Sunday, December 12, 2010

Student Leadership & Development in the United States

Student Leadership & Development in the United States - ACUMA Conference presentation

- Robert Stephenson, General Manager of Bendigo Student Association, La Trobe University

ACUMA has published the presentation made by Robert Stephenson, GM of Bendigo Student Association, at the 2010 CampusLink Conference & Trade Fair, entitled "Student Leadership & Development in the United States".

The presentation was developed following Mr Stephenson's ACUMA Award-funded research trip to the United States earlier in 2010, during which he visited a variety of American institutions with leadership and development programs.

In Mr Stephenson's own words:
"I was deeply impressed by the role and significance that Student Affairs professionals - in Australia, ACUMA members - have within the Higher Education sector in the USA. In most cases, they are seen as partners in the campus-wide effort to provide a comprehensive, holistic and transformative learning experience for students.

Following are a few major points that I think are relevant to the Australian experience, and that I hope will provide some thought and discussion as we continue to build our role within Australian universities...."
CampusLink Conference & Trade Fair

The CampusLink Conference & Trade Fair event is the largest gathering in the southern hemisphere of campus service professionals, staff and senior management in the non-academic experience of Australian and New Zealand tertiary students.

For more information on ACUMA Incorporated and its activities in the higher education landscape in Australia and New Zealand, please visit the ACUMA website, and view ACUMA's monthly higher education news summaries.

Higher Education news summary for November 2010

Higher Education news summary for November 2010

The November 2010 Higher Education news summary from ACUMA Incorporated covers news and items of interest in tertiary education reported in November 2010 with a focus on Australian and New Zealand universities.

As Australasia's peak body for senior staff in campus service organisations, ACUMA gathers and collates higher education news as a reference source for its membership, providing market intelligence and awareness of industry-level issues likely to have an impact on the delivery of campus services to university and other tertiary education students.

News items covered in higher education in November 2010 in Australia and New Zealand included:
  • Report shows Government on track to meet key education targets
  • Regional universities urge Senate to pass bill
  • TAFE fees face $96m cut under Libs plan
  • SCU back compulsory student fees
  • University student union asked to cut costs
  • Communiqué for the Ministerial Council for Tertiary Education and Employment (MCTEE) Meeting – 19 November 2010
  • Newcastle Uni counts cost of losing compulsory student fees
  • Hansard extract: Second reading, Higher Education Legislation Amendment (Student Services and Amenities) Bill 2010
  • Students should be in charge: Bandt
  • Voluntary student membership 'a mistake'
  • Broke postgraduate association heads for home
  • First Year in Higher Education Conference 2011 - call for submissions
  • NUS survey supports focus on quality
  • Universities Australia Submission: Inquiry into Compulsory Student Fees as part of the Scrutiny of New Taxes
The November 2010 Higher Education news summary can be viewed online or downloaded in pdf form:
To view archived higher education news summaries, please browse the indices for each service, as below:

International education news summary: November 2010

International education news summary: November 2010

Focussing on developments in education relevant to Australia and New Zealand, where applicable, the monthly international education news summary from ACUMA Incorporated covers press dealing with education on the international stage, or relating to international students.

International education news in November 2010 covered, by way of example, included:
  • Singapore's Newest University Is an Education Lab for Technology
  • Foreign student rights overlooked
  • UK: Foreign students face curbs on jobs and visas
  • Mixed Reviews for Indonesia’s Private Universities
  • 30,000 Indian students have left Australia: Student federation
  • Malaysian Education Sector Set For Next Boom Phase
  • Waikato students, staff to benefit from links with top Chinese universities
  • Monash University Wins Cambridge Debating contest
  • Watchdog won’t bite you, Australia’s elite universities assured
  • EU-wide student credit union proposed
  • Student protests set stage for winter wave of unrest
  • Nottingham in talks to set up second campus in China
  • Canadian university delegation on recruitment drive in India
The November 2010 International Education News Summary can be viewed online, or downloaded, from ACUMA Incorporated via the following channels:
To view archived monthly international education news summaries, browse the indices for each service:


November 2010: Technology in education news summary

November 2010: Technology in education news summary

ACUMA has published the regular monthly round-up of technology news with an impact on education, covering items in the press in November 2010.

