Two decades after it opened its doors, almost 1000 alumni turned out to celebrate Bond University’s 20th anniversary last month.

Travelling from Western Australia for the festivities, inaugural vice-chancellor Emeritus Professor Don Watts reflected on the challenges of setting up Australia’s first not-for-profit private university.

“We fought hard during those early years to establish the validity of this university and to respond to prejudice within many sections of the Australian community,’’ said Professor Watts, who was vice-chancellor from 1987 to 1990.

From starting out with 322 students in the first semester enrolment in May 1989, Bond University is now edging its way toward 5000 students, with an equitable blend of domestic and international enrolments.

To celebrate, a black tie/ red carpet function was held at Conrad Jupiters Casino on 16 May, with guests swapping stories and reminiscing about historic milestones and hilarious moments since classes started.

Current Vice-Chancellor Professor Robert Stable said the 20-year achievement was testament to the dedication of staff, students, alumni and the university’s many supporters.

“Bond University is unique in its approach to tertiary education, but just because something is unique doesn’t mean it will succeed,’’ he said.

“It has become a community within a community. It’s an intimate environment that blends academic excellence, robust ideas, and friendship.’’

In its inaugural semester Bond University offered undergraduate and postgraduate studies in the Faculties of Business, Humanities and Social Sciences, Information Technology and Law.

Since then the university has expanded to include the Health Sciences and Medicine Faculty (2005) the Legal Skills Centre, the Mirvac School of Sustainable Development and the Macquarie Trading Room (2007).

A world-class Multimedia Learning Centre was also opened in 2008. The evolution continues 20 years on, with the university partnering with Marriott International to offer classes in the School of Hotel, Resort and Tourism Management – a high-end managerial degree set within the tourism hub of the Gold Coast.

Mermaid Beach MP Ray Stevens was a divisional councillor when Bond University launched and remembered the facility’s opening as a turning point for the Gold Coast, especially as there was no other university in the city at that time.

 “We said then it would put the Gold Coast on the map internationally and that has proven to be absolutely correct,” he said.

View some of the images from the 20th Anniversary ball.

This week we launched our new television ad and website.

Students at Bond University’s newest Masters Degree may never lace-up a boot or crouch on starting blocks but they could still influence Australia’s Olympic standing, capture the AFL Premiership or better the nation’s Football World Cup record.

Bond University’s Faculty of Health Sciences and Medicine recently launched its Masters of High Performance Science degree.

Our Dean of Health Sciences and Medicine Faculty has flown to Geneva to participate in World Health Organisation (WHO) discussions concerning the outbreak of swine flu.

Mixing family and business can be a challenge in itself, dealing with siblings and technologically-challenged parents.

And when times turn tough, family-run operations can be affected differently to non-family businesses.

Hong Kong-based Dr Hari and Padma Harilela have been announced as Bond University’s latest benefactors on the back of our 20th anniversary celebrations last month.

The couple has donated $1 million which will go into Bond University’s endowment pool for a scholarship to be called the Dr Hari and Padma Harilela Scholarship.

Showing up to plead your case in medieval garb is arguably contempt of court.

But for Bond University’s Law students, it was all part of their defense during a road show throughout Beenleigh, Ipswich, Southport and Brisbane magistrate’s courts in May.

Over almost 20 years, the John Burton Journalism Cadetship Scholarship has been the catalyst for many high-flying media careers.

When it was first introduced in 1990, the concept of alternating on-campus study semesters with on-the-job training as a cadet journalist at the Gold Coast Bulletin was an Australian first for Bond University.

Read Deanna Nott's Story