the two institutions to collaborate in a number of areas including student exchange, research activities and in the development of collaborative course delivery.

Professor Zhang was recently awarded the Special Allowances of State Council and several other state honorary titles for his service to mechanical engineering education and research.

Acknowledgment of Professor Zhang’s outstanding contribution to the agricultural industry is not limited to China - his research is widely recognized throughout the US, Europe and Japan where he has forged strong collaborative research links. He has lived in Italy and conducted research with the Department of Agricultural Economics and Agricultural Engineering at the University of Bologna.

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Australian Writers' Week Showcases Homegrown Talent - 2011-02-28

A fascinating line-up of emerging and established Australian authors will be kept busy with a packed program of events for the Australian Embassy Beijing’s fourth annual Australian Writers’ Week, 7-13 March 2011.

With a program that includes events at the National Library of China, universities, bookshops and other venues in Beijing and Chengdu, the week will once again showcase the unique and diverse voices of contemporary Australian literature, with a focus on literary fiction.

Australian Writers Week 2011 is the largest yet, bringing together eight Australian authors, including Christos Tsiolkas, Julia Leigh, Brian Castro, Craig Silvey, Kate Jennings and Jessica Rudd. Noted translator Mabel Lee will also attend, as well as Walkley Book Prize winner Shirley Shackleton.

"Over the years, Australian Writers' Week has been very effective at providing unique opportunities for Chinese readers, students and future leaders to hear Australian literary voices," Australian Ambassador to China Dr Geoff Raby said.

"In 2011 we will present our biggest line-up ever, with eight authors and ten publishers participating in our events. Writers' Week not only brings Australian and Chinese literary communities closer together, it also provides genuine publishing opportunities for all our participants," Dr Raby said.

The Australian Embassy is also delighted to announce a new partnership with China’s General Administration of Print and Publishing to host the fourth Australia-China Publishing Forum. Alumni working in the in the publishing sector who are interested in attending the forum should contact Amanda.Barry@dfat.gov.au

2011 Writers' Week forms part of Imagine Australia, the Year of Australian Culture in China and is presented by the Australian Embassy Beijing It is made possible with generous sponsorship from our Writers' Week major event sponsors Copyright Agency Limited and Anhui Time Publishing Group and support from Qantas and Hilton Chaoyang Hotel.

You can see the author bios and schedule of events below. Or see www.imagineaustralia.net for full program information, book excerpts and more.

Australian Writers’ Week 2011 Authors

Brian Castro was born in Hong Kong in 1950 of Portuguese, Chinese and English parentage. He is the author of nine novels, including the multi award-winning Double-Wolf and Shanghai Dancing. His novels have been translated into French, German and Chinese. He has also published a volume of essays. His latest novel is The Bath Fugues (Giramondo), which was shortlisted for four prizes, including the Miles Franklin Literary Award. Brian holds the Chair in Creative Writing at the University of Adelaide.

Kate Jennings is a poet, essayist, short-story writer and novelist. Both her novels, Snake and Moral Hazard, were New York Times Notable Books of the Year. She has won the ALS Gold Medal, the Christina Stead Prize for Fiction and the Adelaide Festival fiction prize. Born in rural New South Wales, she has lived in New York since 1979. Her most recent books are Stanley and Sophie and Trouble: Evolution of a Radical and she is a regular contributor to the Monthly magazine, writing on topics as various as the global financial crisis, Australian film and recently, a history of swimming.

Mabel Lee is Adjunct Professor of Chinese Studies at the University of Sydney and co-founder of Wild Peony, a publishing enterprise aimed at fostering a better understanding of Asian cultures in the English-speaking world. As a literary translator, she won international recognition for Gao Xingjian’s Nobel Prize-winning novel Soul Mountain, chosen as one of the 50 outstanding translations of the last half-century by the UK Translation Association of the Society of Authors in 2008. She has worked on the editorial teams of several Australian literary journals, and serves on editorial boards including University of Sydney’s Southerly and Chinese University of Hong Kong’s Renditions: A Chinese-English Translation Magazine.

Julia Leigh’s first novel, The Hunter – described as ‘in the best tradition of Tasmanian gothic’ – was internationally shortlisted for many prizes and won a Betty Trask Award (UK), the Prix de L’Astrolabe Etonnants Voyageurs (France), and was a New York Times Notable Book of the Year. Her novella Disquiet won the Encore Award (UK), was a France Culture/Télérama rentrée selection (France), and was an LA Times Favourite Book and Kirkus Best Book of the year (US). Both books are published in Chinese by Shanghai99 Reader. Julia lives in Sydney.

Jessica Rudd, 26, is a Canberra-born, Brisbane-raised ex-lawyer, ex-campaign worker, ex-PR consultant who lives with her husband in Beijing. She has written the occasional column, a host of legal letters, countless press releases and one novel, Campaign Ruby, a delightful political satire. She hopes this one won’t be her last.

Craig Silvey grew up on an orchard in Dwellingup Western Australia. He now lives in Fremantle, Western Australia, where at the age of 19, he wrote his first novel, Rhubarb, published in 2004. In 2007, Silvey released The World According To Warren, a picture book affectionately starring the guide-dog from Rhubarb. In early 2008, he completed his second novel, award-winning novel, Jasper Jones which has become a hit around the globe, published in over 10 languages. Outside of literature, Silvey is the singer/songwriter for the band The Nancy Sikes!

Shirley Shackleton grew up in Adelaide, South Australia, and has worked variously as a dressmaker, nurse and publicity director. She married journalist Greg Shackleton in 1966. When Greg was killed in East Timor in 1975, Shirley was launched into an unexpected life as an activist, to uncover the truth behind the death of the ‘Balibo Five’ and to fight for the independence of East Timor. Today she lives in Melbourne and continues to advocate for democracy and freedom in East Timor and for the repatriation of Greg’s remains.

Christos Tsiolkas is the author of four novels: Loaded, which was made into the feature film Head-On, The Jesus Man and Dead Europe, which won the 2006 Age Fiction Prize and the 2006 Melbourne Best Writing Award. He won Overall Best Book in the Commonwealth Writers' Prize 2009, was shortlisted for the 2009 Miles Franklin Literary Award and won the Australian Literary Society Gold Medal for his latest novel, The Slap. He is also a playwright, essayist and screen writer. He lives in Melbourne.

Events at The Bookworm

Tickets for all events at The Bookworm are available directly from the venue for RMB50-80 and include a complimentary glass of wine or soft drink. Ticket available only at The Bookworm, Building 4 Nansanlitun Lu, Chaoyang District, Beijing. Festival hotline: 134 2636 6855, full schedule at http://bookwormfestival.com.

Sunday 6 March 12pm
Founding of a Republic: Chinese Modernism – Hu Xudong and Mabel Lee
Hu Xudong and Mabel Lee discuss the pioneering heroes of early twentieth century China: Lu Xun, Mao Dun et al, whose legacy looms over every Chinese writer today.

Monday 7 March 1pm
Lifting the Painted Veil - Xu Xi and Brian Castro
Hong Kong author Xu Xi discusses stereotypes and cultural identity with Hong Kong-born Australian writer and author of Shanghai Dancing Brian Castro.

Tuesday 8 March 1pm
Taboo - Emma Donohue and Christos Tsiolkas
All cultures have lines that are just not crossed: prejudices that are clung to and truths that can’t be broached. Both nominated for the 2010 Booker Prize, Emma Donohue and Christos Tsiolkas dare to overstep the line.

Wednesday 9 March 1pm
The Boys' Club – Kate Jennings and Jessica Rudd
Old-guard feminist and social commentator Kate Jennings and former lawyer and insider to the world of high politics Jessica Rudd discuss their accounts of encounters with the glass ceiling.

Thursday 10 March 6pm
Southern (Hemisphere) Gothic – Julia Leigh and Craig Silvey
Australia’s outback, desert and wilderness form the backdrop of Australian gothic – young writers Julia Leigh and Craig Silvey lead the way with their diverging testaments to Australia’s dark side.

Friday 11 March 1pm
Transcreation – Mabel Lee and Lu Jiande
Discussing the creative process of literary translation are Mabel Lee, translator of Nobel Prize winner Gao Xingjian’s Soul Mountain and Lu Jiande, CASS professor and translator of modern English language texts.

Friday 11 March 6pm
The Slap – Christos Tsiolkas
Commonwealth Writer’s Prize winner The Slap is Australia's electrifying "how we live now" novel. Hear Greek-Australian Christos Tsiolkas read from his portrait of broken liberal dreams, empty consumerism, selfishness, adultery, and new-age longings.

Tuesday 15 March 6.30pm (at Yin Yang Community Center)
Campaign Ruby – Jessica Rudd
Beijing resident Jessica Rudd penned her hit debut novel in cafes around the city. Light-hearted, stylish and fast-paced, it follows an investment banker who gets sacked, moves to Melbourne and becomes involved in an Australian election drama.

Events at Capital M Restaurant

Sunday 6 March 5pm
Australians Writing – Julia Leigh, Jessica Rudd, Kate Jennings and Craig Silvey
Australian Ambassador to China Dr Geoff Raby moderates a panel of Australian Writers’ Week authors as they discuss what it means to be an Australian writing today. In the era of the global citizen, what becomes of the ‘Australian voice’?

3/F, No.2 Qianmen Pedestrian Street, Tel 6702 2727
RMB65, includes a drink, tickets: www.m-restaurantgroup.com

One Way Street Bookstore
Saturday 12 March 7pm
Julia Leigh in conversation.

RS-16, Solana Mall, 6 Chaoyang Park Road, Chaoyang District Beijing Ph: 5906 6973
北京市朝阳区潮阳公园路6号 朝阳区朝阳公园路6号蓝色港湾 电话：5905 6973

Other events
Authors will also speak to students at Peking University, Beijing Foreign Studies University, Renmin University and Xihua University (Chengdu).

The Australian Ambassador to China will host an invitation-only Gala Dinner for writers, publishers, sponsors and supporters on Wednesday 9 March.

Other events with the China Writers’ Association and the National Library of China will be confirmed soon. Event updates and full information available at www.imagineaustralia.net

Enquiries about these events should be directed to Amanda Barry Amanda.barry@dfat.gov.au Tel 010-5140-4475 or Ms Jin Wen wen.jin@dfat.gov.au Tel 010 5140-4297

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Griffith University’s Hong Kong Alumni Support the Queensland Flood Victims - 2011-02-25

On Australia Day, Griffith University alumni joined other Australian alumni living in Hong Kong to raise money for the Queensland Premier's Disaster Relief Appeal. During late December 2010 and early January 2011, significant flooding occurred in many areas of Queensland. Alumni based in Hong Kong rallied behind Queenslanders, hosting an Australia Day Queensland Happy Hour to support the many communities devastated by the recent floods.

The impact of the Brisbane flood on Griffith University was minimal. Four of our five campuses (Nathan, Mt Gravatt, Logan and Gold Coast) sustained no damage, while the fifth at South Bank (in the Brisbane CBD) sustained minor damage but is now fully operational.

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Griffith Student From China Showcases Research on ABC TV's Catalyst Science Program - 2011-02-25

Griffith University Master of IT/PhD student Changming He showcased his research into 3D data on Australia’s ABC Television program Catalyst’ in February. Changming arrived in Australia from China 9 years ago, and is now dedicated to his research in displaying medical data - such as MRI and CT scans - in 3D.

With an interactive computer system utilizing two giant 3D projection screens and a pair of smart gloves with fingertip sensors, Griffith University's Complex Active Visualisation (CAV) laboratory allows Changming to easily manipulate images or data on the screen.

The CAV lab allows data to be explored more efficiently and provides a unique perspective of being inside the data which proves particularly beneficial when working with enormous amounts of information such as geoscience and engineering data or DNA research.

Changming’s research has significant real-world applications, for example, allowing students to rotate the body, zoom in on specific sections and explore the various layers which results in a better understanding of the relationship between muscles and bones in the human body.

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UWA Professors' Fossil Discoveries in China Sheds Light on Life After Mass Extinction - 2011-02-25

A recently discovered fossil trove in south-west China has thrown new light on an ecosystem recovery after the severest mass extinction of life on Earth, an event thatwiped out 96 per cent of marine species and 70 per cent of land life.

The University of Western Australia's Dr Zhong Qiang Chen is a co-author of a paper, published in Proceedings of the Royal Society B, documenting the find, one of the world's most diverse Triassic marine reptile fossil populations.

A Research Associate Professor in UWA's Centre for Petroleum Geoscience and CO2 Sequestration, Dr Chen said the discovery of exceptionally preserved fossils on a hillside at Luoping in Yunnan Province would help our understanding of the early stages of the rebuilding of marine ecosystems after the most devastating crisis of life on Earth.

Around 20,000 fossils have been found so far, evidence of a spectacular revival of life on the planet after the "Great Dying' about 252 million years ago (the end of the Permian period). Included in the haul are arthropods (such as insects, spiders and crustaceans), fishes, bivalves and a small proportion of plants - mostly conifers - as well as gastropods (such as molluscs and snails) and marine reptiles.

Dr Chen said the formation of the teeth and the incidence of fish scales in fossilized droppings indicated that most of the large fishes were carnivorous. The presence of marine reptiles such as ichthyosaurs (big, finned marine ‘lizards'), which were top predators, suggests the full rebuilding of the ecosystem.

The "Great Dying" saw most marine species wiped out by likely basalt volcanic eruption that pumped massive volumes of greenhouse gases into the air and acidified the oceans.

This extinction event affected organisms and ecosystems more severely than the crisis which killed all dinosaurs 65.5 million years ago at the end of the Cretaceous period, when up to 75 per cent of marine species died out.

However, without the 20 small and five major extinction events that occurred in the distant past, life as we know it would not exist.

"Ultimately, we hope to recognize what types of ecosystems were fragile and easily collapsed in the ‘Great Dying' and what kinds of ecosystems were able to easily recover in the aftermath. This will provide information for the management of modern ecosystems," said Dr Chen.

Dr Chen chairs an International Geological Correlation Program working on the ‘Great Dying' and its aftermath, sponsored by the International Union of Geological Sciences and United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization. He is also the lead researcher on an $AUD570,000 Australian Research Council Discovery project. Dr Chen co-authored the paper with colleagues from Chengdu Institute of Geology and Mineral Resources, China, and Bristol University, UK.

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Griffith University and Peking University Collaborate to Enhance Health Research - 2011-02-25

An emerging link between Griffith University and Peking University in China is set to significantly enhance the quality of research across Griffith's Health Group.

Dr Jing Sun, a senior lecturer in the Health Group at Griffith University, is upbeat about the academic possibilities that will result from a study using randomly selected and representative samples carried out in China. National surveys, across all 31 of China’s provinces, offer a quality of data not readily available in Australia.

"In China people are really keen to participate. In Australia it can be difficult to engage participation in clinical studies," says Jing, a native of China now based at Griffith's Logan campus.

One health survey on obesity and blood pressure levels was successfully used to determine a national standard for overweight, obesity and hypertension which was implemented by Peking University funded by China's Ministry of Health and Ministry of Education. Another survey of the characteristics of entrepreneurs yielded 37,800 replies from business movers and shakers throughout China, and provided valuable information on entrepreneurs’ capacity to deal with stress, innovate and take risks.

"In China, Peking University is one of a few institutions that has access to national data and the response level to data requests is more than 75 per cent," says Jing who has coordinated an important link between Health Group at Griffith University and Health Science Centre at Peking University during the past two years.

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UWA Confucius Institute Appoints New Director - 2011-02-25

A marketing and business development consultant with strong industry links to China has been appointed director of The University of Western Australia's Confucius Institute.

Associate Professor Philip Kirchlechner has 20 years' experience in marketing and business development in the iron ore and steel industry having worked for Voest-Alpine (VAI), JP Morgan, Fortescue Metals Group (FMG) and Rio Tinto Iron Ore.

Professor Kirchlechner has consulted to several mining companies and banks and worked as head of marketing at Fortescue Metals Group (FMG), where he was instrumental in building relationships with key decision makers in the Asian steel industry.

While at Rio Tinto, he was based in Shanghai and in charge of iron ore sales and marketing activities to Chinese steel producers.

As a student in Beijing during the early 1980s and working in Shanghai from 1986 to 1993 and 1996 to 2001, Professor Kirchlechner's experience in China spanned paramount leader Deng Xiaoping's early opening up and reform period, to his successors' more intense reform push from the mid-1990s, and the rapid economic growth and transformation to a market economy in the new millennium.