Whether direct or kn0ck-on, the impact of technology on education is increasing, and should be considered, both in terms of education service delivery and in campus service delivery.

Items covered in November include but are not limited to the following:
  • During boring classes, texting is the new doodling
  • Flexible screens on the way for E-readers
  • Monash University student union crowdsources logo via contest
  • Smartphone Market Forces Yield Publishing Opportunities
  • News Corp Shells Out $360 Million For EdTech Company Wireless Generation
  • Reimagining the University Press: A Checklist for Scholarly Publishers
  • Google Exploring Groupon Buyout
  • Working Group Takes on Challenges of WiFi Growth on Campus
  • Android Tablets Poised to Capture 15.2% of Market in 2011
  • As Textbooks Go Digital, Campus Bookstores May Go Bookless
  • iPad influx: Curtin Uni flooded with “hundreds”
  • Big telcos aim to replace credit cards with smartphones
View or download the monthly Technology in Education news summaries from ACUMA:
To receive daily news updates, check in with ACUMA on Twitter, where you can also read International higher education news, and news covering international students, and general higher education news relevant to Australia and New Zealand.


Sunday, November 14, 2010

Higher Education news summary: October 2010

Higher Education news summary: October 2010
- Australian and New Zealand focus

ACUMA Incorporated's Higher Education news summary for October 2010 is now available.

Focussing on news items relevant to Australia and New Zealand, the October Higher Education news summary provides links to items in the press concerning universities, students, vocational education and campus services.

Higher education news items reported in October 2010 include:
  • Peter Shergold, the people's professor
  • Student loans - the debt mountain
  • To Save Students Money, Colleges May Force a Switch to E-Textbooks
  • Cash control would ensure unis' survival
  • Robson retires from UWA after 17 years
  • Vocational training needs a rethink
  • TAFE students face steeper charges
  • Expert panel for higher education base funding review
  • Blow for students' NZ body
  • University And Students Unite In Opposition To VSM Bill
  • Bradley reforms go ahead
  • Students see 'lifetime of debt' after fees rise
  • Vice-chancellors out of their depth in politics
  • Education told to follow tourism lead
  • Compulsory fees OK if students get good value for money
  • Vice-chancellors move to cultivate cardinal virtues in students
  • Voluntary student unionism
  • and many more.
To view, or download, the October 2010 Higher Education news summary, visit one of the following links:
For more information on ACUMA Incorporated and the tertiary education campus service industry in Australia and New Zealand, please visit the ACUMA website.

International Higher Education news summary for October 2010

International Higher Education news summary for October 2010

The international higher education news summary for October 2010 is now available from ACUMA Incorporated, the peak body for campus service organisations in Australia and New Zealand.

Dealing with items covering international higher education news, and items relating to international students in Australia and New Zealand, the October international education round-up provides links to full articles including the following:
  • Council of Australian Governments International Students Strategy for Australia 2010 – 2014
  • Canadian universities build ties with India
  • Swinburne delegation visits China
  • Singapore Spinoff: Yale’s plan to bet its brand on a new college in Asia
  • Immigration policies 'hit student numbers'
  • Addressing Australia's international student crisis
  • Oxford University's new bursary for Aboriginal scholars
  • Glyn Davis: Indian student numbers 'to drop 80 per cent'
  • More Foreign Universities To Open Up Campus In Malaysia
  • Students pay for education but fail to understand their growing debt
  • The Erosion of American Higher Education
  • The Power of the Education-Industry Partnership
  • The new couple on campus: Student loan and debit card
  • and many more.
To view ACUMA's International Higher Education news summary for October 2010, visit the following links:
For more information on ACUMA Incorporated activities in tertiary campus services in Australasia, please visit the ACUMA website.

Education & Technology news summary: October 2010

Education & Technology news summary: October 2010

The monthly news round-ups for October 2010 are now available from ACUMA Incorporated.

The Education & Technology news summary covers items in the press in October 2010 dealing with the direct, or likely, impact of technology developments on education, learning and study.

