Moot gathers momentum

The second annual Hon. Michael Kirby Contract Law Moot is gaining momentum, with 22 teams registering to participate. The Moot will be held over three days in October - from Wednesday 10th to Friday 12th.
The 22 teams will consist of over 80 students from universities all over the country, including 3 teams from VU:

• RMIT (JD program- 3 teams)
• University of Melbourne (3 teams)
• La Trobe University (2 teams)
• University of Queensland (1 team)
• Queensland University of Technology (2 teams)
• University of Newcastle (1 team)
• University of Western Sydney (2 teams)
• Macquarie University (1 team)
• Bond University (1 team)
• University of Adelaide (2 teams)
• Monash University (1 team)

The Kirby Moot reinforces the Victoria Law School's focus on commercial law, as well as its participation in many international commercial law competitions such as the Vis Moot and the International Maritime Law Moot. It is hoped that the  Hon. Michael Kirby Contract Law Moot will continue to run successfully for many years to come, and that it will raise the Victoria Law School's profile as a serious contender in the provision of quality legal education in Australia. Read more about the Moot here.

From Victoria Law School to Stanford Law School

Victoria Law School lecturer Megan Bowman has been selected to attend the 2012 Harvard-Stanford International Junior Faculty Forum held at Stanford Law School on October 19 and 20. Only 10 'junior faculty' scholars are selected each year from a broad international base. The purpose of the forum is to stimulate the exchange of ideas and research, among younger scholars in the academy, from all parts of the world.
The paper Megan submitted is based on the empirical chapter of her PhD, and is titled 'Banks, Climate Change and the 'Care Factor': lessons for policy-makers in the USA and Australia'. Megan also presented on this topic at the 4th Cambridge Regulation & Governance Conference at Queens College, University of Cambridge, UK earlier this month.

VU Students receive Industry Awards

Jason Connor with his award

Congratulations to our Jason Connor, who took out the 'Australian Transport & Logistics Young Achiever of the Year Award' at the 2012 Australian Freight Industry Awards.

Jason, currently studying our Master of Business (Supply Chain Management) course, received his award in recognition of outstanding performance in his role as Operations Manager at CC Containers.

The award was presented by The Hon Terry Mulder MP, Minister for Public Transport & Roads, at a ceremony held at the Palladium Ballroom, Crown Casino.

Congratulations, Jason!

Now, over to India, where VU Alum Professor Mukti Mishra, Chairman of the Centurion Group of Institutions, received the Roll of Honour certificate in the Skills Champion: Emerging Warrior category from the Federation of Indian Chambers if Commerce and Industry (FICCI).

The award was in recognition of extraordinary contribution in developing technologies, distinctive training solutions, path breaking research and commitment towards the skilling movement in India. This is the second FICCI award the Professor Mishra and the Centurion Group has won, the first one being for 'Best Skills Project in Rural Community' in 2010.

Industry partnerships reap rich rewards for students

2012 ICCI scholarship winner, Alison Bottcher

The School of International Business prides itself on its close links with industry partners. These links feed into teaching materials and help students to excel, both in their studies and in the world of employment.

This was illustrated recently through two important partnerships formed in the Event Management area; one with the International Convention and Congress Association (ICCA), and the other with iVvy Pty Ltd (introduced this year by Martin Robertson). Both partnerships have directly benefited students undertaking the BH3421 Business Events unit, as part of the Event Management specialisation, and given further benefit to the high-achievers in the unit.

ICCA sponsor a yearly scholarship giving students an opportunity to attend their prestigious Annual Congress, wherever it is held in the world that year. This is the third year the Scholarship is being offered; last year, the Congress was in Leipzig, Germany.

Attended by leading practitioners from around the world, the Congress discusses, deliberates and finds responses to the issues affecting the organisation, the transportation and the accommodation of international meetings and events. This year’s scholarship award winner, Alison Bottcher, who is in the second year of her Law and Event Management program, will be attending the conference in San Juan, Puerto Rico.

Not only is Alison going to enjoy an amazing opportunity to network with representatives from around the world, she will also be representing Victoria University’s School of International Business throughout. Follow Alison’s travels and experiences, and congratulate her on her success by following her blog.

Alison said of her scholarship; 'It’s a brilliant opportunity. I am very happy to receive the scholarship, and really looking forward to learning from experts from around the world. Going to Puerto Rico is, well, really exciting too!'

Alison is also receiving the Certificate ‘Introduction to iVvy Event Management software’.  iVvy produce state-of-the-art cloud based event management software which the school uses in its event management units.This year, BHO3421 Business Events students had have the opportunity to gain professional certification through successful completion of exercises using the software. Congratulations to all those students who received a certificate this year!

Gillian Essery, Alison Bottcher, Olga Junek (lecturer), Martin Robertson (lecturer and coordinator of the Business Events unit ) and Colin Drake (lecturer and coordinator of the event specialism area), Anastasia Keras and Olivia Dal Bo.

Twenty of the 137 students who enrolled on the unit this year managed to gain a special 'Certificate of Excellence'. As this was only given to those who successfully completed 100% of the work correctly, they should be particularly proud of their work. Three of these students - Olivia Dal Bo, Gillian Essery, and Anastasia Keras - who received this certificate of excellence were also the very close runners-up in receiving the ICCA Scholarship.

In other news from International Business staff, Martin Robertson, Olga Junek and Leonie Lockstone-Binney had their article 'Is this for real? Authentic learning for the challenging events environment' published this month in the Journal of Teaching in Travel and Tourism 12 (3), p225-241

Meet our People: Leonie Lockstone-Binney

Leonie Lockstone-Binney

Leonie has a long association with Victoria University, having commenced her undergraduate degree in Tourism Management here in the early 1990’s. Since that time, she has gone on to complete all of her qualifications at VU, including most recently the Graduate Certificate of Tertiary Teaching.

Leonie joined the former School of Hospitality, Tourism and Marketing full-time in January 2006, after completing a one-year contract at Edith Cowan University, WA, as an Associate Lecturer in Tourism. Since this time, she was been predominately teaching and researching in the emerging field of event management.

Leonie says, on her pull to VU - "As an undergraduate, VU’s Tourism program had the leading reputation in the State, if not the whole of Australia. I was taught by academics that were internationally recognised in the field, including amongst them Brian King, Marg Deery and Leo Jago. I was fortunate enough to have these people involved in my undergraduate, postgraduate and PhD studies. Later, they continued as colleagues to guide my progress as an early career academic."

Leonie’s PhD examined the role of volunteers in cultural tourism settings. Volunteering continues to be the main focus of her post-doctoral research program. Leonie has several publications in top-tier journals, as well as research grants related to volunteer participation.

After seven years employment at VU, Leonie continues to enjoy working with colleagues in the School of International Business and the wider Faculty, particularly her event management colleagues Olga Junek, Martin Robertson, Colin Drake and Brianna Newland, to grow and support VU’s award winning event management program.

On a personal level, Leonie also has VU to thank for introducing her to her husband, Wayne Binney, former Faculty MBA Director, now at Deakin University.