He lived in China for 16 years and is fluent in Mandarin, Chinese, German and Dutch. He has a Masters of Science from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, a Bachelor of Arts from Reed College, and a diploma in Chinese language from the Beijing Languages Institute.

UWA Vice-Chancellor Professor Alan Robson welcomed the appointment of Professor Kirchlechner and acknowledged the contribution of the Confucius Institute's inaugural director, Professor Gary Sigley.

"I would like to congratulate Professor Sigley for his efforts in developing the Confucius Institute into a world-class centre for coordinating, facilitating and enhancing China-related activities," Professor Robson said. "We look forward to furthering those aims under the direction of Professor Kirchlechner."

The Confucius Institute aims to promote Chinese language teaching and learning, Chinese cultural awareness and strengthen Western Australia-China links across business, government and the broader community.

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University of Wollongong's Engineering Faculty Builds Ties With Chinese University - 2011-02-25

The University of Wollongong (UoW)'s Engineering Faculty has signed an agreement for further collaboration with the China University of Mining and Technology (CUMT), after a delegation of Australian researchers visited the Xuzhou and Beijing branches of Chinese university in December 2010.

The dean of the UoW Engineering faculty - Professor Chris Cook - visited the CUMT campuses with his colleagues Associate Professor Naj Aziz, Dr Jan Nemcik, Dr Ting Ren and Ms Anji Phillips with the aim of strengthening ties with highest ranked university for Mining Engineering.

The visit helped staff at the two universities explore how they can engage with industry in China and Australia, given the current resource sector boom in both countries. It also helped to facilitate an agreement between CUMT and UOW in the areas of student recruitment and research collaboration.

During their time at CUMT, UOW Academics delivered lecturers on long wall mining, modeling for roof support, and gas outburst and automation in mines. They also delivered information on current research activity within UOW’s Faculty of Engineering.

The delegation was welcomed by President Prof GE Shirong. Prof GE Shirong invited the University of Wollongong to participate in the Australia Mining Research Centre at CUMT and to explore ways that CUMT and UOW could provide high quality research output to the mining sectors in both countries.

China University of Mining and Technology (CUMT) is one of the key national universities under the direct administration of China's Ministry of Education and is host to a graduate school which also holds the approval of the Ministry of Education. It is part of the national "211 project" - a government program designed to support the top‐level institutions of higher learning in China.

UOW’s engagement with CUMT commenced with Associate Professor Naj Aziz in 1985. The Faculty of Engineering looks forward to a long and sustained relationship with CUMT in the future.

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Nominate Now for the La Trobe Alumni Awards! - 2011-02-24

Nominations are currently open for La Trobe University's annual Alumni Awards, presented each year to a small number of alumni who have demonstrated significant professional and/or personal achievements. The awards are presented in three categories: Distinguished Alumni Award, Young Achiever Award and Distinguished Fellowship. Only 35 people have received an award in the past. If you know someone worthy of joining this distinguished group, be sure to submit an application before March 4. For more information and to download a nomination pack, visit the La Trobe Alumni Awards website.

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Welcome Flinders University on Board the ACAA! - 2011-01-19

The ACAA is pleased to welcome Flinders University on board as a new Silver Partner! We look forward to working with them to build their network of alumni in China by hosting events, profiling successful alumni and providing other special deals.

Since 1966 more than 66,000 people have graduated from Flinders, including over 7,000 alumni from over 70 countries. All graduates receive lifetime membership of the Alumni Association, including career management support for 12 months after graduation.

If you are a Flinders alumnus or aluma, please register on our website so we can keep you informed of all our future events. If you would like to read more information on Flinders, please see their profile on our website.

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Celebrating the New Year with ACAA South China - 2011-01-18

More than 65 alumni and friends joined ACAA South China at the Great Barrier Reef Buffet Restaurant in Guangzhou on December 30 for a special dinner celebrating the start of the New Year. UQ alumnus Hayley Leong and her friends even traveled all the way from Hong Kong for what proved to be an evening of fun and networking.

The fun started in earnest with a game of charades, with prizes awarded to everyone who successfully conveyed the meaning of a specific action to the other guests. There were thrills and giggles galore as alumni took on the challenge of acting out everything from skydiving to figure skating, car racing and water ballet to the audience.

The lucky draw placed a number of Australian products– including wine, chocolate, beer, meat and dining vouchers at the Great Barrier Reef Buffet Restaurant – up for grabs. The excitement peaked when Kevin Lee, President of the ACAA South China Committee, generously decided to donate an RMB1,000 cash prize to the lucky draw. The ACAA gratefully thanks the other prize sponsors – DC8 Group, Elders, ANZ Bank, All Beers and the Great Barrier Reef Restaurant – for their support.

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Deakin and UTS Alumni Commence Internships in Beijing - 2011-01-18

University of Technology Sydney student Kim Le recently commenced a 4-week internship in Beijing with Sina.com, China's leading online news portal. Kim, currently part way through her Bachelor of Business degree (with a double major in Finance and Economics), is learning about how Sina.com reports finance and business news in the world's second largest economy.

Deakin student Lee Kim Ling arrived in Beijing in early January for a 7-week internship with Global Commercial Newspaper Union (GCNU), a consortium of over 60 reputable finance/business medias from North America, Europe, Australia, South East Asia and the Greater China area. Among other tasks, Kim was involved in the development and management of relationships with foreign media, thus providing valuable assistance to GCNU and obtaining some excellent experience.

Scott Cameron, also a Deakin student, arrived in Beijing in January 2011 for a 4-week internship with the Beijing Consulting Group, a leading Australian owned China business consulting and market-entry firm. Scott, who is studying a Bachelor of Commerce majoring in Accounting and Finance, has been reviewing project budgets and contributing to market-sizing studies for a European online retail client seeking to enter the China market. Scott leapt at the opportunity to visit Asia (and China) for the first time during the long Summer break and sees the international work experience as invaluable in the process of finding employment upon graduation.

The internships were set up by Deakin University academic Jack McNaught, who is a firm believer in the need for students to gain practical first-hand experience in the international market. Noting the increased mobility of students, who might just as easily end up working in China, India or Indonesia upon graduation, Jack founded a boutique firm in 2007 providing affordable, tailored international internship opportunities to students seeking a fun, international experience as well the chance to gain some valuable exposure to the workforce.

Further information and internship opportunities can be found at www.InternationalInternships.com.au.

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ACAA Shanghai Christmas Party at M1NT - 2011-01-18

ACAA Shanghai members celebrated Christmas in style at Club M1NT on the December 18. Held in collaboration with Lifestyle magazine and M1NT, the event raised money for the Shanghai Charity Foundation to provide relief for the November 15 Jing-An fire victims.

All the proceeds from ticket sales and silent auction were donated to the charity, and members were also encouraged to donate unwanted clothing to help the victims of the fire make it through the winter. The party raised RMB5,500 for the charity, plus several bags of clothing. A further RMB5,000 was pledged during the silent auction.

Around 155 alumni and friends attended the party, including people from locations as far-flung as Hangzhou, Suzhou and Nanjing. The party-goers relaxed over cocktails and enjoyed the luxuriously furnished layout as well as the 180 degree view of the Bund and Lujiazui Financial district. They had the opportunity to bid for more than RMB50,000 worth of prizes in the silent auction, including vouchers for rooms, meals and spa treatments at prestigious hotels in Shanghai, Yangcheng Lake and Sanya.
Three great prizes were also up for grabs in the lucky draw, including a cashmere jumper donated by ACAA member Lily Zhang and an RMB500 dinner voucher from Pullman Skyway. Alumni Mr Chris Tan walked off with the top prize - a dinner voucher worth RMB1,500 at the Peninsula Hotel Shanghai.

The ACAA would like to thank Lifestyle magazine for helping to make the Christmas Party a success. We would also like to thank the silent auction prize sponsors Hilton Shanghai, Sheraton Spa & Resort, Renaissance Yu Garden Shanghai, Sanya Marriot, JW Marriot Shanghai, The Longemont Shanghai, Le Royal Meridian Shanghai, St. Regis Shanghai, Langham XinTianDi, Shanghai, Guoman Shanghai and Fairmont Yangcheng Lake.

For more photos of the party, please see our online photo album.

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2011 Endeavour Executive Awards: Apply Now! - 2011-01-05

Applications for the second round of 2011 Endeavour Executive Awards are now open and will close on 31 January 2011. The Endeavour Executive Awards provide professional development opportunities (1-4 months) for high achievers in business, industry, education or government from participating countries, including China and Australia.

The Endeavour Executive Awards aim to enable high achieving professionals to further develop their skills and knowledge; deepen professional engagements between Australia and participating countries; strengthen mutual understanding between the people of Australia and Award Holders’ host countries; and build linkages and networks between Australia and participating countries.

For information on how to apply for an Endeavour Executive Award visit the Endeavour Awards website.

The next round of Endeavour Awards, including applications for the 2012 Prime Minister’s Australia Asia Endeavour Awards, will open in April 2011.

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澳洲注册会计师 -- 令您在事业发展中更具优势 - 2010-12-30

一个专业的会计资格会为您开启一个充满机遇的世界，包括广阔的商业领域内的职业发展空间。作为全球领先的专业会计团体之一，澳洲会计师公会将赋予您现学现用的技术专长，同时会为您带来成为未来战略型商务领袖的专业知识。

想了解更多有关澳洲注册会计师资格为您事业发展带来的帮助，请报名参加专题讲座。

讲座的内容如下：
+ 澳洲注册会计师资质如何帮助您实现职业发展梦想
+ 澳洲注册会计师公会入会途径及考试结构介绍
+ 澳洲注册会计师课程考试结构介绍

若了解更多时间安排请点击此处。

北京报名表


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Climbing the Gehry Treehouse at UTS - 2010-12-16

UTS Frank Gehry designed Tree House Bus. School The University of Technology Sydney's Frank Gehry designed Dr Chau Chak Wing building will open a new page in business education in Australia. The world-renowned architect's plans for the $150 million building, his only in Australia, were unveiled this morning at a media conference at UTS.

UTS has been working with Gehry Partners to design a world-class business school based on the idea of a tree-house structure. As Frank Gehry has put it, "a trunk and core of activity and... branches for people to connect and do their private work." The building will have two distinct external facades, one composed of undulating brick, referencing the sandstone and the dignity of Sydney’s urban brick heritage, and the other of large, angled sheets of glass to fracture and mirror the image of surrounding buildings. The project inspired the Australian-Chinese business leader Dr Chau Chak Wing to donate a total of $25 million to UTS; $20 million to support the new building and an additional $5 million to create an endowment fund for Australia-China student scholarships. It is the equal largest ever philanthropic gift by an individual for a university in Australia.

UTS Vice-Chancellor Professor Ross Milbourne said that while the building would undoubtedly become a Sydney landmark, the key element for the University was that it was conceived from the inside out with the needs of the UTS Business School and the University at heart. "The UTS Business School is transforming itself with an emphasis on integrative thinking – producing students with boundary crossing skills as well as specialised knowledge," Professor Milbourne said. "From the start Gehry Partners has worked closely with the School's leadership, its academics and students to develop an environment that fosters and encourages this openness and collaboration in teaching and research, and engagement with business and the community. This is a building for all of Sydney. There will be extensive public spaces with an external design that complements and acknowledges its place within the immediate area and within the city. The project is already providing benefits for students outside the Business School, with four UTS architecture students selected for internships at Gehry Partners' studios in Los Angeles."

The 11-storey Dr Chau Chak Wing building will stand at the corner of Ultimo Road and Omnibus Lane on a site that once housed the Dairy Farmers Cooperative and is currently being used as a car park. Professor Milbourne said some elements of the schematic design were still fluid and will be subject to some modification, pending community consultation and authority approval. Community and stakeholder consultation will take place from 17 December to 14 January. Construction is due to start in early 2012 and be complete in time for the 2014 academic year.

The Dr Chau Chak Wing Building is part of the ten-year $1 billion UTS City Campus Masterplan, which is helping transform the southern CBD and will deliver a cutting-edge and connected campus for staff, students and the broader community. For more information on the project, including a fact sheet, high resolution images and video clips from an interview with Frank Gehry by Jana Wendt, visit the UTS website.

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Alumni Celebrate Christmas in Beijing - 2010-12-13

Spirits were high as more than 90 Australian alumni and friends converged on new CBD restaurant/bar Gori for the ACAA Christmas Party on Saturday, December 11. Members of the Australia China Youth Association (ACYA) also turned out in force for the party. The friendly, diverse crowd enjoyed sampling the drinks and buffet dinner as they mingled and celebrated the start of the silly season.

ACAA Founder and Steering Committee Member Ed Smith took the mike to tell the alumni of the ACAA’s achievements in a busy 2010 and promised more to come in 2011. He presented more than 20 lucky door prizes to the fortunate few, including bottles of wine and meat vouchers from Elders, spa vouchers from Kocoon , designer clothes and pizza from Maomaochong, a dinner voucher from Gori, weekend brunch vouchers at SWITCH! and Capital M, and a one year family membership at The Bookworm. Deakin alumnus Ting Liu was the envy of many when he scooped the grand prize, a fully catered cocktail party for 20 people at his home or office worth RMB7,000 and provided courtesy of catering company Culinary Capers. The ACAA thanks all the prize sponsors for their generous support.

To see the photos from the night, please click on our online album.

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Realising Synergies for Australia-China Relations: ACAA, AustCham Beijing and ACYA sign landmark MOU - 2010-12-11

The Australia China Alumni Association (ACAA) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with AustCham Beijing and the Australia-China Youth Association (ACYA) on Friday, December 10.

Although the three organizations have been loosely cooperating on projects that offer benefits to their members for some time, in recent months they have sought to identify and progress closer and more effective collaboration. The MOU formalizes cooperation across three areas: better coordination of event calendars, a commitment to co-host regular joint events, and ongoing strategic dialogue around enhanced collaboration.

His Excellency, the Australian Ambassador to China, Dr Geoff Raby, witnessed the signing. "The Australian government is very pleased to see AustCham, the ACAA and ACYA deepening their cooperation. We value highly the work of each of these organisations and are supportive of these efforts to enhance collaboration," he said.

The MOU records the ways in which all three organisations will collaborate more closely to advance the interests of their members. By doing so, the MOU will support and promote a stronger, broader and more inclusive long-term relationship between Australia and China.

Photo: Signing the Memorandum of Understanding - David Olsson (Chairman, Board of Directors, AustCham Beijing), Edward Smith (Founder and Director, Australia China Alumni Association) and Henry Makeham (President, Australia China Youth Association).

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Hidden Gold: Australia China Young Professionals - 2010-12-10

Twenty young professionals gained an insight into the renewable energy industry in China and candid feedback about the role Australian graduates can play in the Chinese market place at the inaugural Australia-China Young Professionals Initiative (ACYPI) in Beijing on Thursday 9 December.

The inaugural event featured two exceptional speakers, Catherine Chan and Tom Luckock, who discussed the topic of ‘Hidden Gold: China’s untapped potential in niche industries’.

Catherine Chan is a Beijing-based consultant, former climate change lawyer and University of Sydney alumna who writes regularly for the Lowy Interpreter, the Global Times and the South China Morning Post. Tom Luckock is Partner of Rose Norton LLP where he specialises in projects in the climate change sector. Tom has been living in Beijing for the past eight years and is an alumnus of Monash University.

The Australia China Youth Association, AustCham Beijing and the Australia China Alumni Association plan to hold ACYPI events each month in Beijing, allowing students and young professionals the chance to engage in dialogue with industry leaders.

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Tianjin Alumni Celebrate Christmas with the ACAA - 2010-12-06

It was a grey winter’s day as Tianjin alumni their friends and family gathered together to enjoy some Christmas cheer in a beautiful renovated villa in the city’s former British concession area. The day quickly brightened as alumni donned their red santa hats and tucked into a lunch of turkey, roasted vegetables, freshly baked breads and other Christmas fare at Chateau 35 Wine Bar and Bistro.

The Christmas gathering was the first such Australia China Alumni Association event held in Tianjin. The ACAA plans to build upon the success of this first event to build a sustainable and vibrant alumni community in Tianjin.