Items in the press in October 2010 included:
  • Macquarie Uni adopts hundreds of iPads
  • Mobile Banking in U.S. Grows 129% in Last Two Years
  • The Importance of Facebook Has Been Vastly Overstated
  • Mobile Devices and Student Recruitment
  • Borders To Launch Self-Publishing Platform
  • How much is that tweet worth?
  • O’Reilly Media Hits 800 eBooks in iBookstore
  • PayPal iPhone app to scan cheques
  • Universities Go Back to School With Live@edu
  • Why speed up the Web? It's all about mobile (and 3 other continents)
  • Barnes & Noble Launches PubIt!
  • Amazon Releases Plugin For InDesign
  • and many more.
To view ACUMA's October 2010 Education & Technology news summary, visit one of the links below:
For further information on ACUMA Incorporated and its activities in the Australian and New Zealand higher education campus services industry, visit the ACUMA website.

Tuesday, October 5, 2010

September 2010 Higher Education News Summary: Australia, New Zealand

September 2010 Higher Education News Summary: Australia, New Zealand

The September 2010 Higher Education news summary from ACUMA Incorporated is now available, providing collected links and introductory text to news items dealing with tertiary education and university student issues in, or relevant to, Australia and New Zealand.

Items covered in the September summary include:

  • Voluntary Student Membership in New Zealand (the analogue to Australia's VSU);
  • Insurance for student belongings;
  • University textbook rental schemes;
  • Macquarie University's bond sale; and
  • Australian university rankings,
among many other items.


ACUMA's three monthly news summaries - covering Higher Education, International Education and Technology in Education - can also be downloaded from the ACUMA website in pdf format.

International higher education news: September 2010 summary

International higher education news summary: September 2010

ACUMA's monthly international higher education news summary is now available for September 2010.

The monthly international education news summary covers issues affecting international students, news in overseas education markets, and general education news items from outside Australia and New Zealand.


The monthly education news summaries can also be downloaded from the ACUMA website in pdf format.

Technology in higher education: September 2010 news summary

Technology in higher education: September 2010 news summary

ACUMA has published the monthly technology in education news summary for September 2010, providing summarised links to articles in the Australian, New Zealand and international press dealing with technology issues and developments faced by universities and other tertiary education institutions.

The September Technology and Higher Education news summary covers a range of items including ebooks, ereaders, social media and Google developments impacting on higher education, where applicable in the Australian and/or New Zealand context.


ACUMA Higher Education News Summaries can also be downloaded from the ACUMA Incorporated website in pdf format.

Thursday, September 30, 2010

Winners: 2010 ACUMA Awards for Excellence in Campus Service

2010 ACUMA Awards for Excellence in Campus Service: the winners

The 2010 ACUMA Awards for Excellence in Campus Service were presented at the CampusLink Conference & Trade Fair event dinner evening in Perth, Western Australia, on Monday 27th September.

Competing across two membership categories - Categories 1,2 & 3 being those organisations with an annual turnover of less than $5million, and Categories 4, 5 & 6 being those with turnover of more than $5million - ACUMA members were recognised for their innovations and effectiveness in providing services and facilities to the more than 1 million Australian and New Zealand students on their campuses.

Winners of the 2010 ACUMA Awards were as follows:

ACUMA Member Categories 1, 2 & 3: Winners

Newspaper / Magazine / E-Newsletter

Student Diary

Annual Report

Orientation Handbook

Website

Handbill / Flyer

Promotional Clothing / Product

Promotional Brochure / Poster

New / Refurbished Facility

Student Development Program

Community Outreach Program

ACUMA Member Categories 4, 5 & 6: Winners and Runners-up

Newspaper / Magazine / E-Newsletter

Student Diary

Annual Report

Orientation Handbook
1st place : Arc@UNSW Ltd

Website

Handbill / Flyer

Promotional Clothing / Product

Promotional Brochure / Poster

New / Refurbished Facility

Staff Development Program
1st place : Arc@UNSW Ltd

Student Development Program

Community Outreach Program

For more information on the ACUMA Awards, on ACUMA activities in higher education and for sponsorship and participation opportunities in the campus services sector in Australia and New Zealand, contact ACUMA Administration:

Email : contact (@) acuma.org.au
Fax: +61 03 6324 3670

2010 ACUMA Awards for Excellence in Campus Service

2010 ACUMA Awards for Excellence in Campus Service: Runners-up

Australian and New Zealand higher education service organisation award runners-up for 2010, as selected by ACUMA, the peak national body for tertiary campus service organisations

The 2010 ACUMA Awards for Excellence in Campus Service were presented at the CampusLink Conference & Trade Fair event dinner evening in Perth, Western Australia, on Monday 27th September.

