Momentum, Recognition, and a Well-Earned Break
Dear Colleagues,
As we head towards the Easter break, I wanted to take a moment to reflect on a number of things happening across the Faculty. There is a lot of good work underway, and it is worth pausing to recognise both the effort and the impact.
International Masterclass Series
The recent Masterclasses in India were a strong example of what we can do when we are organised, outward facing, and focused on quality. My thanks in particular to our Head of School | Business Professor Jac Birt, Professor Manoranjan Paul from the School of Computing, Mathematics and Engineering, and our colleagues in the International Office, including Eleanor Mitchell, for the work that went into making these a success. We are already seeing the benefit in terms of strengthened relationships, and we would expect this to translate into increased international student interest over time, while also reinforcing our partnership with Navitas.
Higher Education Academy Fellowship
I would also like to warmly congratulate Professor Julian Parker-McLeod, Dr Kath Herbert on being awarded Principal Fellow and Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy respectively. This well-deserved recognition reflects Julian and Kath’s sustained commitment to excellence in higher education and their significant impact as an educator and leader. It is a testament to the quality, dedication, and professionalism they bring to their work, and we are proud to celebrate this achievement.
We continue to see strong progress with Higher Education Fellowships in the School of Policing Studies. These achievements are not quick wins; they require time, persistence, and a genuine commitment to critically reflecting on professional practice. I would like to acknowledge the successful confirmations of David Fergusson, Micala Dillon, Jessica Borges de Mesquita Monteiro and Senior Constable Mladen Zecevic—congratulations on this significant accomplishment. For colleagues with applications currently in progress, please keep going; this is valuable and worthwhile work, both personally and for the University. I also wish to sincerely thank Professor Julian Parker-McLeod for the excellent leadership and continued work being undertaken within the School.
Faculty Academic Conversation Series
Our Executive Dean’s Seminar Series and Ergo Cogito continue to gain traction with growing number of views domestically but also internationally, which is great to see, and demonstrates the global reach of the work we do in the Faculty. These are important forums for sharing ideas, lifting our research culture, and connecting colleagues across Schools. The level of engagement has been pleasing, and I would encourage you to keep participating and, where possible, presenting your work. We will be promoting these more actively via LinkedIn, and I encourage you to re-post or like these and share through other social media channels so that we can get the good word out about the work that we are doing in the Faculty.
Research
I would like to acknowledge the great work that Professor Zahid Islam, our Associate Dean (Research) and Director of the Centre for AI and Cyber Futures Centre (AICF), has been doing on behalf of the Faculty through both his writing workshops and his recent presentation in the Provocations Lecture Series, co-badged with the Royal Society of New South Wales. You can watch it here. The quality of that presentation, and the broader work he is leading, is having a tangible impact on how we think about research, publication quality, and performance across the Faculty.
Celebrating Staff Success
More broadly, it has been great to see a steady stream of staff success stories. Whether that is research, teaching, engagement, or professional practice, these stories matter. They are a reminder that across the Faculty, people are doing good, serious work that makes a difference. We will continue to highlight these, including through the Faculty blog. Recent highlights include the global standing of Associate Prof Cliff Lewis‘ work, currently visiting the University of Canterbury as an Erskine Fellow, Dr Leo Lin who was recently invited back to speak at the 13th Police Technology Forum in Canberra, and Associate Prof Kristy Campion and Associate Prof Emma Colvin who were cited and quoted at length in NSW Legislative Council debate on the Crimes Amendment (Countering Violent Extremism) Bill 2026. We also have teaching innovation led by Professor Jac Birt; major Australian Institute of Criminology–funded research by Dr Jamie Ferrill on trade‑based money laundering; sustainability-focused community engagement by Dr Lucia Wuersch, Dr Felicity Small and Associate Prof Alain Neher. All examples of the impactful contributions spanning public administration, mental health, financial crime and political science.
Teaching
On the teaching front, work is progressing well on the development of new degrees. This is critical to our future. Ensuring that our offerings are contemporary, relevant, and aligned with industry need is not optional. It is core business. Thank you to those involved in what is often detailed and, at times, demanding work. We have the newly established Bachelor of Criminology, Graduate Certificate in Financial Crime, Graduate Diploma of Financial Crime and Master of Financial Crime ready for enrolment in Session Two 2026, which commences on 13 July 2026.
Improving Communication
A small but important operational note: you will have seen updates to the Executive Office mailbox naming conventions. These changes are about clarity and ensuring that communication lands where it should, first time. It is a simple thing, but it makes a difference to how efficiently we operate. Please send all correspondence for the attention of the Executive Dean and Executive Assistant to FoBJBS-Exec-Dean@csu.edu.au moving forward.
Taking a Break
Finally, as we approach the Easter break, I hope you are able to find some time to step away from work, recharge, and spend time with family and friends. It has been a busy start to the year, and there is more to come. Taking a proper break, even a short one, matters. The University will be closed from 12:30pm on Thursday, 2 April 2026, and will reopen at 9:00am on Tuesday, 7 April 2026.
Thank you again for the work you are doing across the Faculty. It does not go unnoticed and is appreciated!