Among the attendees were Swinburne University of Technology alumni, Bernie Delaney and Daniel D’Urso. Bernie is General Manager of a leading international glass packaging company, the O-I Tianjin Mould Company and Daniel is establishing a business that supplies organic foods to the Tianjin area.

University of Queensland alumnus, Alex Chen of the Raffles Design Institute also joined the gathering along with Deakin alumna and Clinic Manager at Tianjin International SOS, Natalie Ebden; and University of Technology Sydney alumna Jennifer Catterson, who is currently studying Chinese at Nankai University under a Confucius Institute scholarship.

The ACAA were also very pleased to welcome Dr Wei Chaoyi, Chief Representative of the Melbourne City Council’s Tianjin Office to the Christmas luncheon. The Tianjin alumni were joined by Edward Smith, ACAA Director and Founder, and Veronica Walker, the ACAA’s Regional Project Officer, who both travelled from Beijing to attend.

Photo: Veronica Walker, Regional Projects Officer, Australia China Alumni Association and Jenni Catterson, University of Technology Sydney alumna. See more photos...

If you are interested in working with the ACAA to build its network of Tianjin alumni please contact veronica.walker@AustChinaAlumni.org.

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Australia China alumni join the AustCham Fujian Aussie BBQ Party - 2010-12-05

Australia China alumni and members of the Australia China business community celebrated Christmas in Xiamen on Saturday 4 December at the AustCham Fujian and the Xiamen Australian Investment Association’s (XAIA) Aussie Christmas BBQ Party. At the BBQ, members of the Australia China community enjoyed the opportunity to meet over a fine glass of Australian wine.

AustCham Fujian and XAIA is a non-profit organisation founded in 2009 that promotes Australian business member interests in Fujian Province. The AustCham Fujian Board is led by the Macquarie University alumnus James Rein, who is also Chief Executive Officer of the Javaromas Food and Beverage Company Ltd.

The Aussie BBQ Party was supported by the ACAA, which hopes to continue working with AustCham Fujian and the Xiamen Australian Investment Association to build a strong alumni network in the province. For more information about AustCham Fujian visit their website at www.austcham-fujian.org/.

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Working for the UN: Australia China Alumni Perspectives - 2010-12-03

It was a sell-out event as over 80 Australia China alumni and friends gathered at The Bookworm on Thursday 2 December 2010, to hear from three Australian educated senior UN officials.

Mark Stirling, the Country Manager of the United Nations World AIDS Program and Monash University alumnus, opened the discussion by sharing the journey that led him to his current position in Beijing. Mark has spent the last 25 years working for the United Nations in Africa, both in the field of child development under UNICEF and working on HIV/AIDS for the UNAIDS Program. Mark noted his delight with having made the decision to move to China. In this position, Mark has the opportunity to influence not only the domestic Chinese response to HIV/AIDs but also to engage China in discussions about its capacity as a foreign aid donor to influence policy and practice in Africa and other regions. He also noted that China’s huge pharmaceutical manufacturing capacity could be brought to bear in solving some of the issues around supplying affordable medication to Africa.

Working as Director of the United Nations World Food Program in China, has long been Anthea Webb’s dream job. Her passion for international development was sparked when she was still a student at Charles Sturt University, volunteering for the local St Vinnie’s chapter in Bathurst. This interest took her to Thailand where she saw first hand the desperation of Cambodian refugees, but also the dignity of people looking to make the best out of an awful situation. Years later, working in China, Anthea is keen to learn the lessons of a country that has lifted its people out of hunger in less than a generation. During her time in China Anthea has also helped the UN World Food Program raise US $19 million from the Chinese Government for humanitarian operations in developing countries. In addition to her degree from Charles Sturt University, Anthea has a Masters in International Politics from the Australian National University.

Luo Xiang (Roy), National Program Director of the United Nations Industrial Development Organisation – Investment and Technology Promotion Office (UNIDO – ITPO), has worked with the UN for eight years. During this time, Roy has developed a ‘Three L’s’ approach to working for the UN: Learning, Linkage and Leverage. The ‘Three L’s’ approach involves continuing to learn and respond to issues in an innovative way; building linkages between UN agencies, government, NGOs and business; and leveraging the UN platform to get the job done. Roy has a Masters of Business Administration from the University of South Australia. With UNIDO ITPO, Roy has helped raise over 10 billion RMB of investment funds for Chinese industries such as renewable energy, advanced manufacturing, and biotechnology.

The event, Working for the UN: Australia China Alumni Perspectives, was co hosted by the Australia China Alumni Association, the Australia China Youth Association and the China-Australia Chamber of Commerce (AustCham Beijing).

Photo: Mark Stirling, Country Manager (China), UNAIDS (Monash University alumnus); Anthea Webb, Director (China) UN World Food Program (Charles Sturt University and Australian National University alumna); Luo Xiang, National Program Director; UNIDO - ITPO (University of South Australia alumnus); and Edward Smith, Founder and Director, Australia China Alumni Association. See more photos...

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2010 Australia China Council AustCham Scholarship Recipients Announced - 2010-12-02

Fifteen talented young Australians have been selected to take part in the inaugural Australia China Council AustCham Scholarship. Several graduates from Australia China Alumni Association partner universities were honored with the scholarship, including Katrie Lowe (UTS), David Shaw (UQ), Bethany Mann (RMIT), Andrew Tang-Smith (Curtin), Samuel Wearne (Deakin), Si Qi Wen (USyd) and Selene Wong (RMIT). This year the scholarship received 160 applications from 23 Australian universities.

The scholarship program, now in its inaugural year, provides an opportunity for Australia’s top graduates to undertake a full-time nine month traineeship in China. During the traineeship, they will receive Mandarin language training, access to AustCham Beijing’s professional business network, mentorship and sponsorship to attend business and industry seminars. At the end of the internship, exceptional individuals will be offered full time positions in the companies China operations.

The purpose of the program is to prepare Australia’s future business leaders with the skills and experience necessary to navigate and thrive in the changing global marketplace. All recipients have demonstrated exceptional academics, extra curricular excellence and the potential to become future Australia-China business leaders.

For a full list of scholarship recipients visit the AustCham Beijing website.

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Inaugural Asia Pacific Social Investment & Philanthropy Workshop in Shanghai a great success! - 2010-11-10

The Australia China Council held the inaugural Asia Pacific Social Investment & Philanthropy Workshop at the Australian Pavilion at World Expo 2010 in Shanghai on Monday 18th October. The event, co-organized by Swinburne University’s Asia-Pacific Centre for Social Investment and Philanthropy (APCSIP) and the Australia China Alumni Association (ACAA) brought together some 60+ leading thinkers, researchers, foundation managers, NGO’s, media, government regulators and practitioners.

In his opening remarks, Dr Michael Liffman, Director of Swinburne University’s APCSIP noted that, “Australia and China have enjoyed many years of close cooperation in trade, investment, sport, culture, science and many other fields. Today we are pleased to broaden that cooperation to also include the fields of Social Investment and Philanthropy”.

The workshop provided an important first step for a number of Australian and international experts to meet and share their experiences with their Chinese counterparts. A number of senior players from both Australia and China attended the workshop, including:

- Professor Yang Tuan, Deputy Director, Center for Policy Studies at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences
- Professor Wang Zhenyao, President, Beijing Normal University One Foundation Philanthropy Research Institute
- Ms Teresa Zolnierkiewicz, Head of Philanthropy, ANZ Trustees
- Mr Xu Yongguang, Vice Chairman & Secretary General, Narada Foundation
- Mr Xie Jiachen, Division Chief, Charity & Volunteer Affairs, Shanghai Bureau of Civil Affairs
- Mr Rupert Hoogewerf, Founder, China Rich List
- Ms Julie White, Division Director, Macquarie Group and Head, Macquarie Group Foundation
- Ms Sam Mostyn, Director of the Institute of Sustainable Solutions, University of Sydney
- Ms Karen Loblay, Founder, Matana Foundation

At the concluding workshop dinner, Professor Wang Zhenyao noted in his summary remarks that “there is strong mutual benefit in holding an ongoing dialogue. Australia has considerable experience to share with China and China’s philanthropic and social investment sector is undergoing a period of rapid transformation creating a need for training, both academic, as well as the sharing of practical experience in managing foundations and NGO’s”.

Edward Smith, Founder of the Australia China Alumni Association (ACAA), noted that, “Philanthropy is now a multi-directional flow. When the 2008 earthquake devastated Sichuan province’s Wenchuan region in 2008, Australians and the Australian Chinese community dug deep and provided donations for emergency relief and rebuilding of schools. And in June 2010, just two years later, Dr Chau Chak Wing, Chairman of the Kingold Group donated A$25m to the University of Technology Sydney – the largest donation ever from China to an overseas University”.

Following on from the successful hosting of the inaugural Asia Pacific Social Investment & Philanthropy Workshop, Dr Liffman was pleased to announce in early November that efforts are now underway to bring together funding and additional partners to make this an annual event.

Photo: Inaugural Asia Pacific Social Investment and Philanthropy Workshop participants Xu Yongguang (Vice Chairman & Secretary General, Narada Foundation), Rupert Hoogewerf (Founder, China Rich List), Wang Zhenyao (President, Beijing Normal University, One Foundation Philanthropy Research Institute) See more photos...

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Alumni Celebrate Cultural Exchange with Kevin Rudd, the Australian Minister for Foreign Affairs - 2010-11-05

Australia China Alumni Award winners and finalists were among those invited to attend a cultural reception with the Hon. Kevin Rudd MP, the Australian Minister for Foreign Affairs, held in celebration of the success of the Year of Australian Culture in China to date. Australia China Alumni Award winners and finalists honoured with an invitation to attend the cultural reception included Ms Wang Yijia, Mr Qiao Luqiang, Dr Chen Wangqing, Mr Luo Xiang, Professor Zhou Ning and Ms Sonya Li.

The Year of Australian Culture in China marks the greatest ever bilateral cultural exchange between Australia and China. Since its launch in June, the Imagine Australia: Year of Australian Culture in China program has brought the best of Australian art and culture to China and has fostered greater cultural exchange and collaboration between the two countries.

The evening’s program included a viewing of the contemporary Australian art exhibition, Hard Sleeper, and a dance performance from the Queensland-based Expressions Dance Company. The artists and the dancers are currently in Beijing working on cultural exchange projects with local partners, and both projects are funded by the Australian Government as part of Imagine Australia. The reception was held at Red Gate Gallery, a contemporary art gallery housed in the historic Dongbianmen Watchtower and established in 1991 by the Australian curator Brian Wallace.

Photo: Ms Wang Yijia, CPA (Executive Vice President, China Life Asset Management Company Limited and winner of the 2010 ANZ Bank Australia China Alumni Award for Banking and Finance), Ms Jenny Wang (Chief Representative Beijing, CPA Australia, title sponsor of the Australia China Alumni Awards) and the Hon Kevin Rudd MP, Australian Minister for Foreign Affairs.

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ACAA hosts Alumni Event and Awards Presentation with Senator Christopher Evans in Beijing - 2010-11-04

The Minister for Tertiary Education, Senator Chris Evans, presented three prestigious Prime Minister’s Australia Asia Awards and 19 Endeavour Awards to recipients at a reception in Beijing hosted by the Australia China Alumni Association on Monday 1 November 2010. Scholarships to study in Australia in 2011 were presented to high achieving Chinese students and professionals exploring areas as diverse as marine biology, information technology and robotics. “These awards reinforce the strong education links between Australia and China and we look forward to welcoming all 22 award recipients to Australian universities during 2011,” Senator Evans said.

The Prime Minister’s Australia Asia Awards provide the unique opportunity to undertake international study and research, and also an optional internship in Australia. The successful recipients of the Prime Minister's Australia Asia Awards will travel to Australia to complete postdoctoral research in their specialist fields of study. They are:

• Miss Cao Yinghui (曹颖慧) – applying geographic information systems and remote sensing techniques in assessing human-environment interactions;
• Mr Chen Xiaojun (陈小军)– occupational safety and health regulation in China;
• Mr Jin Ling (金灵)– assessing the immunotoxic responses of sea turtles.

The Minister congratulated the recipients of 2011 Endeavour Awards. The Endeavour Awards is a truly internationally competitive, merit-based scholarship program that recognises high-performing students, researchers and professionals from across the world. “I congratulate all 22 award recipients here in China,” Senator Evans said. “Students and professionals, both Australian and international, benefit from being exposed to other cultures, languages and education systems, opening them up to different ways of learning and thinking. These scholars and professionals play a key role in establishing people-to-people networks between Australia and China.”

For a list of the successful recipients visit the Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations' Endeavour Awards website.

Further information:
• Event Photos
• Minister Evans' Media Release
• Article and interview with Minister Evans on Sina.com
• Article in the Australian

Photo: Ms Lisa Paul PSM (Secretary, Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations), Senator the Honourable Christopher Evans (Minister for Teritary Education, Skills, Jobs and Workplace Relations) and Mr Edward Smith (Founder and Director, Australia China Alumni Association).

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Deakin Professor David Walker speaks on Australian Responses to Asia at public lecture in Beijing - 2010-10-22

Professor David Walker Fifty people gathered at the Bookworm in Sanlitun on Thursday 21 October to hear Australian historian, Professor David Walker, discuss the complex history of Australia’s engagement with Asia. In his talk Professor Walker explored the anxieties caused by Australia’s proximity to Asia and how notions of the awakening East, the yellow peril, and of the need to populate or perish influenced how Australians in the late nineteenth and early twentieth century viewed their future.

Professor Walker also discussed the process of translating his book, Anxious Nation: Australia and the Rise of Asia: 1850-1939, into Mandarin Chinese. Anxious Nation was translated into Chinese by the Australian Studies Centre at Renmin University and was published by China Renmin University Press in Beijing in 2009.

David Walker is Professor of Australian Studies at Deakin University, Melbourne. Deakin University is a Gold Partner of the Australia China Alumni Association.

Don't forget to check out the event photos.

Photo: Professor David Walker speaks at the Bookworm, Beijing

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Melbourne Civic and Business Mission to Tianjin - 2010-10-20

A high profile Melbourne civic and business delegation, led by the Deputy Lord Mayor of Melbourne, Susan Riley, recently visited Tianjin to celebrate the thirty year sister-city relationship between Melbourne and Tianjin. The Melbourne business mission follows a visit to Melbourne by the Lord Mayor of Tianjin, Huang Xingguo and a delegation of Tianjin business leaders and officials.

Australia China Alumni Association representatives were invited to attend the gala banquet hosted by the Tianjin Municipal Government to welcome the civic and business mission from Melbourne. At the banquet Mayor Huang Xingguo and Deputy Mayor Susan Riley both spoke of the importance of the relationship and the their hopes that the friendship between the two cities would continue to grow.

During the mission, various organizations and enterprises from Tianjin and Melbourne signed a total of seven agreements of cooperation covering urban building and construction, legal matters, clinical medicine and medical research.

Photo: Veronica Walker, Regional Projects Officer, Australia China Alumni Association and Alex Chen, CPD Director, Raffles Design Institute at the Tianjin - Melbourne Gala Banquet.

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Edith Cowan University alumna opens Centre of Australian Studies in Dalian - 2010-09-30

Edith Cowan University alumna, Professor Leng Hui, has recently founded a new Centre of Australian Studies at Liaoning Normal University in Dalian. The new Centre, the first of its kind in Liaoning Province, was launched by Ms Jill Collins, Counsellor of Public Affairs and Culture at the Australian Embassy in Beijing.

The Centre aims to promote mutual understanding and positive relationships between China and Australia, provide teachers and students with opportunities to broaden their knowledge of Australian culture and values, and tap into new areas for research.

Professor Leng spent three years in Western Australia while completing her PhD in Applied Linguistics from Edith Cowan University. She also has a Masters in Applied Linguistics from the National University of Singapore. Her research interests include cultural linguistics, intercultural communication, cognitive linguistics and English language teaching.

Photo: Professor Leng Hui, Founder and Director, Centre for Australian Studies, Liaoning Normal University, Dalian

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DreamWorlds Come Alive in Beijing - 2010-09-14

DreamWorlds: Australian Moving Image portrays the timeless tensions between intimacy, isolation and the imaginary. Unique perspectives from eight leading Australian artists will be viewable 24/7 on the spectacular 27-meter Sanlitun Village Screen in Beijing.