Competing across two membership categories - Categories 1,2 & 3 being those organisations with an annual turnover of less than $5million, and Categories 4, 5 & 6 being those with turnover of more than $5million - ACUMA members were recognised for their innovations and effectiveness in providing services and facilities to the more than 1 million Australian and New Zealand students on their campuses.

Runners-up were as follows:

ACUMA Member Categories 1, 2 & 3: Runners-up

Newspaper / Magazine / E-Newsletter
2nd place : Adelaide University Union

Student Diary
2nd place : Bendigo Student Association

Annual Report
2nd place : Monash Gippsland Student Union

Orientation Handbook
2nd place : Adelaide University Union

Website
2nd place : Swinburne Student Amenities Association

Handbill / Flyer
2nd place : Adelaide University Union

Promotional Clothing / Product
2nd place : Bendigo Student Association

Promotional Brochure / Poster
2nd place : Swinburne Student Amenities Association

New / Refurbished Facility
2nd place : Services UNE

Student Development Program
2nd place : No Award

Community Outreach Program
2nd place : Monash Gippsland Student Union

ACUMA Member Categories 4, 5 & 6: Runners-up

Newspaper / Magazine / E-Newsletter
2nd place : University of Sydney Union

Student Diary
2nd place : UWA Guild of Undergraduates

Annual Report
2nd place : Arc@UNSW Ltd

Orientation Handbook
2nd place : UTS Union

Website
2nd place : UWSConnect Ltd

Handbill / Flyer
2nd place : University of Queensland Union

Promotional Clothing / Product
2nd place : University of Queensland Union

Promotional Brochure / Poster
2nd place : University of Sydney Union

New / Refurbished Facility
2nd place : UWA Guild of Undergraduates

Staff Development Program
2nd place : University of Queensland Union

Student Development Program
2nd place : Arc@UNSW Ltd

Community Outreach Program
2nd place : Arc@UNSW Ltd

For more information on the ACUMA Awards, on ACUMA activities in higher education and for sponsorship opportunities in the campus services sector in Australia and New Zealand, contact ACUMA Administration:

Email : contact@acuma.org.au
Fax: +61 03 6324 3670

Wednesday, September 8, 2010

ACUMA press releases: Australasian Higher Education

ACUMA press releases: Australasian Higher Education

ACUMA press releases, detailing Australian and New Zealand higher education developments and activities, are posted online via PRLog.org.

The ACUMA pressroom on PRLog can be found at http://pressroom.prlog.org/acumainc/.

Recent posts have included press releases outlining the 2010 Campus Link Conference & Trade Fair, the single largest gathering in the southern hemisphere of professionals serving the non-academic campus experience of higher education students in Australasia.

Also announced recently have been the monthly higher education news summaries for August 2010, alongside the planned launch of a public version of the ACUMA member-only daily email lists.

Long-time supporter of ACUMA, Mr Lowan Sist, formerly of Melbourne University Student Union Ltd (MUSUL) has also been profiled in recent months, following his departure.

More information on ACUMA Incorporated can be found at http://www.acuma.org.au.

Monday, September 6, 2010

Higher education email lists: Australia, New Zealand

Higher education email lists: Australia, New Zealand

ACUMA to open higher education email lists to public subscription

Currently available to ACUMA Incorporated member organisations only, ACUMA's daily email lists will shortly be open to public subscription.

Whilst maintaining a direct benefit to the ACUMA membership by remaining daily for members only, the public lists will provide a once-weekly digest of news items collected during each week. As with the current daily higher education news email lists, the weekly public digests will cover:
  • General higher ed news;
  • International higher ed news, and news regarding international students; and
  • Technology affecting, or with likely impact on, higher education.
As with the daily ACUMA member email lists, these public digests will, where applicable, be focussed on tertiary education in Australia and New Zealand; this is, however, by no means exclusive, as can be seen by viewing ACUMA's higher education news archives.

To register your interest in receiving one or more of the public education email lists, sign up using the ACUMA website contact page.


Technology and higher education: August 2010 news summary

Technology and higher education: August 2010 news summary

ACUMA has published the monthly higher education news summaries for August 2010, covering three broad subject areas; the third of these, dealing with technology news in, or likely to impact on, higher education, is detailed below.

