It’s been a season of achievement and momentum across the Faculty, with significant progress in both research and learning and teaching. From individual recognitions to collective initiatives, our faculty consistently demonstrates excellence and innovation. These developments reflect the energy and dedication across the Faculty. Whether through recognition, research, wellbeing, or innovation, our community continues to lead with purpose and impact.
The School of Policing Studies maintains a consistent focus on educational excellence and professional development. Notably, Sergeants Leighton Burnes and Michael Fleming of the NSW Police Force (NSWPF), both adjunct lecturers, were recently awarded Fellowships with Advance HE UK, believed to be the first NSWPF officers to receive this recognition. Their success reflects the School’s strategic support for staff through structured development initiatives, including university-funded schemes as well as NSWPF and CSU contract-funded schemes at the Goulburn academy. Advance HE Fellowships, awarded in alignment with the Professional Standards Framework 2023, acknowledge leadership and impact in higher education teaching. Recent recipients include Cath McCarthy (Senior Fellow) and Melissa Lachlan (Fellow). Head of School Julian Parker-McLeod is preparing a submission for Principal Fellowship, with additional staff progressing applications across all levels. These achievements underscore the School’s ongoing efforts to cultivate a culture of scholarly teaching and reflective practice within the higher education context.
Across the Faculty, research continues to thrive, with our researchers consistently showcasing the depth and impact of their work. The Faculty should be commended for its outstanding research achievements as reported in the CSU Annual Research Report for 2024, prepared in consultation with Professor Zahid Islam, Associate Dean (Research).The report was officially endorsed by the Faculty Board on 23 September 2025.
In terms of research performance evaluation, HERDC income, the quantity of high-quality publications, staff research performance, and PhD/HDR completion numbers and rates are strong indicators – and we performed exceptionally well in all these areas in 2024. We recorded the highest HERDC income per FTE among all Faculties ($19.28K per FTE), alongside a 32.6% increase in grant submissions (from 43 in 2023 to 57 in 2024). Among all Faculties at CSU, we also achieved the highest research outputs per FTE (2.67 outputs per FTE), the highest percentage of Q1/Q2 publications (79.1%), the highest percentage of staff with Principal Supervisor eligibility (74%) with the largest year-on-year gain (+8 percentage points), and the highest percentage of staff meeting the Minimum Research Performance Expectations (84%). In HDR, we led all three Faculties in enrolments per FTE (1.57 HDR candidates per FTE), and in HDR candidates with scholarships per FTE (1.07 per FTE), with strong scholarship growth of +53.9% (from 76 in 2023 to 117 in 2024). Overall, the 2024 results affirm FOBJBS’s strategic focus on excellence, relevance, and collaboration in research. These achievements position the Faculty as a leader within CSU and a contributor to broader academic and societal advancement
The latest edition of Research Bites highlights a range of achievements, including Associate Professor Cliff Lewis’s international collaboration in Pretoria, Professor Ashad Kabir’s recognition as a Distinguished Speaker at ICAI, conversations on Dr Linda Peach’s Tradwives, the publication of an important new book by Dr Virginia Small on media and the police force, and a cutting-edge paper on ransomware detection by our wonderful PhD student Ms Jannatul Ferdous supervised by Associate Professor Rafiqul Islam and colleagues. Our research provides us with a diverse array of seminar topics covered in the 2025 Executive Dean’s Research Seminar Series.
As we look ahead to the Faculty HDR and Honours Conference on the 11th and 12th of November, it will be my great pleasure to welcome you to this exciting event. The conference will bring together our HDR and Honours students, their supervisors, and academics to celebrate our students’ research achievements and explore impactful, cutting-edge innovations in their disciplines. It will provide a valuable platform for students to share ideas, receive feedback, and build connections that will shape their academic and professional journeys.The meet-and-greet sessions will offer excellent opportunities for students and academics to engage in meaningful research discussions and explore collaborative ideas. More information can be accessed on the conference website.
As part of the university’s ongoing commitment to thoughtful engagement with emerging digital technologies, a revised institutional stance on the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) will be released and come into effect in Session 202590. This updated position reflects a considered approach to the responsible integration of both discriminative AI and generative AI (GenAI) across academic and professional domains. The stance affirms the university’s recognition of AI as a tool that, when applied judiciously, can enhance efficiency, foster innovation, and support excellence in teaching, research, and administration. Staff are encouraged to explore its potential in ways that align with our pedagogical values and scholarly standards.
By embedding AI thoughtfully into our practices, we have the opportunity to streamline routine tasks, improve productivity, and create space for deeper intellectual engagement. Importantly, this approach maintains the academic integrity and rigour that define our work. I remain confident in the role AI can play in enabling more sustainable and effective practices, particularly when guided by our shared commitment to quality, ethics, and continuous improvement. Explore more on the GenAI Academic Portal.
As World Mental Health Day approaches on 10 October, it’s a timely reminder to check in with ourselves and with those around us. Mental wellbeing is essential to how we live, work, and support one another.
October is also Health, Safety and Wellbeing Month at the University, with a range of activities, both on campus and online, designed to help staff connect, recharge, and prioritise their health. For details and to get involved, explore the HSW Month website. Remember, if you need support you have access to our free Employee Assistance Program, or you can reach out to the wellbeing team at wellbeing@csu.edu.au for a confidential chat.
I encourage you to take part when you can. Even small acts like a mindful pause, a kind word, or reaching out can make a big difference. Let’s continue to build a culture where mental health is supported, spoken about, and valued.