Forged in a vast island continent embraced by sea, these dreamy realms explore a shifting sense of identity and emotional engagement with other worlds.

DreamWorlds is curated by the RMIT University Adjunct Professor Melinda Rackham, former Director of the Australian Network for Art and Technology. Melinda Rackham commented that "DreamWorlds is an exciting opportunity to view Australia’s most innovative and thought-provoking moving image art in a major Beijing public space."

Adjunct Professor Rackham is an award-winning new media artist, writer, producer and curator, with a background in sculpture, installation and performance. For the Beijing event she has brought together a selection of the most outstanding Australian media artists working today, many showing for the first time in China.

From the physical beauty of Daniel Crooks’ rhythmic stretching and compacting time and space; Kate Richards’ and Brian Schmidt’s revelations of invisible constellations on the outer reaches of the Southern Heavens; Jess MacNeil’s oscillating video abstractions of swimmers in an ocean pool; to Warwick Thornton’s powerful cinematic depiction of first love framed by red earth and remote desert.

Delving into dynamic digital realms, Anita Fontaine constructs complex constantly shifting video game aesthetics; Troy Innocent generates a neon ecology of signs and symbols; Peter Miller animates intricate microscopic life-forms. The only Dream Worlds constant being permanent change.
The short video works move between meditations on daily life to fantastical computer creations, ranging from Anita Fontaine's rebellious sense of play and a taste for magic in a modified video game to Daniel Crook's rhythmic stretching and compacting of time and space in dreamy urban scapes shot in China and Australia.

DreamWorlds forms part of Imagine Australia: the Year of Australian Culture in China. The event is sponsored by the Australia International Cultural Council, the Australia-China Council, RMIT University and Swire Properties.

Image: KNIGHTMARE, 2009, Video Game Modification, Anita Fontaine

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Griffith University Hosts Chinese OHS Delegation - 2010-09-06

Griffith University is reaping the results of the strong partnership it has developed in the field of occupational health and safety training in China and Australia, in collaboration with the AIOH and the Guangdong Government.

A delegation of Chinese Occupational Health and Public Health experts traveled to Griffith University to attend the launch of the Mandarin language edition of the Australian text Principles of Occupational Health and Hygiene on September 6, 2010. The book – produced with the support of an Australia-China Council Grant – is expected to provide benefits for OHS practitioners across China. The Griffith University Centre for Environment and Population Health (CEPH) and The Australian Institute of Occupational Hygienists (AIOH) hosted the launch.

The delegation also attended the inaugural “International Forum on Promoting Health at Work” hosted by CEPH and AIOH. The forum – the first event of its kind in Australia – brought a number of OHS experts together to discuss priority issues across the Asia-Pacific region.

“Both the developed and developing countries are faced with increasing workplace health challenges in the context of rapid industrialization and globalization,” said Professor Cordia Chu, Director of CEPH. “This requires urgent attention to occupational health and safety education and training, and preventive measures to promote and protect workforce health and safety and hopefully this forum will focus decision-makers’ attention on this issue,” she said.

Chief Health Officer of Queensland, Dr Jeanette Young, opened the forum alongside Griffith University Vice Chancellor Professor Ian O’Connor, Deputy Director-general of Guangdong Provincial Health Mr Huang Fei, and the Chief Scientist and Deputy Director of Guangdong Centre for Disease Control Prof Xinfeng Yang.

Griffith signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with a number of government institutions in Guangzhou on May 18, 2008 to formally announce its partnership with Chinese institutions on a special program on occupational health and safety promotion.

The long-term vision for the partnership is to develop sustainable and meaningful projects that promote occupational health and safety (OHS) in the Asia-Pacific Region through capacity building, collaborative research, and the sharing of relevant expertise and information.

Partners in the OHS collaboration include Griffith University, with support from Workplace Health and Safety Queensland (WHSQ), and China’s Guangdong Institute of Health Inspection (GIHI), Guangdong Prevention and Treatment Center for Occupational Diseases (GPTCOH), and Guangdong Provincial Health Bureau.

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Queensland joins forces with China to tackle cancer and climate change - 2010-08-27

The $2.58 million Queensland-Chinese Academy of Sciences (Q-CAS) Science and Technology Collaboration program is supporting research on climate change, brain function, cancer, renewable energy and the development of clean coal. The three-year program was established in 2009 between the Queensland Government and the prestigious Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) to promote high-level research collaborations and industry networks.

Queensland is the only Australian state to establish a suite of joint funding programs with CAS, China’s peak research body. As China is now the world’s second largest producer of scientific knowledge, this joint program with CAS is critical in allowing Queensland researchers to collaborate with the best.

Recipients of Q-CAS Joint Biotechnology Project funding include Professor Roger Kitching AO (Chair of Ecology, Griffith University), Professor Perry Bartlett (Director, Queensland Brain Institute, University of Queensland), and Associate Professor Nicholas Saunders (University of Queensland).

Professor Kitching will be collaborating with the esteemed research institution, Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden in Yunnan Province. Professor Kitching’s research will identify sensitive rainforest organisms and ecological processes that can be used to indicate climate-driven change. This research will be conducted in the rainforests of both Queensland and Yunnan.

Professor Bartlett is collaborating with researchers at the CAS Institute of Biophysics in Beijing on the effects of the earth’s geomagnetic field on brain function. The work of Professor Bartlett and his counterparts in China will put them at the forefront worldwide when it comes to identifying genes involved in learning and memory and ultimately an understanding of what happens in the case of disorders like dementia, depression and schizophrenia.

The third recipient of Joint Biotechnology funding Associate Professor Saunders, will work with the Shanghai Institutes for Biological Sciences on a project to produce new drug treatments to target oral cancers.

The six other recipients of the Q-CAS program are:

The Early Career Fellowships
• Dr Ronggan Ding, University of Queensland to work at the Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics, CAS, on Nano-scale engineering of catalysts for syngas conversion to ethanol
• Dr Tam Nguyen, University of Queenslandto work at the CAS Institute of Biophysics in Beijing on a project to maintain superior brain function under conditions of high activity.

The Researcher International Visits
• Associate Professor Hong Guan, Griffith University to visit the CAS Institute of Mechanics in Beijing to further a research collaboration to accurately predict bone remodelling outcomes induced by mechanically loaded implants
• Professor Rodney Wolff, Queensland University of Technology to visit the CAS Institute of Applied Mathematics in Beijing to progress a collaboration researching financial methods for mitigation of climate change.
• Professor Jin Gao, Griffith University to visit the CAS Institute of Zoology in Kunming and establish formal collaborations in development treatments for cancers from Chinese herbs.
• Dr Geoff Wang and Professor John Zhou, University of Queensland to visit the CAS Institute of Rock and Soil Mechanics in Wuhan to absorb geoscience and engineering technology advances made by Chinese researchers to promote the development of clean coal technology in Australia.

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Expanding our Alumni Network in China: the ACAA visits Qingdao - 2010-08-24

Alumni from Beijing, Shanghai and Xiamen gathered in the seaside city of Qingdao this August to take part in the Qingdao International Beer Festival and meet with local alumni. Qingdao greeted its visitors with a glorious day on Saturday – just perfect for a boat trip around the bay and Little Qingdao Island. Alumni also made sure they took several opportunities to taste the famous local brew – Tsingtao Beer - and enjoy local seafood.

The alumni group were also treated to a yum cha lunch hosted by Ms Tan Lei, Executive Director of the Qingdao Municipal Overseas Investment Promotion Bureau. Ms Tan is herself an Australia-China alumna.

Qingdao-resident Ms Sun Yanli and General Manager of Qingdao CXSV Culture Communication, and an Olympic torch-bearer in 2008, commented that building our alumni networks “help make a difference in terms of enhancing the academic and economic exchanges between Australia and China”.

The visit to Qingdao is part of the ACAA’s efforts to expand its alumni network across China and provide more opportunities for alumni outside Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou to meet and get to know each other. Don't forget to check out our event photos!

Photo: Alumni taste raw beer at the Tsingtao Beer Factory: Jason Farr (Business and Communications Officer, AustCham Fujian; UWS alumnus), Shirley Hsia (Lease Manager, Inter IKEA Centre; Macquarie and UWS alumna); Wang Ruhe (Finance Manager, Bo Le Associates; UNSW alumna); Zhang Donglai (Associate Professor, Institute of Agri-Food Standards and Testing Technology; UTAS alumna); Veronica Walker (Regional Projects Manager, ACAA; ANU alumna) and Bill Moss (Chief Representative, China, Lynas Corporation; Newcastle, Melbourne and UNSW alumnus).

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UWA strengthens sister city ties - 2010-08-13

Nanjing University & government visit UWA A delegation from Perth's sister city Nanjing visited The University of Western Australia yesterday, meeting UWA Vice-Chancellor Professor Alan Robson, Nobel Laureate Professor Barry Marshall and other senior University staff.

The delegation, led by Deputy Mayor of the Nanjing Municipal People's Government, Mr Zhao Xiaojiang, included vice-presidents of two Nanjing universities, government officials and the President of Nanjing Iron and Steel.

Nanjing is the capital of Jiangsu province, on China's east coast. Jiangsu is the nation's second wealthiest province and has the most tertiary institutions of any province in China.

UWA has longstanding collaborative research projects and student exchanges with several Nanjing institutions, in particular Nanjing University (NJU) and the Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital (which is affiliated with the Medical School of NJU).

"The University of Western Australia is keen to take advantage of this opportunity to strengthen ties with Nanjing and to promote its international reputation for excellence in China," said Professor Robson.

"We are already aware of many valuable opportunities for cooperation between universities that will bring great benefits to both China and Western Australia and were pleased to host the delegation of senior officials."

Professor Robson said Chinese universities had shown strong interest in water resource issues, education, biomedicine, bioenergy, environmental microbiology and animal biology. The University of Western Australia was already encouraging students enrolled at UWA to consider completing appropriate units of their courses in China.

UWA has a memorandum of understanding with NJU (a fellow member of the Worldwide Universities Network and with the Medical School of Nanjing University. An agreement was recently signed for the establishment of a Joint Centre for Bone and Joint Research in Nanjing.

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La Trobe Students: Learning about Business in China - 2010-08-02

A three week study tour introduces La Trobe students to Australia’s most important business partner

Australia and China are heavily bound together by trade in resources and manufacturing. Indeed this relationship has such important implications for Australian business that knowing how to do business in China will not be an option for Australia’s future business leaders – it will be essential.

With this in mind, La Trobe University organised its first study tour to take students to see Chinese business first hand. The trip took twenty-nine students to Beijing for three weeks in November/December 2009. Led by Dr Peter Lamb, Dr Clare D’Souza and Roman Peretiatko, the study tour enabled students to complete two subjects towards their business degrees – International Marketing (MKR32IMK) and International Management (MGT31IMG).

The tour gave students an opportunity to understand the Chinese customs, values and beliefs that influence the way business is conducted in China, and to compare the cultural differences and similarities between Australian and Chinese societies. Students’ work was divided into a study component and an experiential part. First were formal classes taken by staff from the Central University of Finance and Economics (CUFE) in Beijing on topics such as the sociology of consumerism in China; negotiation; investment and market entry; doing business in China; and international trade disputes.

Second were visits to businesses and government agencies including:
• The Digital Banking Section of China Ever Bright Bank
• The Bank of Tianjin (ANZ bank has a 20% shareholding)
• Tianjin Economic Development Area (TEDA) – a city of 11 million people and one of three key manufacturing areas in China
• Dragon Seal Wine Company (a state owned enterprise that has made wine for over 100 years)
• The Australian Embassy (for a briefing by the Heads of the Political and Economic sections)
• The Jian Guo Hotel group in central Beijing
• The Xiao Tao Shan agricultural park (a wholly-owned Taiwanese agricultural/horticultural venture that grows orchids)

Each of the La Trobe students was paired with an English language student from CUFE. This provided a great opportunity for both groups to learn through social interaction. Cultural activities were also organised, including visits to the Great Wall, the Forbidden City, Tian'anmen Square, and the Bahia Lake area. Many good friendships were formed between the La Trobe students and their Chinese counterparts, and also between students from different La Trobe campuses.

Bendigo campus student Emma Whykes found the tour a real eye opener.
‘My first impression, day or night, is that everything glows, everything is lit up. Technology is so far ahead of us. We also visited an amazing call centre. Callers were on hold a maximum of twenty seconds. Everything was done so fast. They plan, they don’t look for what “will do” - there is no second-best - they do it properly’, said Emma.

She would definitely recommend the trip to others. ‘I am so glad that I went. I’d only ever travelled in Australia and New Zealand before; never to a country like China. I would definitely recommend the trip to others’.

Shepparton campus student Loretta Gawne raves about her China study tour. ‘The tour was so well organised. I really enjoyed learning some Chinese language and meeting students from other campuses and from China. The Chinese students were very keen to learn about us and what we wanted’. Not a minute of her time abroad was wasted. ‘It was full-on. We did something everyday – we visited places like the Great Wall of China and attended lectures, where they introduced us to the culture and taught us how to bargain. We were paired up with students at the university and they helped us so much. When I now think of China, I think of the faces of the people I met there. I now have a much better understanding of the Chinese people, the culture and the environment they live in’.

The China Study Tour will be repeated in 2010.

This article first appeared in the La Trobe University Faculty of Law and Management’s Keynote, Winter 2010.

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Griffith University Logo

Griffith University researchers awarded over $4.23 million - 2010-07-28

Griffith University researchers have recently been awarded more than $4.23 million from the Australian Research Council and government and industry partners for eight research projects. The University's success rate in this Linkage Project round of 61.5 per cent exceeds the national average of 44.9 per cent.

Deputy Vice Chancellor (Research) Professor Ned Pankhurst said the new funding placed the University third in the nation in terms of success rate. "The University focuses research efforts in areas of strategic importance to Queensland, Australia and globally," Professor Pankhurst said. "This is the key reason behind the high success rate of our applications."

Griffith received $1.63 million in ARC funding matched by more than $2.6 million in partner contributions, which demonstrates strong links with industry and government. Indigenous schooling, leadership in international relations, solar-generated power, and public engagement in health — are some of the research areas that have won Griffith University competitive national funding.

Listed below are the successful Griffith researchers and research projects:

• Associate Professor Rod Gardner - Clearing the path towards literacy and numeracy: Language for learning in Indigenous schooling

• Professor John Kane and Professor Haig Patapan - Political Leadership in International Affairs

• Associate Professor Junwei Lu - High Efficiency Magnetics for High Frequency and High Energy Density Power Converters used in Renewable Energy System

• Professor Grant McTainsh - Finding Lost Dust Storms: Re-evaluation of the last 20 years of meteorological records to advance wind erosion mapping in Australia

• Professor Paul Scuffham, Prof Elizabeth Kendall, Prof Paul Burton and Dr Jennifer Whitty - Engaging the public in healthcare decision making: Quantifying preferences for healthcare through Citizens’ Juries

• Associate Professor Anna Stewart, Dr Troy Allard and Dr Susan Dennison - Understanding the relationship between mental illness and offending: Implications for crime prevention and the management of mentally ill offenders

• Dr Rodney Stewart and Professor Sherif Mohamed - Smart metering founding a holistic evidence-based performance evaluation framework and demand forecasting model for diversified water supply schemes

• Professor Richard Wortley, Dr John Rynne and Professor Paul Mazerolle - The Quality of Prisons for Indigenous Persons in Custody: Determining How Prison Impacts on Culture, Community life and Recidivism?

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Celebrating 30 Years: Melbourne and Tianjin - 2010-07-27

Mayor Richard Doyle & Mayor Huang Xingguo The alliance between Melbourne and Tianjin has come a long way since a sister city relationship was first established between the two cities thirty years ago. Celebrations are already underway to mark this historic relationship – the first such relationship established between an Australian city and a city in China.

In June 2010, Melbourne welcomed Tianjin’s Lord Mayor Huang Xingguo and over 135 delegates to the city. During his visit to Melbourne, Mr Huang met with the Premier of Victoria, toured Docklands and Melbourne’s heritage redevelopment projects, and took part in a commemorative signing of the Melbourne-Tianjin 30th anniversary declaration. Tianjin is currently preparing to welcome Melbourne’s Lord Mayor Robert Doyle, and a delegation of Melbourne businesses to the city in October 2010.