Technology impacting on higher education in August 2010

Covering items in the press dealing with technology having a direct impact on higher education, or technology developments with ramifications for the delivery of both education services, and the campus facilities and services supporting students.

Whilst focussing on Australian and New Zealand education, items covered are by no means exclusive to Australasia:
The technology news summary aims to provide links to timely items, both in and relating to tertiary education. Items may include, for example, coverage of implementation of Google Apps or Microsoft Live@edu in Australia or New Zealand, the growth of e-readers and e-books in an educational context, and the trialling of iPads in teaching.

Summaries contain links to full articles reported or produced in August 2010, and provide title and sourcing for each.

Higher education news archives

ACUMA's education news summaries are archived in the following locations:

International higher education news summary: August 2010

International higher education news summary: August 2010

ACUMA has published the monthly news summary dealing with higher education news on the international stage. This, and other, summaries dealing with issues in education, can be viewed in a number of formats, as detailed later in this post.

International higher education news in August 2010

The international education news summary covers items reported in the press dealing with higher education on the international stage, and focusses where applicable on issues with a direct or likely impact on the international aspects of higher education as administered in Australia and New Zealand.

The international summary also covers, where possible, issues and events impacting on international students, both in Australia and New Zealand, and as experience overseas.
The international education news summary provides links to timely items relating to tertiary education internationally. This may include policy commentary, opinion and coverage of specific international student bodies and events.

Summaries contain links to full articles reported in August 2010, and provide title and sourcing for each.

International education news archives

ACUMA's international education news summaries are also archived for past months and years in the following locations:

Higher education news summaries: August 2010

Higher education news summaries: August 2010

ACUMA has published the monthly higher education news summaries for August 2010, covering three broad subject areas; the first of these, general higher education news, is outlined below.

General higher education news in August 2010

Covering items in the press dealing with higher education broadly, and focussing where applicable on Australian and New Zealand tertiary education issues:
Where applicable, the education news summaries focus on Australia and New Zealand; items on the international education stage are also covered, however, as are items with broad, rather than specific, relevance.

The higher education news summary aims to provide links to timely items, both in and relating to tertiary education. This includes education policy commentary, coverage of campus developments, projected activity and tertiary education events.

Summaries contain links to full articles reported or produced in August 2010, and provide title and sourcing for each.

Higher education news archives

ACUMA's education news summaries are archived in the following locations:

Sunday, August 22, 2010

Mr Lowan Sist, former MUSUL CEO

Mr Lowan Sist, MUSUL CEO

Lowan Sist, past Chief Executive Officer of Students At Macquarie (now Macquarie University Campus Life), recently stepped down from the role of Chief Executive Officer of Melbourne University Student Union Ltd (MUSUL).

Lowan has been, and intends to continue being, an active volunteer member of the Country Fire Authority, and is a strong supporter of his local community generally.

Whilst at the University of Melbourne, Mr Sist established, amongst other initiatives, strong sustainability practices and protocols aimed at the reduction of water usage and greenhouse gas emissions. In 2009, an 8% decrease in water consumption and energy usage across MUSUL was recorded, a not insignificant reduction.

This was achieved using a number of methods:
  • monitoring the use of food storage chillers
  • tighter control of air control handling system
  • relamping lighting with low-energy bulbs
  • reprogramming fan coil units for efficient use; and
  • reducing temperature set points.
In addition, Mr Sist was responsible for introducing a range of new policies, procedures and standards in financial accountability throughout the Union's activities. He was also responsible for the commencement of the development process for MUSUL's facilities and retail planning.

Mr Sist's activities as CEO of Melbourne University Student Union were instrumental in rebuilding the credibility of the Student Union following a fallow period prior to Lowans' appointment.

Lowan Sist is to be congratulated on his achievements whilst at Melbourne University Student Union, and we wish him all the very best in his future activities.

Wednesday, August 18, 2010

Campus Link: Higher Education Campus Service Conference & Trade Fair

Campus Link: Higher Education Campus Service Conference & Trade Fair

Session details are now available for the ACUMA component of the Campus Link Conference and Trade Fair. This event is the premier gathering of professionals managing the non-academic experience of higher education students on campuses in Australia and New Zealand, and provides:
  • Professional development sessions;
  • Information exchange; and
  • Networking opportunities.
ACUMA sessions and speakers at the Campus Link Conference include:

1) Volunteering
Presented by Dr Ron Edwards, Chair of the Australian Government Third Sector Advisory Group and Paul Lynch, President of Volunteering Australia.

