About the Awards

Lawrence Lau, Peter Pang and Geoff Raby The Australia China Alumni Association/CPA Australia - Australia China Alumni Awards were established in 2009 by the Australia China Alumni Association, and are a high-profile initiative recognizing the wide-ranging achievements of graduates of Australian universities that are currently based in China, both local and expatriate.

Over 150,000 Chinese students have studied in Australia since the early 1970s, and the Australia China Alumni Awards celebrate the fantastic things that many of them have achieved upon returning home. The awards also seek to recognise the diverse achievements of Australian expatriates in China, and the deepening Australia-China relationship.

The inaugural awards in 2009 attracted sponsorship from CPA Australia, ANZ Bank, Austrade, AusAID, Australian Education International and Qantas Airways. The awards were publicized widely, in both media and email campaigns, and were promoted both by the ACAA and our university, government and corporate partners. As a result of this publicity and the ACAA’s own well-developed network of alumni, university, government and business contacts, over 150 alumni were nominated. From this group, 43 high-quality finalists were selected, ranging from the President of Nokia, China, to a well-known radio host, to the Deputy-Director of International Cooperation at China’s National Ministry of Agriculture. The finalists were both Chinese and expatriates working right across China. Winners received their trophies at a well-attended Gala Presentation Dinner in Beijing in 2009. Over 40 media articles were published about the 2009 awards, in both Chinese and English language publications.

The 2010 Alumni Awards will be held in Shanghai, with a finalists’ reception at the Australian Pavilion at World Expo 2010 on May 25, 2010, and a gala Awards Presentation Dinner at the Le Meridien Hotel in Shanghai, on July 10, 2010. The ACAA will also host a related event at the Australian Consul General's residence in Guangzhou, to bring national attention to the Awards.

In 2010, the ACAA is pleased to welcome the following award sponsors on board, without their support the awards would not be possible. The 2010 awards are kindly supported by:
• Business Events Sydney
• Mallesons Stephen Jaques
• Australian Education International
• The Australian Trade Commission
• Telstra Sensis
• IELTS
• CPA Australia
• AusAID
• ANZ Bank

Image: 2009 winners Lawrence Lau and Qiao Luqiang celebrate their wins.