Since the sister city relationship was established, many significant exchanges, events and partnerships have taken place and Melbourne and Tianjin have established a successful alliance. The partnership between the two cities facilitates business, trade, educational and cultural exchange. This relationship was further bolstered in 1998, when a Melbourne City Council office was established in Tianjin.

For further information visit Melbourne City Council's Enterprise Melbourne website.

Photo: Lord Mayor Richard Doyle and Lord Mayor Huang Xingguo sign the Declaration of Commitment for the Melbourne-Tianjin Sister City Relationship 30th Anniversary (June 2010) kindly reproduced with permission from the Melbourne City Council.

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UTS receives $25 million gift from Kingold Group Chairman - 2010-07-16

Dr Chau Chak Wing The University of Technology, Sydney recently became the recipient of the largest ever philanthropic gift in history by an individual for a university building in Australia.

Chinese business leader Dr Chau Chak Wing has donated a total of AU 25 million to UTS; $20 million to support the new Faculty of Business building designed by leading architect Frank Gehry; and an additional $5 million to create an endowment for student scholarships. This gift makes Dr Chau one of the leading philanthropists in the Asia-Pacific region.

“We are honoured to accept this outstanding leadership gift,” said Professor Ross Milbourne, Vice-Chancellor of UTS. “We are honoured by our relationship with Dr Chau and his family and humbled by this extraordinary act of generosity.”

In recognition of the gift – the largest ever made to an Australian Business school – UTS will name its new Gehry-designed Faculty of Business building the Dr Chau Chak Wing Building.

“Dr Chau’s generosity not only supports our ambition to build a world-class campus, it also makes possible Australia-China academic exchange opportunities, which helps students expand their global vision. This gift reflects Dr Chau’s leadership in business, education and Australia-China relations,” Professor Milbourne added.

“I am delighted to make this gift to UTS as I believe in its vision and commitment to excellence. I hope this gift continues to inspire global excellence and encourage others to support the education sector, in particular UTS. It is an honour to be associated with UTS and internationally acclaimed architect Frank Gehry and my family and I look forward to a long, enduring friendship with the University.”

The Dr Chau Chak Wing Building is scheduled to be completed by end-2013 at a total cost of $150 million. Scholarships from the Dr Chau Chak Wing Scholarship Fund will be advertised in 2012.

The generosity of individuals such as Dr Chau, Chairman of Kingold Group, is a vital source of funding to the higher education sector that delivers significant value to society at large.

Photo: Dr Chau Chak Wing, Philanthropist and Kingold Group Chairman

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Adventurous Ideas at the Expo - 2010-07-13

Prof Alex Frino and Deputy Chancellor Alan Cameron Business experts from Australia and China made their way through the crowds at the Shanghai Expo on Monday to share their ideas on reform and innovation at the second University of Sydney symposium.

The event, organised by the University of Sydney’s Faculty of Economics and Business, was part of the University's ongoing involvement with the Expo as a gold sponsor of the Australian Pavilion. It brought together faculty staff, research partners from Chinese universities, and representatives from some of the leading corporate heavyweights in China.

Professor Peter Wolnizer, Dean of Economics and Business, University of Sydney, described the program - based around the theme of reform for innovation and enterprise - as "an exciting adventure of ideas".

Alex Frino, Professor of Finance at the University of Sydney and Chief Executive Officer of the Capital Markets Cooperative Research Centre, outlined one reform which is set to have a huge impact on already-booming China. The China CSI 300 Futures Contract allows traders to buy or sell the leading 300 stocks in the Chinese marketplace in one transaction. Launched in April, it is already generating 350,000 contracts a day, each worth approximately US$120,000. Professor Frino predicted that by the end of the year the CSI 300 would be the second biggest futures contract in the world and that it would be the spur for tremendous innovation and product development. "A contract like this is the backbone for financial product development," he said. "It reduces the risk for investors and reduces volatility in the market."

Opening the symposium, the Commissioner General of the Australian Pavilion, Lyndall Sachs, said 3.2 million visitors had passed through the pavilion since it opened on 1 May. "Our presence here shows to the massive China market and to the world that Australia is not just a mine, a farm or a beach but a dynamic country with a robust competitive economy, a stable and culturally diverse democratic society and a skilled workforce," she said. "This is an $83 million dollar project - our largest ever investment in an Expo - and it is commensurate with the scope and scale of our relationship with Australia's largest trading partner."

The symposium was also attended by Alan Cameron, the University of Sydney's Deputy Chancellor; Kevin McCann, Fellow of Senate; and John Egan, chair of the corporate advisory board to the Faculty of Economics and Business.

For further information about the University's program in Shanghai, visit the University of Sydney's Expo website.

(Photo: Professor Alex Frino (left) and Deputy Chancellor Alan Cameron at the Australian Pavilion.)

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Subtropical Cities 2011 -- Queensland University of Technology - 2010-07-01

The Queensland University of Technology Centre for Subtropical Design and the Florida Atlantic University College of Architecture, Urban and Public Affairs will be hosting the 3rd Biennial Subtropical Cities Conference in Fort Lauderdale, Florida (USA) 9-13 March 2011. The conference – Subtropical Urbanism: Beyond Climate Change – will examine the future of subtropical cities in the urban age. This gathering of international educators, researchers and practitioners will convene in the 'Venice of America' through this unique collaboration. The Conference will address the following cross-cutting themes:

* The future of subtropical cities in the urban age
* Sustainable practices and decision making for resilient cities
* Adaptation to climate change

Abstract submissions are due on Monday 9 August 2010. For more information visit the Subtropical Cities 2011 website.

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Australia China Futures Dialogue: Queensland Treasurer addresses Chinese leadership on public sector innovation - 2010-07-01

Public sector innovation was the topic of the day at the Australia China Futures Dialogues Annual Leader’s Lecture. This year’s lecture was presented by the Hon Andrew Fraser MP, Queensland Treasurer and Minister for Employment and Economic Development at the China Executive Leadership Academy Pudong (CELAP) in Shanghai.

Mr Fraser addressed a group of 80 director-generals and regional mayors, including officials from Beijing and the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region in Western China. "Innovation in the public sector can lead to the creation of markets, boosting business innovation and better performing government as well as resolution of economic, environmental and social challenges," Mr Fraser said.

The Australia China Futures Dialogues are a collaborative initiative of the Queensland Government, the Griffith Asia Institute and Peking University. Griffith Asia Institute Director, Professor Andrew O’Neil, said the Australia China Futures Dialogues aimed to generate discussion and learning between Queensland and China on how the Asia-Pacific region will evolve in the century.

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Become a Member of CPA Australia - 2010-07-01

To be a future business leader, you need to further position yourself to take advantage of any career opportunities that come your way, in any industry and anywhere in the world. One qualification helps give you the edge you need to reach the top - CPA (Australia).

As one of the world's leading professional accounting bodies with a membership of over 129,000 finance, accounting and business professionals working in over 110 countries, CPA Australia can help you build the solid foundation needed to launch a successful career as a strategic business leader.

CPAs are employed in diverse roles across a whole range of sectors including banking and financial services, manufacturing and government. More than 23,000 CPAs hold senior positions of CEO, CFO, GM, operations manager, showing that many different careers can be built on a based of professional accounting skills.

To find out more about your pathway to become a member of CPA Australia, please contact the CPA Australia Greater China offices in Beijing, Guangzhou, Hong Kong, Macau and Shanghai or visit the CPA Australia website.

Take your next step in becoming a global strategic business leader now.

CPA AUSTRALIA

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Rewarding Partnerships：Queensland-China Education and Training Awards for Excellence - 2010-06-28

Three ACAA partner universities, Griffith University, the University of Queensland and the Queensland University of Technology had their achievements recognized at the Queensland-China Education and Training (QCET) Awards for Excellence in June. The Awards display the depth and diversity of Queensland’s successful education and training partnerships with China.

In presenting the QCET Awards in Shanghai, the Hon Tim Mulherin MP, Minister for Primary Industries, Fisheries and Rural and Regional Queensland, commented that “These awards acknowledge the strong international education partnerships between China and Queensland. They also recognise the achievements of Chinese students and alumni of Queensland education institutions.”

The QCET Awards were specially convened by Queensland Education and Training International (QETI) to acknowledge – during Shanghai World Expo 2010 – the broad range of activities and achievements of international education and training partnerships in China and Queensland.
The following ACAA partner universities and their alumni were recognized at the QCET Awards:

GRIFFITH UNIVERSITY
• Griffith University won the Best Practice in Queensland-China Collaboration – Higher Education award.
• Griffith University alumnus, Professor Lu Qiyong, was highly commended in the Alumnus of the Year Award – Research category.
• Griffith University alumna, Ms Luo Haiming (Ariel), was highly commented in the Alumnus of the Year – Higher Education category.

QUEENSLAND UNIVERSITY OF TECHNOLOGY
• The Queensland University of Technology and Creative Industries China won a Best Practice in Collaborative Research award.
• The Queensland University of Technology Faculty of Education partnership with the Jiangsu Provincial Department of Education was highly commended in the Best Practice in Queensland-China Collaboration – Higher Education award category.
• Queensland University of Technology alumna, Professor Han Feng, was a joint winner of the Alumnus of the Year Award – Research.
• Ms Yin Lan, from the Queensland University of Technology was highly commended in the Student of the Year Award – Higher Education category

THE UNIVERSITY OF QUEENSLAND
• The University of Queensland and Central South University won a Best Practice in Collaborative Research award.
• The University of Queensland and Fudan University were highly commended in the Best Practice in Collaborative Research category.
• University of Queensland alumnus, Professor Gao Qing Max Lu, was a joint winner of the Alumnus of the Year Award – Research.
• University of Queensland alumna, Li Mei, won the Alumnus of the Year Award – Higher Education.
• Ms Ma Jianyu from the University of Queensland won the Student of the Year Award - Research

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Alumni welcome the Governor-General during her recent visit to China - 2010-06-11

The achievements of Australian university alumni in China were on display at a reception at the Australian Embassy on Friday, 11 June 2010, held in honour of the visit of Their Excellencies, Ms Quentin Bryce AC, Governor-General of the Commonwealth of Australia and Mr Michael Bryce AM AE.

The Governor-General, a University of Queensland alumna, met around 90 alumni at the reception, including Mr Wang Zhonghou, Senior Chief of the Publishing Department at China Daily; Ms Irene Sim, Minister-Counsellor for the Treasury, Australian Embassy, Beijing; Mr Christian Buttrose, Managing Director, EL Consult; Mr Michael Mittasch, Managing Director and Owner, Mitchells Equipment (Hebei) Co Ltd; and Mr Peng Gaojian, Deputy Director-General of the States Council Legislative Affairs Office.

The reception was hosted by the Australian Ambassador to China, Dr Geoff Raby, Australian Education International and the Australia China Alumni Association.

Photo: Quentin Bryce, Governor-General of Australia with Edward Smith and Peng Gaojian. See more photos....

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The Mozzies Association - Mongolian graduates of Australian universities - 2010-06-02

The Mozzies Association has been established in 1996 from first group of Mongolians to study in Australia under Australian Government scholarship programs. In 1997, Mozzies Association has been officially registered as non-governmental organizations with the Ministry of Justice of Mongolia.

Since its establishment, Mozzies Association has been working on building networks among Mongolian graduates of Australian universities and assisting newly graduated students with finding jobs and employment opportunities.

In addition, the Mozzies Association has been working in close cooperation with Australian communities, in particular with the Australian Youth Ambassadors for Development (AYADs).

Currently, the Mozzies Association has over 140 members, which is not limited only to the graduates of Australian universities, but also include individuals who worked, or worked in Mongolia and Australia.

Organizational Structure

The Mozzies Association is a membership organization. There is a Board of 24 members, elected at the Annual meeting of members. The executive director of Mozzies Association is nominated by Board. There are three committees: 1) Committee to work with members and Aussies community in Mongolia; 2) External relations committee and 3) Social activities committee.

Activities of Mozzies Association

The Mozzies Association initiates and facilitates in implementations of following activities for its members:
- Networking activities among its members;
- Activities to promote cooperation and networking with AYADs in Mongolia
- Activities to promote cooperation and friendship between Australia and Mongolia in government, business,
- Implementation of the projects to address developmental issues of Association and community.

Projects implemented:

Currently, the Mozzies Association is implementing three projects: 1) website development project; 2) launching series of lectures by Mozzies members and 3) strengthening relationship between AusAid and Mozzies.

The website development project has been supported by world leading mining company – BHP Billiton Mongolia. The main purpose of the project is to develop a place for information sharing, networking, cooperation and coordination of activities among Mozzies members. The www.mozzies.mn website has been launched in March 2008 and is currently serves as the main source of information and communication among members of Mozzies Association.

The launching of series of lectures by Mozzies Association’ members project has been supported by Australian Education International (AEI) with the purpose for Mozzies members to share knowledge and skills received from the Australian universities. There were a number of lectures organized through this project: ‘Web 2.0 technologies” has been carried out in June 2008; “What should you know when applying for Australian universities” has been organized in June 2009. More lectures are planned in 2010.

The strengthening linkage between AusAid and Mozzies project has been funded by AusAid and started to implement from April 2010.

Contact information:

Ms. L. Ariunaa,
Executive Director,
Mozzies Association,
Suite 207, National Information Technology Park building,
Baga toiruu-49, Sukhbaatar district, Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia
Phone/Fax: 976-11-328570;
Email: ariunaa@mozzies.mn
Web: www.mozzies.mn

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Launched: China Health Chapter of La Trobe University alumni - 2010-05-08

The China Health Chapter of La Trobe University alumni was officially launched in Beijing on May 7, 2010. More than 200 graduates, most of whom are senior managers in health care industry and leading the health reform in China, gathered in Beijing from all over China to attend the 10-year anniversary celebration of the Master of Health Administration program. More than 500 Chinese health managers have now graduated from La Trobe.

A high-powered Sino-Australian Forum on Health System Reform was organised by the University in Beijing on May 8-9, 2010, with support from the Australian China Council, the National Institute of Health Economics (through an AusAID funded project), the Chinese Institute of Hospital Administration, Peking University, and Harbin Medical University. Some 500 delegates – including senior officials from China’s Ministry of Health and Ministry of Education, the World Health Organisation, the World Bank, AusAID and the UK Department for International Development – attended the event. The forum attracted wide media interest, including Chinese Central Television and Xinhua News Agency. It also saw the launch by Australia’s Ambassador to China, Dr Geoff Raby, of a new book on health policy. Published in Chinese and English by Peking University Medical Press, Health Policy in and for China, is edited by La Trobe Public Health staff, Professor Vivian Lin and Dr David Legge, Peking University’s Professor Guo Yan and Harbin Medical University’s Professor Wu Qunhong. It features contributions from China, Australia, the UK and the USA.

Despite vast differences between Australia and China, the two nations face some similar challenges when it comes to health policy. Both countries are working to reduce gaps in access to health service and health outcomes between rich and poor, urban and rural, indigenous and nonindigenous people. ‘Universal coverage of medical care services, co-ordination between primary care and hospital care, cost containment, and safety and quality of care are priorities on the health reform agenda in both countries.

This article first appeared on the La Trobe University website.

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Ten new super science fellowships for UWA - 2010-04-11

The University of Western Australia has been allocated 10 new Fellowships under the Australian Government's $27.2 million Super Science Fellowships scheme, aimed at attracting the world's best researchers.

The University will receive $2,784,000 over two years, the largest funding allocation given to any Australian university or research institute under the scheme.

The Super Science Fellowships scheme aims to attract the best and brightest early-career researchers from within Australia and around the world in three key areas: space science and astronomy; marine and climate sciences; and future industries research - biotechnology and nanotechnology.

"These Fellowships will enable The University of Western Australia to continue to develop its research into areas of importance to Australia while providing opportunities for our most promising early-career researchers," UWA Vice-Chancellor Professor Alan Robson said.

"The number of fellowships awarded to our University, which received ten per cent of the total funding allocated, recognise the contribution we are making to crucial national and international research."

The Australian Research Council, which administers the scheme, approved five Fellows to begin at UWA in 2010.

Two of the five Super Science Fellowships allocated to the International Centre for Radio Astronomy Research (ICRAR) will be based at UWA. ICRAR is playing a significant strategic role in Australia's bid to host the Square Kilometre Array, as an international mega-science project.