2) Finance
Presented by Michael Ward of Elliotts Group, the Finance session will address the criteria for exemptions, rebates and concessions in relation to income tax, payroll tax, fringe benefits tax and GST.

3) Information Technology
Presented by Ben Smit, Bias Technologies, the IT session will cover using IT to manage administrative functions and student involvement.

4) Human Resources
The session will address Award compliance, staff classifications, position descriptions, remuneration and performance management.

5) Evidence-based Feedback on Student Experience

These sessions, combined with the Tertiary Access Group Trade Fair, and the TAG and AACA professional development sessions make this event the best-value conference in the higher education sector in Australia and New Zealand.

Details, including registration and information on Perth, Western Australia, can be found via the ACUMA website at http://www.acuma.org.au/.


Wednesday, August 4, 2010

Higher education news summaries for July 2010

Higher education news in July 2010

- Australian and New Zealand higher ed news
- International education news, and international student issues
- Technology news impacting on higher education

ACUMA have published the tertiary education news summaries for July 2010, providing links to education-related items in the press. Where applicable, items cover campus services, university-level education and the student experience in Australian and New Zealand.

General higher education news
International education news
Technology news impacting on education
The news summaries linked to above are also available to download in pdf format from the ACUMA website; please visit the 'higher education news in Australia and New Zealand' pages in the ACUMA Resource Library.


Friday, July 30, 2010

ACUMA Incorporated Strategic Alliances

ACUMA: Strategic alliances in the Australian higher education student experience

ACUMA has a number of strategic alliances in place with other peak bodies in the higher education campus services sector in Australia and New Zealand.

These alliances allow for industry-level cooperation and coordination, and comprehensive coverage of all aspects of the non-academic lives of Australian and New Zealand university and higher education students.

ACUMA ally & sponsor: The Tertiary Access Group (TAG)

TAG is a buying cooperative which aims, through combined negotiation of supply contracts, to benefit member organisations in the campus services landscape.

TAG also provide the Trade Fair element to the 2010 Conference event, Australia's premier gathering of professionals and decision-makers in the non-academic lives of university and other higher education students.
ACUMA sponsor: The University Co-operative Bookshop

With more than 40 bookshops across Australia and with a membership of more than one million, the Co-op Bookshop is the single largest provider of higher education learning materials in Australia.
ACUMA ally: The Australasian Association of Campus Activities (AACA)

AACA are the peak body for staff and students responsible for organising many of the activities and events enjoyed by higher education students across Australia.

Through four flagship events covering student music, student film, student arts and student entertainment, AACA provide university and TAFE students with the opportunity to compete on both the local and national stage.
ACUMA ally: Australian University Sport (AUS)

Australian University Sport are a long-time ally of ACUMA Incorporated, providing peak representation in the field of university student sports in Australia.

AUS and ACUMA jointly commissioned what is, to date, the only study of the impact of Voluntary Student Unionism (VSU) legislation on the non-academic services and facilities provided to students in Australia.

The Australian University Sport UniGames provide, through state-based heats which feed into a national final event, students with the opportunity to compete at the highest level. The 2010 UniGames final events phase and closing ceremony take place in Perth in the week of the 2010 Conference.

Wednesday, July 28, 2010

2010 ACUMA Conference: Perth, West Australia

Australasia's premier higher education campus services event

The ACUMA Conference this year takes place in Perth, West Australia, from September 27th to September 29th, and once again features development opportunities for professionals in the higher education campus service industry.

Through strategic partnership with the Tertiary Access Group (formerly the ACUMA Buying Cooperative Ltd) and the Australasian Association of Campus Activities (AACA), this event represents the premier gathering of decision-makers in the non-academic lives of students in the southern hemisphere.

Elements of the 2010 Conference
  • The ACUMA Incorporated Conference

    The ACUMA Conference provides a range of sessions, specifically catered to the needs of professionals working in campus services in higher education in Australia and New Zealand.

