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.

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.

Bond University’s executives look forward to working in consultation with the Harilelas to determine how the scholarship will be used. It will be available from next year.

Dr Harilela is the Chairman of the Harilela Group, which has established a hospitality portfolio including the Holiday Inn Golden Mile in Hong Kong, Holiday Inn Park View Singapore and Sheraton Belgravia London.

“The University is delighted to announce the contribution from Dr Harilela and his wife Padma to Bond,’’ said Vice-Chancellor Professor Robert Stable.

“Dr Harilela’s philanthropy extends to numerous teaching institutions around the world, and we are very proud he and his wife have recognised the boutique learning environment advocated at the Gold Coast campus which distinguishes Bond University within the Australian tertiary education system.

“It’s fitting the $1 million donation is announced the same year as Bond University’s 20-year milestone: just as the University recognises its past achievements, the primary focus is still on improvement and evolution.’’

Outside of the hospitality industry, the Harilela Group also has ties with the healthcare and food sectors in Hong Kong, Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, the United Kingdom and Australia.

 “As a private not-for-profit learning institution, support from the community is vital to our continued sustainability,’’ said Professor Stable.

“Without the support of our benefactors, it would have been near impossible to position Bond University as the exemplary template of a private not-for-profit institution in Australia.’’

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