An additional three Super Science Fellows (within the ARC Centre of Excellence in Plant Energy Biology) will research novel biotechnology-based solutions that can be implemented in a variety of cereal crops to reduce the use of phosphate fertiliser in agriculture and unlock the large phosphate pool not used by plants in soil.

In the second round of the scheme for projects starting in 2011, two UWA projects have received funding for another five approved Super Science Fellowships.

Two Super Science Fellowships have been allocated to a successful proposal that will determine how the survival of one of the world's most pristine and best preserved coral reefs, Ningaloo Reef, is linked to the response of Australia's Indian Ocean to climate change. Three Fellows have been approved under a proposal for a fundamental study of electronic transport in advanced semiconductor nanostructures.

UWA will now undertake a process of competitive national and international recruitment to fill the fellowship positions.

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Australian Alumni Awards to Recognize Outstanding Talent in China - 2010-04-07

The search for China’s best and brightest is on once again, with the launch of nominations for the second annual Australia China Alumni Awards, a wide-ranging campaign to recognise the fantastic and diverse achievements of Australian university alumni in China, both local and expatriate.

More than 200,000 Chinese students have studied in Australia since the 1970s, and the Australia China Alumni Awards sets out to acknowledge some of their successes.

Held for the first time in 2009, the winners were presented with awards at a gala dinner in Beijing, hosted by the Australian Ambassador to China, Dr Geoff Raby. The Awards will be significantly expanded in 2010 with nine Awards being presented across a range of categories, from entrepreneurship, to research and innovation, to banking and finance, to ICT, New media and development.

2009 finalists included Dr Shi Zhengrong, Founder of Suntech Power Holdings; Xu Rongmao, Founder and Chairman of the Shimao Property Group; Colin Giles, President of Nokia, China; and Lu Xiaoping, the Deputy Director of International Cooperation at China’s National Ministry for Agriculture.

The 2010 finalists will be announced at a VIP, invitation-only reception at the Australian pavilion at Shanghai World Expo on May 25th, 2010. Award winners will receive their trophies at a high-profile five star gala awards dinner in Shanghai on Saturday, 10th July 2010.

“The awards celebrate the very best of the Australian university system through highlighting alumni success in China in a range of fields,” said Iain Watt, Minister-Counsellor for Education at the Australian Embassy in Beijing and Chair of the 2010 Awards judging panel. “The awards showcase diverse individual achievements as well as the unique and special friendship between Australia and China and the contributions alumni make to the relationship.”

The awards are an initiative of the Australia China Alumni Association (ACAA), a not-for-profit organisation that reconnects China-based alumni of Australian universities.

CPA Australia, one of the largest and most recognized accounting bodies in the world with more than 129,000 members in over 110 countries, is proud to be the Awards’ principal sponsor, according to its General Manager for Greater China Deborah Leung.

“We’re delighted to be involved in this venture to recognize Australian educational and career excellence – values which CPA Australia share in realising our vision as the professional accountancy designation for strategic business leaders,” Ms Leung said.

Australian government departments have shown strong support for the awards, with Austrade and AusAID sponsoring Entrepreneurship and Development awards respectively, and Australian Education International sponsoring the “Young Alumni of the Year” award. Business Events Sydney is also involved, and will sponsor an award for Research and Innovation.

Telstra, Australia's leading telecommunications and information services provider, which has entered into partnerships with some of the leading players in key online advertising industry segments and leading Mobile Value Added Service (MVAS) and mobile advertising segments in China, will sponsor the Award for ICT and New Media. Telstra Sensis China CEO, Mr Robert Rath said: “We believe the local talents like outstanding Chinese graduates from Australian universities have a vital role in developing China’s ICT and new media industry. We are proud to be the sponsor of the award to recognize people’s great achievements and to foster the industry’s advancement in China.”

IELTS, the globally recognised test to measure a candidate’s ability to communicate in English is also a supporter, and will be sponsoring an award for Women in Leadership. “For me, the really inspiring part of the IELTS story is the contribution it has made to helping millions of young, ambitious Chinese realise their dreams by opening up life-changing opportunities for overseas study, work and immigration. We’re delighted to sponsor an award that recognises the valuable contribution Chinese graduates from Australia are making,” says James Shipton, Director Examinations Services, Cultural and Education Section of the British Embassy China.

Two other high-profile Australian companies in China, ANZ Bank and Mallesons Stephen Jaques will sponsor awards for banking and finance, and corporate achievement, respectively.

The Australian China Alumni Association is now calling for nominations on their website www.AustChinaAlumni.org/awards where all details can be found. Alumni (of any nationality) may self-nominate or be nominated by a third-party. Nominations close 19 April 2010.

High-resolution images from the 2009 awards event are available for use with articles. They can be downloaded here: http://www.austchinaalumni.org/awards/media.php.

About: The Australia China Alumni Assocation / CPA Australia - Australia China Alumni Awards are an initiative of the Australia China Alumni Association (ACAA), a not-for-profit organization started in 2007 and funded by 21 Australian universities. The ACAA has offices and regular events in Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou and aims to connect Australian university alumni across China with their Universities and each other. Alumni can register at www.AustChinaAlumni.org for regular updates.

Media contact: Sarah Stewart
Director of Development, Australia China Alumni Association Sarah@AustChinaAlumni.org
Ph: +86 21 6289 2557 (business hours) Mob: +86 135 6411 3679 (after hours)

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Australia China Alumni Awards 2010 - Winners Toast

Australia China Alumni Awards 2010 - Open for Nominations (Beijing Today 31 March 2010) - 2010-04-02

By Zhao Hongyi

The Australia China Alumni Association (ACAA) and CPA Australia are now accepting nominations for the annual Australia China Alumni Awards.

The awards aim to celebrate the achievements of China-based Australian university alumni across a variety of fields, through recognitions in areas like entrepreneurship, research and innovation, new media and community service.

This year, the ACAA is giving away nine awards, including two news ones: the IELTS Alumni Award for Women in Leadership and the Telstra Alumni Award for Internet Communication Technology and New Media.

For nominations to be valid, the nominating person must obtain consent from the nominee.

Alumni are permitted to nominate themselves, but must refer someone who will second their nomination; both Chinese and English language speakers are accepted.

“Alumni” pertain to Chinese nationals who have studied in Australia, graduates of a China-based joint program with Australia and Australians who have made China their home.

This is the Australia China Alumni Awards’ second year, and the awards presentation will be held in Shanghai on July 10. There will also be a reception for finalists at the Shanghai Expo’s Australian Pavilion on May 25.

Last year’s awardees include Wng Mao Hui, chairman and executive director of Shimao Property Holdings; Lawrence Lam, vice president of finance at Mary Kay China; and Chao Zhao, deputy head of Tsinghua University’s industrial design department.

Nomination forms and additional information can be found online at austchinaalumni.org/awards. Aside from submissions online, ACAA also accepts nominations via fax and mail. The deadline for nominations is April 19.

Nomination forms may be sent to:

Sarah Stewart

Suite 1007, OOCL Plaza, 841 Yan’an Zhong Lu, Jing’an District, Shanghai 200040

Tel: 021 6289 2557
Fax: 021 6289 2554

Email: awards@austchinaalumni.org


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Meridians Shanghai 2010: Art & Sound in Public Space Project - 2010-03-30

‘Meridians Shanghai 2010: Transdisciplinary Art & Sound in Public Space Project’ (Meridians) is an international collaboration between RMIT University, Melbourne and East China Normal University (ECNU), Shanghai to create a contemporary public artwork for the Victorian Cultural Program towards Australia’s contribution to Expo Shanghai China 2010.

The project aims to reinforce connections between public urban contemporary art and international collaborative practices between China and Australia in a university research context.

In 2008 ECNU initiated the project through an invitation to RMIT to develop a collaborative public art project. In early 2009 the RMIT Design Research Institute - Intervention through Art's Seeding Grant Program, provided funding to develop the project concept. The project was formally pre-launched by the RMIT Vice Chancellor, Margaret Gardener, in December 2009.

A team of Australian and Chinese artists will use themes of natural energy and urban environments to create the artwork over April and May 2010 on the top of a multi-storey building under construction in Minhang, Shanghai.

Meridians will be officially launched in Shanghai during Victoria Week (17-21 May 2010) at Expo.

The RMIT project team consists of Geoff Hogg, Art in Public Space Program Director, School of Art, and Public Art Researchers / RMIT Alumni Clare Leporati, Tammy Wong, Rupa Ramanathan, Claire Tracey and Joanna Buckley.

The ECNU project team is led by Professor Zhou Chang Jiang, Deputy Dean, School of Fine Art and Researcher Chenxi.

RMIT Alumnus, Cameron Robbins, is the lead Australian collaborating artist. Cameron studied Fine Art (Sculpture) at RMIT University and the Victorian College of the Arts during the 1980s. He has lectured in Art in Public Space at RMIT since 2000. Most recently he was awarded The Contempora Sponsors Award (2008). He has produced site-specific installations focused on harnessing natural elements around Australia and internationally for 20-years.

Meridians is a project of the RMIT Design Research Institute supported by the College of Design and Social Context, School of Art, and Alumni & Development.

Meridians is supported by the Commonwealth through the Australian International Cultural Council and the Australia-China Council, initiatives of the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade.

Meridians is also supported through the State of Victoria through the Department of Innovation, Industry and Regional Development, and Arts Victoria.

For more information visit the Meridians site (www.rmit.edu.au/art/meridians).

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Fine Design – QUT industrial design graduate and 2009 Australia China Alumni Award winner Dr Chao Zhao featured in QUT alumni magazine, Feb 2010 edition - 2010-03-12

Please click here to view the article.

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Second hand office furniture (Shanghai) - 2010-03-11

Our company is moving to a new office, current furniture do not fit in. We want to sell them. There are 4 set of office desks, and 1 meeting table with chairs, all were purchased in June 2009. They are still in a very good condition, in guaranty period. It was total RMB15,900, now we want around 50% off to sell, and price is negotiable.

Please contact Min Bian at min@mystaff.com.au if you want to buy.

Please click here to view more information.

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AUSTRALIA CHINA ALUMNI ASSOCIATION GETS EXCLUSIVE AUSTRALIAN PAVILION TOUR - 2010-03-01

Media Release
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Date: Tuesday 27 February 2010

Release: Tuesday 27 February 2010
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Shanghai, China: The Australian pavilion today played to host to a delegation of over 85 Australian university graduates from the Australia China Alumni Association (ACAA). The delegation was taken on an exclusive tour of the soon to be completed pavilion with Pavilion Director, Peter Sams.

Commissioner-General for Australia, Lyndall Sachs said, “Australia has some of the finest centres of educational excellence in the world. Members of the ACAA are a true testament to this and we were very pleased to welcome them to our pavilion.”

Henry Kong who completed a Masters of International Business and Law at the University of Sydney said, “Spending time studying in Australia has been one of the great highlights in my life and I feel privileged to have been given a sneak preview of what Australia has in store for China and the rest of the world at Shanghai World Expo”.

The Australian pavilion will be profiling the education sector heavily through its targeted business program. In May alone, the pavilion will be holding an event celebrating the finalists of the second Australia-China Alumni Association Awards and a high-level forum involving key leaders in education fields to discuss emerging issues in higher education.

Ms Sachs said, “We are also very pleased to have two of Australia’s best universities on board as sponsors of our pavilion, namely The University of Sydney as a gold sponsor and The Australian National University as a bronze sponsor.

In 2009 students from over 190 countries came to study at Australia’s internationally renowned educational institutions. China contributed 154,000 enrolments to the 224,000 recorded for the whole North-East Asian region in 2009. Enrolments from Chinese students grew by 18 per cent between 2008 and 2009.

The Australia China Alumni Association (ACAA) is an organisation comprising China-based alumni of Australian universities. The ACAA serves as a high-profile umbrella alumni organisation with the aims of promoting the Australian education sector by profiling the success of alumni, and supporting alumni in China through business and social networking.
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________
For further information, images and footage please contact:

Josh Levin
Communications Director (Australia)
Tel +61 (0) 412 533 382
Janet Tsai
Communications Director (China)
Tel +86 138 1898 6516

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Education: Australia, China look to the future - 2010-03-01

Interview with the Australian Ambassador to China, Dr Geoff Raby

In the past three years, the number of Chinese students travelling to Australia to study has increased by 60 percent. Today, there are over 150,000 Chinese student enrolments in Australia and represent around 25 percent of the total number of international students in the country.

The importance of links between Australian and Chinese universities and other education institutions can not be overstated. As the bonds between the two countries grow ever stronger, Australia’s education focus is now to ensure international students continue to receive high quality education experiences and outcomes, as well as benefiting from living in a new and vibrant culture.

As Australia and China embark on a new decade of co-operation in the education sector, AsianCorrespondent spoke to Australia's Ambassador to China, Dr Geoff Raby, to find out his thoughts on the importance of Australia's education interaction with China.

Q. What educational benefits and opportunities does studying in China offer to Australian students, and vice versa?

A. The benefits of living and learning in Australia or China are both personal and academic. The time that a student spends away from home will give them the best platform to succeed in their career, and prepare them for the challenges of the workplace.

Australian education has a strong international reputation for excellence. Whether you study at a university, school, vocational or English language institute, you will receive a quality education that will form a strong foundation for your future success.

International study enriches your academic or training experience through exposure to different teaching styles and environments, a diversity of students and new places to live and travel. Not only do you experience other cultures, languages and education systems, your eyes are opened to different ways of thinking. This brings lasting benefits for your personal growth, self-confidence, independence and your tolerance of others and the unfamiliar.

Q. US Ambassador to China Jon Huntsman recently announced plans to increase the number of Chinese students travelling to study there. Does Australia have similar plans?

A. Each year, Australia welcomes an increasing number of international students from more than 140 countries to study in our universities, institutes, colleges and schools.

As at November 2009 there were around 155,000 Chinese student enrolments in Australia and represented around 25 percent of the total number of international students in Australia.

Rather than increasing the number of international students, Australia’s education focus is to ensure international students continue to receive high quality education experiences and outcomes.

Q. What can Chinese and other foreign students studying in Australia offer the global economy once they graduate?

A. Students who have studied in Australia are generally job ready and very well prepared to work in today’s global marketplace. This is because, in Australia, there is a focus on practical learning that encourages creative, independent thought and debate. Teachers aim to provide students with a thorough understanding of a topic rather than just teaching them the right words to remember for exams. Students are expected to develop their own thoughts and share them with fellow students during classes, and this class participation is an assessable part of their grade.

These critical thinking skills provide a sound foundation for students entering the global workforce.

Q. To what extent do student exchange programs open up political and cultural understanding between countries?

A. There are numerous opportunities for students to participate in long and short term student exchange programs.

Scholarships are offered by the Australian Government, education institutions and a number of other organisations. They cover various educational sectors, including vocational education and training, student exchanges, undergraduate and postgraduate study and research.

The Australian Government Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations administers three international student exchange programs which provide funding to Australian higher education institutions for links between Australia and the Asia Pacific and Middle East.

These are:

‐ Endeavour Student Exchange Program (ESEP)

‐ Endeavour Cheung Kong Student Exchange Program (ECKSEP) from Cheung Kong

‐ Australian University Mobility in Asia and the Pacific Student Exchange Program (UMAP)

The Student Exchange Programs aim to:

‐ Increase cooperation between higher education institutions in Australia and higher education institutions the Asia Pacific and Middle East

‐ Provide financial support for Australians and other students in the region to undertake an international study experience

‐ Promote credit transfer arrangements between Australian higher education institutions and eligible higher education institutions overseas with a view to supporting mutual recognition of educational qualifications

‐ The Programs provide funding to Australian higher education institutions to enable undergraduate Bachelor degree students in all disciplines to undertake at least one Semester and no more than two Semesters of study at an accredited higher education institution in an eligible country.

When a student graduates with a qualification from an Australian institution, they become an Australian alumnus. Most universities have alumni associations which individuals can join. Alumni networks are valuable because:

- They help graduates maintain the personal, business, institutional and educational links and friendships you have made while studying in Australia.

- They can expose graduates to business and job opportunities back home and around the world.

- They provide a supportive community of graduates who have shared their experience of leaving home to study in Australia, and returned home as alumni.

For example, the Australia China Alumni Association (ACAA), of which I am the Patron, is an inclusive organisation, open to all China-based alumni of Australian universities. The ACAA organises monthly social and professional networking events, publishes a bi-monthly newsletter, and maintains an up-to-date bilingual database of Australian alumni in China. The ACAA also promotes the development of individual institutional chapters, and serves as a contact point and liaison for alumni.

