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.

The television ad was quite literally an ad by the students, for the students and reflects the nurturing of personal ambition and how the Bond community brings it to life.

Over 500 students and staff joined us in the making of the ad, participating as production crew, assistants and extras – thank you to everyone involved.

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.

Designed in conjunction with the Australian Institute of Sport (AIS) Queensland Academy of Sport (QAS) and academics from Bond University, the evidence-based degree focuses on the high performance science of elite sport. It will be the first degree of its kind in Australia.

“Elite sport has undergone an incredible transformation in the last decade. There is now such a fine margin between winning gold and coming second,’’ said Bond University’s Professor Greg Gass.

 “If you review the Beijing Olympics, the Australian team didn’t perform as well in gold medals as it did in Athens (in 2004) especially in areas like swimming and cycling. (In Beijing) we had world record holders in swimming who didn’t win (the) gold (medal) – how do we explain that? The new Master of High Performance Science will contribute to the explanation and debate.

“The Masters Degree will use an evidence-based approach incorporating problem-based learning to find out how we get our athletes to shave that extra 0.1 of a second off their time on competition day, or understand why players make poor decisions at critical junctures in a game.’’
The role of high performance managers has increased in importance as factors such as technology, sponsorship, and media rights place greater demands on elite sportspeople.

High performance managers should sit at the right-hand of the head coach and play a very important role, providing evidence-based and strategic advice on everything from diet to training, psychology and communication, decision-making and technology and innovation.

With Australia ‘punching above its weight’ in international sport, Professor Gass said the nation’s performance on the global sporting stage could be a valuable branding tool.

“Australia’s results are envious considering the size of our population is much smaller than many countries we compete against,’’ he said.

“Whenever Australia stands on the dais, wins Wimbledon or makes the World Cup, the brand recognition of Australia is considerable.

“Sport can be a tremendous instrument for international policy. Kimi Raikonnen’s performances in Formula One did wonders for Finland in brand recognition.’’

The degree focuses on training and adaptation, molecular biology, cognitive science, doping and detection, technology and strategic decision making.

The one year (fulltime) course also explores areas such as negotiation and dispute resolution which has emerged as a major influence in the corporatisation of professional sport.

“There are many external factors involved in performance which can have a major influence on the final result. Sponsors, board executives, media opportunities and personal relationships can influence the performance of our elite athletes.

“The high performance manager has to determine the optimum strategies to get the absolute best out of the athlete: this involves a multitude of factors like when the best time is to travel; what time of day should athletes exercise; what should athletes eat the night before or drink at half-time; what do players think about when scores are even; and the whole area of dose and response.

The Master of High Performance Science is currently on offer.

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.

Prof Del Mar is one of 10 experts selected from around the globe who will sit down to discuss guidelines for the industry for the pandemic. He is the only Australian-based expert who has been invited.

Prof Del Mar is part of a long list of Bond academics regarded as leaders in their chosen fields. He previously contributed to high-level WHO meetings held to discuss similar protocols for the avian flu.

Australia, and even the Gold Coast, has been exposed to swine flu. The state’s first dedicated swine flu treatment centre was set up just down the road at Robina Hospital.

Prof Del Mar’s selection on the working group is acknowledgment of his dedication, knowledge and value within the health industry. The health industry and wider community will be very interested to discover the outcomes of the WHO summit.

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.

Bond University’s Australian Centre for Family Business (ACFB) is undertaking a nationwide survey comparing the performance of family-owned companies to their non-family owned counterparts in the current economic climate.

The project is a joint initiative with KPMG and Family Business Australia (FBA) and is the fifth annual family business survey to be conducted.

Six thousand Australian businesses will receive the survey over the coming weeks which will extract key information about issues including resilience, generational succession, and the impact of the global financial crisis and climate change.

Dr Justin Craig, co-director of Bond University’s ACFB, said this year’s survey will provide important insights into family business.

“For the first time, non-family businesses are included in the sample of respondents so we can demonstrate exactly how the current financial turmoil is affecting different sectors of the market,’’ he said.

“Traditionally, research has shown that family businesses often surpass their corporate-owned competitors in terms of success, and we hope to see a similar sentiment of resilience in this year’s survey.’’

Preliminary survey results will be announced at FBA’s 11th National Family Business Conference hosted in Darwin in August. The final report will be released by the end of August, including commentary from family business owners, advisors and academics.

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.

Appearing as part of Queensland Law Week festivities, students participated in mock trials concerning whether Robin Hood should be put on trial for the charge of highway robbery.

It was an important opportunity for students to receive practice within real courtroom settings. It also opened the doors of courtrooms to high school students and the public, providing the community an insight into the legal processes, albeit from a tongue-in-cheek perspective.

Second-year students Daniel Ryan (the peddler) Krystal Kovac (Will Scarlett) and Taylor Hawke (Robin Hood) provided the colour for the mock trial which was watched by school groups across South East Queensland.

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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.

Named after its instigator, John Burton – then Editor of the Gold Coast Bulletin and later a Visiting Journalist at Bond – it exemplifies the close partnerships with industry leaders that have since become Bond’s trademark.

In deciding to award the very first scholarship recipient to young Star of the Sea graduate, Deanna Nott (Alum 90) , the selection panel clearly chose well: Half way through her studies, Deanna won a Gold Coast News Media Award for Best Magazine Story and was selected to participate in News Limited’s own international exchange program which saw her living in Hong Kong for three months and reporting for the South China Morning Post.

She also won a Best Director’s award for producing a community service announcement on behalf of Riding for the Disabled.

“Studying at Bond University is one of the best things I have done in my life,” Deanna says.

“I am extremely proud of the fact that I attended Australia’s first private university, and in retrospect, realise how fortunate I was to have had virtually one-on-one training by some of the best professors and lecturers in the world.”

Graduating in 1993 with her Bachelor of Arts and majors in Journalism and Communication, Deanna started full-time work as a graded journalist at the Gold Coast Bulletin. Once again, she captured the judges’ attention at the Gold Coast News Media Awards, this time being named the year’s Best Cadet.

Her career veered in a different direction, however, when she joined the Royal Airforce Reserve as a Public Affairs Officer.

Moving to Sydney in the mid-90s, Deanna was appointed Sports Editor and then Deputy Editor of the Royal Australian Navy News.

Successive appointments and promotions have seen her working in Public Affairs for Defence Force Recruiting in Canberra and at Air Command Headquarters for the Royal Australian Airforce.

Deanna is currently based in Canberra as Director of Communication Reserve and Employer Support Division Vice Chief of the Defence Force Group Department of Defence.