Q. How have you worked to promote educational opportunities for Chinese students in Australia during your time as Australian Ambassador to China?

A. In the three years that I have been Australia's Ambassador to China, the numbers of Chinese students travelling to Australia to study has increased substantially ‐ by some 60 percent. The key to promoting interest among Chinese students in studying at our education institutions is to increase the awareness of the high quality of the education that Australian providers offer. Our universities have developed an extensive range of collaborations with their Chinese counterparts, both in research and in teaching. Whenever I travel to regional cities in China, I like to visit the leading universities there and discuss with university leaders both the projects they already have with Australian partners and what opportunities exist for new collaborations. Our TAFE system is very well regarded throughout China and opportunities for cooperation in training of skilled workers in China abound.

I believe that returning alumni are the best advertisement for our education and training providers and through my position as patron of the Australia‐China Alumni Association I support the efforts of our universities to develop alumni networks in China. Our education providers regularly participate in fairs and exhibitions around China to promote and market their services - when possible I like to visit these events and meet the Australian representatives. I encourage them to spread their efforts beyond Beijing and Shanghai to the booming regional cities where there is a thirst for quality education.

Education is a topic that is almost always discussed when I meet with senior Provincial Government officials (not least because almost all have friends or even their own relatives who have studied or are studying in Australia). The links and goodwill that flow from our education interaction with China are truly a crucial part of the bilateral relationship.

Q. What more can be done to build bridges between education institutes in Australia and China?

A. Australian education institutes have strong established relationships with China and there is a very active level of engagement. Institutions visit regularly to link and build their relationships with Chinese Institutes. According to Universities Australia there are 735 formal agreement between Australian and Chinese Institutes (May 2009). These agreements include components involving student exchanges, study abroad arrangements, staff exchanges and academic/research collaboration.

In addition, a number of Australian state governments also have offices in China that engage with national and provincial governments and support institutions developing links.

Q. To what extent has modern technology, particularly digital technology, bridged the gap in global education?

A. Australia, together with other countries, shares a strong interest in harnessing the potential of information and communications technologies (ICT) to address geographical and financial barriers to world class education.

ICT is both the platform and driver of 21st Century teaching and learning. It has created the globalised, digital world that young people need to be equipped to live and work in. In most countries, the effective integration of ICT in teaching and learning is seen as an important vehicle to deliver better educational outcomes.

The Australian Government's Digital Education Revolution (DER) recognises the importance of ICT in schooling in the positioning of Australian students to acquire the knowledge and skills to participate effectively in a globalised economy. In addition to providing new ICT infrastructure for all senior secondary schools, the DER is a suite of initiatives designed to promote connectivity, digital content and tools to support teaching, ICT leadership in schools and teacher capability.


8. The new decade is bringing with it a whole new set of challenges and opportunities that today’s students, as the global thinkers of tomorrow, will have to face. How can education prepare them for this, both in Australia and China?

As with each generation, students will face challenges!

An overseas study experience helps make young people global citizens, with enhanced capacity to contribute to the national and global knowledge economies.

The friendships forged through overseas study experiences are life long. As people move through their career pathways these friendships appear in a wide range of settings including government and business. In many cases these relationships have the potential to help us face these challenges and take these opportunities together.

9. Is there anything else you would like to add?

Looking at the bigger picture, I can say that our rapidly growing education links with China have contributed greatly to the development of bilateral relations with China more generally, and on many levels.

As well as our largest source of overseas students and tourists, China is now Australia’s biggest trading partner and our economic, political and strategic interests are intersecting in increasingly complex ways. The growth in bilateral education cooperation is playing a very positive role in deepening and broadening the relationship overall.

For example, hardly a day goes by that I don’t come across a Chinese person who’s either studied in Australia themselves or has a child, relative or close acquaintance at an Australian school or university – and that’s across the board in a whole variety of sectors, from Government officials and businesspeople to media and the cultural milieu.

These alumni are very important because they understand and are receptive to both cultures, and many of them are working actively to build closer links between Australia and China in various fields. In turn, this is helping to advance our broader interests in areas like trade and investment, facilitating closer people-to-people links and promoting joint activities in every sector imaginable, from education and science cooperation to judicial training and law enforcement cooperation. A significant number of these people are in very senior positions, and some were recognised for their achievements at the inaugural Australia-China Alumni Awards held in Beijing last November.

(The interview was conducted and written by Asian Correspondent)

Link to article: http://us.asiancorrespondent.com/australiatop10/education-australia-china-look-to-the-future


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The 3rd edition of Expat Show Beijing - 2010-01-26

The 3rd edition of the Expat Show Beijing will take place on 26-28th March 2010 at the China World Trade Center. Around 150 exhibitors will present their services and products during three days' exhibition.

Since 2008, the Expat Show Beijing is helping foreigners to find all the information, services and products they might need for their life in Beijing. Besides the show, we are bringing interesting features as the Association Village, a Relaxation Area, the Press Area and a Kindergarten for your kids.

NEW FEATURES:

For this third edition we will set up 4 new animations to enjoy your visit:
• Food Festival
• Travel in Asia
• Live Performance
• The Kid Show

The Event is Free! Go to the website to pre register and get a chance to win a amazing week end in Thailand, bottles of wine and much more!

www.expatshowbeijing.com

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PRESIDENT HU JINTAO VISITS THE AUSTRALIAN PAVILION - 2010-01-22

MEDIA RELEASE

Monday, 18 January 2010

Shanghai: On Friday 15 January, Chinese President Hu Jintao visited the
Australian pavilion as part of his official inspection of the Shanghai World

Expo's site preparations.

The Australian pavilion was the only international pavilion included in the
President's tour.

After viewing China's national pavilion and core venues on the expo site,
President Hu visited the Australian pavilion where he spent nearly half an
hour viewing the striking, three-storey building and engaging and informative
exhibitions. He also took the time to meet and shake hands with many of the
Australian and Chinese workers on-site.

"We are honoured by the President's visit to our pavilion," said Australia's
Commissioner-General for the Shanghai World Expo 2010, Ms Lyndall Sachs.

"Australia has consistently led the way among international participants,
achieving a series of construction 'firsts' since work began on the site in
December 2008. We are delighted that President Hu was able to see first-hand
the calibre of our pavilion's design, and also our exhibitions, many of
which have already been installed", Ms Sachs said.

"Australia's strong commitment to the Shanghai World Expo 2010 reflects the
importance the Australian government places on the Australia-China
relationship," said Ms Sachs.

"We look forward to President Hu Jintao and other dignitaries visiting our
completed pavilion later in the year, and to welcoming more than seven
million visitors over the six-months of the expo."

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Harvard, Oxford lose to Sydney University in debating - 2010-01-06

- Sydney University's fifth victory

- 'A really good culture around debating'

- High calibre arts and law faculties

THE University of Sydney out-argued Oxford and Harvard to win the world debating championships.
Sydney's Steve Hind and Chris Croke prevailed in the finals, staged in Antalya, Turkey.

Oxford, Harvard, and the London School of Economics had also reached the finals. Sydney argued against the proposition "that the media should show the full horror of war".

It was Sydney's fifth victory in the World Universities Debating Championship, said Paul McJannett, chief executive of the University of Sydney Union, a campus service body that began life as a debating society.

"We've won more (championships) than any other university," he said. "We've always had a really good culture around debating at Sydney; it's always been very strong."

He suspected this had something to do with the calibre of the arts and law faculties at the university.

This year, about 240 universities entered the competition, which is based on British parliamentary debating.


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QUT Scholarship Course - 2009-12-23

Listed below are links that list the Master of Intellectual Property Law at Queensland Univeristy of Technology. For more information on the degree read the information below.


www.austchinaalumni.org/Event_flyers/QUTTwoFeeWaiverScholarships.pdf

www.austchinaalumni.org/Event_flyers/WIPO-QUTMIPLBrochure29.07.09.pdf

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Famous Australian choreographer teams up with Shanghai ballet - 2009-12-17

Please click here to view the details of this news.

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Spread the word, become a CPA(Aust.) - 2009-12-17

CPA Australia is the largest professional finance, accounting and business body in Australia and one of the world’s largest accounting bodies with over 122,000 members. Its members live in over 100 countries and work across a wide spectrum of industries including commerce, finance, public accountancy and academia.

CPA Australia’s vision is to be the global professional accountancy designation for strategic business leaders. Its primary role is to support members through providing education, training and technical advice that maintain their professional competence as well as add value to their professional development, recognition and standing.

The organisation has offices in all Australian capital cities, Hong Kong, Beijing, Shanghai, Malaysia, Singapore, New Zealand, Vietnam and the United Kingdom. Membership in Hong Kong and China currently stands at 12,000 and continues to grow annually.

For more details please view from www.cpaaustralia.com.au or contact CPA Australia Shanghai office (8621) 3218 1860.

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CAELP 10th Anniversary Celebration Successfully Held - 2009-12-16

The following article appeared on the China Education Association for International Exchange website on the 27.11.2009

For more information visit their website: CAELP 10th Anniversary Celebration Successfully Held

This year marks the 10th anniversary of the establishment and implementation of the China-Australia Executive Leadership Program (CAELP). In order to promote the further development of the program, China Education Association for International Exchange (CEAIE) and the Australian Embassy to China co-hosted a celebration in Beijing on October 30.

Present at the occasion were Dr Hao Ping, Deputy Minister of Education of China, Dr Geoff Raby, Australian Ambassador to China, Professor Liu Bin, President of CEAIE, Dr Jiang Bo, Secretary-General of CEAIE, Mr Lin Zuoping, Deputy Secretary-General of CEAIE, and Mr Iain Watt, Australian Education Minister Counselor, etc. Over 50 participants, including university leaders from Tsinghua University, Peking University, Australian National University, University of West Australia, etc. and program officers from CEAIE and Australian Embassy to China, attended the celebration.

The 10th anniversary celebration involved two parts, e.g. academic seminar and reception. The seminar was presided over by Dr. JIANG Bo and Professor Gu Binglin, Tsinghua University President. Mr. LIU Bin and Mr. Iain Watt delivered opening speeches. At the seminar, the participants carried out a heated discussion over two themes: ‘University Challenges - the Development Strategies for Mass Higher Education in the New Era’ and ‘New Thoughts for the 21st Century –Leadership of a University President’. New problems and challenges for today's university development were discussed at the seminar, including the quality standard for education, the judgment criteria for talents, the matching of university education and social needs, the reform of curriculum in higher education, equal access to education, the relationship between university and government, the application of modern technologies in universities, and the leadership capacity of university leaders. The participating university leaders explored ways to tackle these problems with an aim to encouraging China-Australia educational exchanges and cooperation, as well as promoting the reform and development of higher education in both countries.

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2009 Alumni Award Finalist in the Press - 2009-12-08

Please click here to view the story about one of finalists in 2009 Alumni Award.

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USyd Researchers in World First to Provide Super Efficient Solar Cells - 2009-11-12

World first research to provide super efficient solar cells

10 November 2009


University of Sydney researchers Dr Tim Schmidt and Professor Max Crossley have come up with an ingenious low-cost device to harvest low energy photons, with the potential of significantly boosting the efficiency of conventional solar cells using a process called upconversion.

Schmidt and Crossley, from the University's School of Chemistry, have achieved a massive jump in upconversion efficiency, enabling an efficiency increase in single threshold solar cells of about one-third. This is done by harvesting the part of the solar spectrum currently unused by solar cells.

The team are synthesising unique sensitiser and emitter molecules to bring about tailor-made devices to boost solar energy conversion efficiencies in two types of solar cell: amorphous silicon, and crystalline silicon.

The findings, which are published in the most recent issue of the journal Physical Chemistry Chemical Physics, pave the way to boosting the efficiency limit to over 50 per cent under the standard solar spectrum and up to 63 per cent under 100 fold solar concentration.

"All but the most expensive solar cells utilise a material with a Single energy threshold in the material which produces voltage by promoting electrons above this threshold upon absorption of light," said Dr Schmidt. "As a consequence, particles of light (photons) with energy less than this threshold cannot be harvested by the cell. Additionally, energy in excess of this threshold is lost to heat."

"By performing upconversion cheaply, we will lift the ceiling afflicting traditional solar calls and bring a revolution in solar cell efficiencies."

"Australia is the world leader in both of these technologies, and by applying our technology, Australia can lead the world still further," said Dr Schmidt.

Dr Schmidt was an award winner in the recently announced 2009 NSW/ACT Young Tall Poppy Awards.

For further information and for hi-res photographs of the process contact the Media Office on +61 2 9351 4312 or 0421 617 861.

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Study Queensland Seminar - 2009-11-03

Queensland state government and some education institutions in Queensland, including University of Queensland and James Cook University, will host the Study Queensland Seminar starting at 16:00 on 3rd November 2009 in Garden Hotel, Guangzhou.

Mr. Murray Davis, Business Development Director of Trade Queensland Guangzhou, and Mr. Paul Braddy, President of Queensland Education and Training International, will give speech in the seminar.

The seminar is open to the education agents in South China and it is by invitation only. For further details please contact Ms. Tequila Cao, Trade officer of Trade Queensland Guangzhou. Her telephone number: 020-8760 7750, email address: tequila.cao@trade.qld.gov.au

昆士兰州政府联合多家昆士兰州的教育机构，包括昆士兰大学和詹姆斯库克大学，将于2009年11月3日下午4点在广州花园酒店举办昆士兰教育合作交流会。

昆士兰州贸易及国际事务局广州代表处业务发展总监戴维明先生，昆士兰州国际教育与培训署主席保罗•布莱迪先生将在交流会上致词。

该交流会主要是面向华南地区的留学中介，有关详情请联系昆士兰州贸易及国际事务广州代表处曹小姐，电话：020-8760 7750，电邮：tequila.cao@trade.qld.gov.au

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Alumni in the Press! - 2009-09-15

An article profiling five Shanghai-based alumni, and exploring the strong education links between Australia and China was recently published in the West Australian newspaper! The journalist, Paul Murray, attended UTS's formal alumni reception in Shanghai in July, and took the opportunity to chat with several successful alumni, and find out their thoughts on Australia.

The article appeared in the West Australian newspaper on August 27, 2009, on pages 14 and 15 of a pull out magazine about China's relationship with Australia, entitled “Riding the Dragon”.

To view the article, please click here: page 1 and page 2.

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Sydney Symphony Orchestra 2009 Guangzhou Concert - 2009-09-07

One concert you can’t miss this year
Vladimir Ashkenazy & Sydney Symphony Orchestra 2009 Guangzhou Concert

What’s on? Under the direction of Principal Conductor and Artistic Advisor Vladimir Ashkenazy, the Sydney Symphony is set to embark on a 10-day tour of Asia in October.The tour marks the first time the Sydney Symphony has visited mainland China in its 77-year history.

The concert in Guangzhou is a gala concert as part of celebrations marking the 30-year anniversary of the sister-state relationship between New South Wales and the Chinese province of Guangdong, the first such twinning in modern-day China, giving it special significance and importance to the governments of both countries.

“Mr Ashkenazy constantly refers to the Sydney Symphony as being on the same level as the leading London orchestras and a hidden treasure ‘down under’. We are thrilled to be able to demonstrate this artistic talent to the world and cement our place on the world stage,” said Conde.

A young international pianist will join the Orchestra on tour: 19-year-old Behzod Abduraimov from Uzbekistan, winner of the 2009 London International Piano Competition, performing Tchaikovsky’s Piano Concerto No.1 and Prokofiev’s Piano Concerto No.3.

It’s a concert you can’t miss this year.

The Sydney Symphony Orchestra will be performing their inaugural concert in the Xinghai Concert Hall in Guangzhou on 24th October 2009. For details of this concert please visit:
Sydney Symphony Orchestra 2009 Guangzhou Concert

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Now Recruiting: Australian pavilion at World Expo 2010 - 2009-09-04

Australian pavilion logo Full details of the positions available at the Australian pavilion, along with detail on how to apply, are featured on the Australian pavilion website (www.australianpavilion.com).

Please click to view the advertisement in English or in Chinese.

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ACAA's partner universities Curtin and UWA join forces in massive telescope project - 2009-09-01

Adapted from the article from PerthNow by Aleisha Preedy

The ACAA’s partner universities fund an astronomy research centre in Western Australia, boosting the nation's bid to host world’s largest telescope.

The International Centre for Radio Astronomy Research (ICRAR) is designed to underpin the country's campaign to build the Square Kilometre Array (SKA), which could one day help unlock the secrets of the universe.

At Tuesday's official opening at the University of Western Australia, WA Premier Colin Barnett said the centre would show Australia, and the state, were capable of delivering world-class technology and facilities.

Funded primarily by Curtin University and the University of Western Australia (UWA), the $100 million centre, hopes to attract astronomy experts to Perth.

Mr Barnett said the ICRAR would attract 30 new scientists and engineers to Perth and over the next five years, form a base of astronomy experts for the SKA.

South Africa and Australia are vying to build and house the $2.5 billion SKA project, which will provide radio telescopes to record radio waves from across the universe.

It has been lauded as one of the globe's most important science projects, with the capability of monitoring an area of more than one million square metres.

The WA government invested $20 million to establish the ICRAR, which Mr Barnett said would create ``opportunities for local industry to participate in the wider SKA project''.

New Zealand is supporting Australia's bid to host the SKA project, which will be built between 2012 and 2020.

A final decision on the host location is not expected until 2012.

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La Trobe University to host centre for Biosciences research - 2009-08-25

La Trobe's new multi-million dollar Biosciences Research Centre will further enhance La Trobe and DPI with one of Australia's leading research facilities, providing a major boost for agriculture bioscience and biotechnology research. The centre will create 390 new jobs while injecting about $690 million into the Victorian economy.

La Trobe has recently started construction on the $230 million Biosciences Research Centre, due to open in 2012. The Centre recently received important funding from the Federal Government ($59.6 million), which is an indication of how much the La Trobe research facilities and scientists are regarded.

‘The real benefit of this centre that its going to be new infrastructure, new equipment and going to bring teams together who work the science spectrum right from the very basic research through to the applied research that can used directly in the field to encourage agriculture,’ says Professor Annabelle Duncan, Executive Director of the Centre.

Plenary Research consortium's successful bid means that construction will begin five months ahead of schedule. This is one of the first projects contracted using the Partnerships Victoria model following the onset of the global financial crisis, and is designed to strengthen Victoria's economy.

‘La Trobe is undergoing rapid change, we are growing and we are evolving. Scientific research is becoming an increasingly important a part of the portfolio of subjects we offer to our students and I have no doubt that the research that will be done here will contribute to the health of Victoria and Australia’s agricultural bioscience sector for decades to come,' says Vice-Chancellor Paul Johnson.

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UWA research project explores health benefits of Chinese green tea - 2009-08-25

By Lindy Brophy (UWA contributed content)

In China, where drinking green tea is a centuries-old tradition, the rate of breast cancer is 18.7 per 100,000 women. In Australia, where fewer than one per cent of the population drink green tea every day, the rate is 94.9 per 100,000.

The parallel seems obvious but, of course, turning anecdotal evidence into epidemiological proof is harder than it appears.

Dr Min Zhang, a senior research fellow in the School of Population Health at University of Western Australia, an ACAA Silver Partner, is directing an Australian-Chinese project to do just that.

She has been working on green tea as an anti-carcinogen for 10 years. A gynaecological oncologist at Zhejiang University in China, Dr Zhang came to Australia in 1997 to study hospital management. But she changed direction and moved into epidemiology, completing a PhD on dietary and lifestyle factors associated with ovarian cancer, and joining the School of Population Health five years ago.

Professor D’Arcy Holman, who holds the Chair in Population Health and is Permanent Guest Professor at the School of Medicine at Zhejiang University, said Dr Zhang’s recent successes with a $1 million National Health and Medical Research Council grant and a competitive Australian Government Endeavour Award were rewards for her determination and perseverance in difficult times.

“Thank goodness for the University’s Safety Net funding,” Professor Holman said. The funding is available for senior researchers who have already been successful with NHMRC funding, but strike a bad year. It can happen to anyone and enables them to continue their work until the next round of funding when they get a second chance to continue with their success.

“Min’s million-dollar grant, followed by her Endeavour Award are evidence that the Safety Net is a worthwhile initiative by the University,” he said.

“Min’s big grant, in my opinion, signals a new direction for the NHMRC. As far as I am aware, this is one of the first of its larger project grants to fund research being done with overseas populations. It signals that the NHMRC sees itself as supporting Australian researchers who aspire to lead major international research collaborations, especially with major trading partners such as China,” Professor Holman said.

With this grant, Dr Zhang is now the Director of the Lu Cha (green tea) Sino-Australian Research Collaboration. It will run a multi-centre program of causal pathways research in China’s Zhejiang and Liaoning Provinces, using genetic biomarkers related to green tea metabolism.

The Endeavour Award will enable her to start the other half of the original vision for Lu Cha, focusing on green tea intervention research.

The Endeavour Award provides high-achieving individuals with support for research collaboration in areas of shared interest between the people of Australia and the Region.

Dr Zhang’s collaborators at UWA include Professor Holman, who is leading the international research project, Dr Max Bulsara and Dr Frank Sanfilippo, also in Population Health, Professor Michael Millward (Medicine and Pharmacology) and Professor Christobel Saunders (School of Surgery).

“It’s been a long road for Min and all of us, but we now have a multi-faceted international research program with China on green tea and cancer control,” Professor Holman said. The public health and epidemiological data analysis will be done here and the genetic testing will take place in the collaborating laboratories in China.

Dr Zhang said early studies had shown that drinking just one cup of green tea every day could be beneficial in helping to prevent cancer.

“But to continue the study here in Australia, we will have to use capsules of green tea extract, as so few people drink green tea here,” she said.

“I am very excited to be beginning this new phase in genetic biomarkers.”

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Sichuan cuisine with University of Newcastle Alumni - 2009-08-25

A meeting with old friends of the University of Newcastle was a key event in the recent itinerary of a visit to Beijing by Professor Kevin McConkey, Deputy Vice Chancellor (Academic and Global Relations) and the Director of the International Office, Ms Tracy McCabe. Professor McConkey visited partners in Shanghai, Beijing, Harbin and Wuhan in June 2009.

The Sichuan food was delicious and the company had a wonderful time reminiscing about Chinese restaurants in Newcastle and how the city has changed since they were last in town. Amongst the jokes and laughs there was serious discussion about what the University is doing with partners such as Harbin Institute of Technology, East China University of Science and Technology and Beijing Institute of Technology. Read more. The alumni shared the excitement the University has for the establishment this year of a new Confucius Institute in Newcastle with our partner Huazhong Normal University.

There were lots of ideas about how the alumni, who graduated from Newcastle degrees more than 5 years ago, can keep connected to their alma mata. While their degrees have taken them on many different, successful paths they were all keen to keep in touch, talk to students who might be interested in study in Newcastle in future and, if they can, make a visit back to the University some time.

Professor McConkey was quick to assure them all that the University would welcome them back. The University has, over the past few years, worked closely with many partners to build a strong network in China. Alumni will be key to the success of any strategy the University has to engage in China.

Photo L to R: Leo Mian Liu, Amy Jia, Molly Wen Li, Liu Xian Peng, James M Jiang, Professor McConkey, Tracy McCabe, Jun (John) Wang, William Jiang

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UWA research project explores health benefits of Chinese green tea - 2009-08-25

By Lindy Brophy (UWA contributed content)

In China, where drinking green tea is a centuries-old tradition, the rate of breast cancer is 18.7 per 100,000 women. In Australia, where fewer than one per cent of the population drink green tea every day, the rate is 94.9 per 100,000.

The parallel seems obvious but, of course, turning anecdotal evidence into epidemiological proof is harder than it appears.

Dr Min Zhang, a senior research fellow in the School of Population Health at University of Western Australia, an ACAA Silver Partner, is directing an Australian-Chinese project to do just that.

She has been working on green tea as an anti-carcinogen for 10 years. A gynaecological oncologist at Zhejiang University in China, Dr Zhang came to Australia in 1997 to study hospital management. But she changed direction and moved into epidemiology, completing a PhD on dietary and lifestyle factors associated with ovarian cancer, and joining the School of Population Health five years ago.

Professor D’Arcy Holman, who holds the Chair in Population Health and is Permanent Guest Professor at the School of Medicine at Zhejiang University, said Dr Zhang’s recent successes with a $1 million National Health and Medical Research Council grant and a competitive Australian Government Endeavour Award were rewards for her determination and perseverance in difficult times.

“Thank goodness for the University’s Safety Net funding,” Professor Holman said. The funding is available for senior researchers who have already been successful with NHMRC funding, but strike a bad year. It can happen to anyone and enables them to continue their work until the next round of funding when they get a second chance to continue with their success.

“Min’s million-dollar grant, followed by her Endeavour Award are evidence that the Safety Net is a worthwhile initiative by the University,” he said.

“Min’s big grant, in my opinion, signals a new direction for the NHMRC. As far as I am aware, this is one of the first of its larger project grants to fund research being done with overseas populations. It signals that the NHMRC sees itself as supporting Australian researchers who aspire to lead major international research collaborations, especially with major trading partners such as China,” Professor Holman said.

With this grant, Dr Zhang is now the Director of the Lu Cha (green tea) Sino-Australian Research Collaboration. It will run a multi-centre program of causal pathways research in China’s Zhejiang and Liaoning Provinces, using genetic biomarkers related to green tea metabolism.

The Endeavour Award will enable her to start the other half of the original vision for Lu Cha, focusing on green tea intervention research.

The Endeavour Award provides high-achieving individuals with support for research collaboration in areas of shared interest between the people of Australia and the Region.

Dr Zhang’s collaborators at UWA include Professor Holman, who is leading the international research project, Dr Max Bulsara and Dr Frank Sanfilippo, also in Population Health, Professor Michael Millward (Medicine and Pharmacology) and Professor Christobel Saunders (School of Surgery).

“It’s been a long road for Min and all of us, but we now have a multi-faceted international research program with China on green tea and cancer control,” Professor Holman said. The public health and epidemiological data analysis will be done here and the genetic testing will take place in the collaborating laboratories in China.

Dr Zhang said early studies had shown that drinking just one cup of green tea every day could be beneficial in helping to prevent cancer.

“But to continue the study here in Australia, we will have to use capsules of green tea extract, as so few people drink green tea here,” she said.

“I am very excited to be beginning this new phase in genetic biomarkers.”

[ Top ]

University of Queensland: International Alumni Awards - 2009-08-20

Nominations are now open for the University of Queensland International Alumni Award. Nominations close on the 4th of September.

For more information, please click here, and to view the flyer, please click here.

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Curtin University Joins China on Energy Research - 2009-07-28

Australia’s Curtin University of Technology and Huazhong University of Science and Technology (HUST) in China have joined together to establish a cooperative laboratory dedicated to new energy research.

The Joint Research Laboratory for Coal and Biomass Utilisation (JRL) will combine the research capabilities of both Curtin and HUST to further develop low-emissions energy technologies.

For more information, view the complete article.

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China's Suntech lands major solar deals - 2009-07-28

Suntech Solar Power Holdings Pty. Ltd., owned by prominent Australian alumni Dr Shi Zhengrong, has reached agreements to develop four major solar plants on the Chinese mainland. To read the complete article, please click here.

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Australia China Alumni Awards: Nominations Now Open and Media Coverage Begins! - 2009-07-28

Xtven and HK alumni receive plaque On the 28th of July, 2009, the ACAA and CPA Australia formally launched the Australia China Alumni Awards at the Australian Embassy in Beijing. The Australian Ambassador to China, Dr Geoff Raby, formally opened the nomination period, which will close on Friday 25 September 2009. The awards are supported by several great sponsors, including CPA Australia, ANZ Bank, Austrade, AusAID and Australian Education International.

The “Australia China Alumni Awards” are a new initiative of the Australia China Alumni Association (ACAA) and CPA Australia, and will be held annually from 2009 onwards. The awards will recognize and promote the exceptional and diverse achievements of Australian-educated university alumni who are now based in China.

Seven awards will be made in different categories, to alumni that have achieved exceptional results in their field of endeavor. The recognition of highly-successful alumni will also demonstrate how an Australian university education can help people to succeed in an international context and across a variety of fields.

Finalists and awards recipients will be recognised at a high-profile, gala dinner in Beijing on the 7th of November 2009. The 2010 Awards Ceremony will be held in the VIP Section of the Australian Pavilion at World Expo 2010, and it is expected that the 2011 Awards will be held in South China.

For more information, please visit the Alumni Awards Website.

And, don't forget to check out Sina.com's coverage of the awards!

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ACAA launches in South China - 2009-07-21

The ACAA is pleased to announce their merger with Australian Alumni - South China to launch Australia China Alumni Association - South China.

On 16th July 2009 in the Grand Ballroom of the Ritz-Carlton, ACAA members, friends and distinguished guests enjoyed drinks, canapes and a buffet dinner while Sean Kelly, the Australian Consul-General to Guangzhou, formally announced the merger. Consul-General Kelly spoke of the great importance of alumni networks in building the relationship between China and Australia. The launch of the South China branch will facilitate a broadening and strengthening of this network through the provision of services and opportunities for alumni based in the region.

ACAA members and supporters from the South-China region (and a few friends from Hong Kong!) jumped at the chance to be a part of the launch and places quickly filled. The event was a huge success with over 140 attendees.

See below for links to Chinese and English language media coverage of the launch:

Chinese:
China News 2009-07-16
China Daily 2009-07-17
Xinmin News

English:
Life of Guangzhou: "Australia-China Alumni Association Launched in Guangzhou" 2009-07-17


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University of Newcastle delegation visit China - 2009-06-24

This article appeared in University of Newcastle News on the 23-June-2009 under the title "University delegation honoured in China". For contact details and further information visit the news website

A University of Newcastle delegation to China has been given the very rare honour of a reception in The Great Hall of the People on Sunday night.

The dinner was jointly hosted by Mr Zhang Shijie, Chairman of the JJL Group - the largest international education agency in Beijing and a long term partner of the University - and Mr Lui Xiaochen, Vice-Chairman of the Beijing People's Congress, and attended by 18 senior officials from Australian and Chinese government departments and private industry.

Leading the delegation, Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academic and Global Relations) Professor Kevin McConkey, said the dinner was in recognition of the distinctive educational exchange between the University of Newcastle and China. "This honour is an outstanding recognition of what we have achieved, and a signal of what we will achieve in the future."

At the dinner the Vice-Chairman spoke very highly of the University's partnership with JJL and said the relationship exemplified the success of international educational cooperation between Australia and China.

The University of Newcastle delegation will be in China for 10 days and will visit partner universities, government departments and alumni groups in Shanghai, Beijing, Harbin and Wuhan.

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Deakin design students in China education exchange - 2009-06-23

This article originally appeared in Deakin News on 1 June 2009 under the title "Local knowledge the key to successful advertising in China". For the full article, visit Deakin Newsroom.

With one of the world’s largest populations of consumers, mainland China is a potentially lucrative market for many advertisers, but to successfully communicate their message to Chinese consumers advertisers need a visual strategy that does more than simply ‘stick a dragon on the box’ according to Deakin University lecturer in graphic design Dr Lisa Scharoun.

“Chinese consumers are open to western products and ideas, but if the wrong approach is used it can lead the audience to misinterpret the visual message and be highly offended as a result,” she said. From 2003 to 2005, Dr Scharoun was a lecturer at the Raffles Design Institute in Shanghai and she said it was during this time she became particularly interested in the advertising western companies used in China.

“It’s very important that design students are given the opportunity to gain an understanding of the complexities surrounding advertising in China.” Dr Scharoun believes cross-cultural collaboration at the undergraduate level could be one of the ways to overcome this type of cultural misunderstanding.

“Global Design Strategies: China is a proposed 12-week course for Deakin University graphic design students providing an in-depth exploration of Chinese culture, history and design,” Dr Scharoun said. As part of the course, it is planned for Deakin students to be paired with ‘design mentors’ from Dong Hua University in Shanghai, collaborations Dr Scharoun says she hopes will be ongoing.

“Hopefully through these collaborations students will form relationships they can take forward into their careers. Then when they are presented with a brief for developing advertising for China they can draw on the contacts they made through the course and on the knowledge they gained to develop work that is culturally sensitive and not just stick a dragon on the box.”