    Sessions in the annual ACUMA Conference section of this combined industry event provide professional development, information exchange, referral and networking opportunities.

    Professional development sessions scheduled for this years' conference cover the following headings, focussing on the core activities underlying the overall management and decision-making roles of the ACUMA membership:

    - Human Resources;
    - Information Technology;
    - Finance; and
    - Student engagement, gauging student opinion

    More information on ACUMA Incorporated
  • The Tertiary Access Group Trade Fair

    TAG is a national buying co-operative serving the University and TAFE sector in Australia, offering the benefits of group purchasing and negotiation in order to secure the best available prices, discounts and terms of sale on goods and services sourced by member organisations.

    TAG provide information sessions, product presentations and the Trade Fair aspect of the combined event, providing supplier contact directly with operations, retail and catering management staff.

    More information on TAG
Australian University Sport 2010 UniGames

The event is also timed in consultation with strategic partner, Australian University Sport, to coincide with the final events phase of the 2010 UniGames, with the Conference taking place in Perth in the same week as the final events and closing ceremony of the UniGames.

2010 Conference Registration

As in previous years, online registration has been kindly provided by the Tertiary Access Group via the TAG website, with the following options available:
More information on the 2010 Conference

2010 ACUMA Awards for Excellence in Campus Service

The 2010 ACUMA Awards for Excellence are now open to submissions

The ACUMA Awards are an annual awards program which recognises and congratulates excellence in innovation, design, production and implementation of the services and products provided to Australian and New Zealand students by ACUMA member organisations.

The ACUMA Awards are also a showcase of campus service organisation staff skills and talents, without which the higher education landscape, as experienced by higher education students in Australia and New Zealand, would be a vastly less engaging environment.

General ACUMA Award categories

The main body of the ACUMA Awards covers the categories below and, in 2010, has expanded to provide recognition based on the size of ACUMA member organisations.

Submissions are judged independently, and aim to recognise the best in the following categories:
  • Newspaper / Magazine / E-Newsletter
  • Student Diary
  • Annual Report
  • Orientation Handbook
  • Website
  • Handbill / Flyer
  • Promotional Clothing / Product
  • Promotional Brochure / Poster
  • New / Refurbished Facility
  • Staff Development Program
  • Student Development Program
  • Community Outreach Program

  • General ACUMA Awards details

2010 Joe Curtis Memorial Award

The Joe Curtis Memorial Award is intended to assist ACUMA member organisations in extending their professional development opportunities either through subsidised attendance of ACUMA partner organisations events, or to research activities of relevance to the provision and development of campus services and the student experience generally.
2010 Georgeson-Torney Award

The Georgeson Torney award is named after Michael Georgeson, Secretary / Manager of UTS Union and Michael Torney, General Manager of Latrobe University Union, for their commitment and outstanding service to the Australasian Campus Union profession over many years.

The criterion for this ACUMA award is that it be given to an outstanding member of staff who is dedicated and committed to the provision of outstanding campus service for members of their respective campus service organisation.

2010 ACUMA Awards deadline for submissions

The deadline for receipt of all submissions to the ACUMA Awards is 5pm Friday August 27th 2010; addresses for Award submissions to be sent to vary depending on the Award in question, and ACUMA members are advised to download the associated ACUMA Awards documentation.

Sunday, July 4, 2010

Technology news with higher education impact, June 2010 summary

Technology news with higher education impact, June 2010 summary
- Australia and New Zealand focus

ACUMA has published the June technology news summary for Australia and New Zealand, featuring links to items covering developments likely to have an impact on education, immediately or in the foreseeable future:
Past monthly summaries can also be browsed by visiting the main ACUMA Incorporated profile pages:
As with previous summaries, articles are listed by title, with brief introductory text and a link to the original source.

For information on ACUMA Incorporated and its activities in the higher education campus service sector in Australia and NZ, in the first instance visit the ACUMA website at http://www.acuma.org.au

International higher education news summary, June 2010

International higher education news summary, June 2010
- Australia and New Zealand focus

ACUMA has published the June international higher ed news summary, covering issues in higher education outside Australia and New Zealand:
Past monthly summaries can also be browsed by visiting the main ACUMA Incorporated profile pages:
As with previous summaries, articles are listed by title, with brief introductory text and a link to the original source.

For information on ACUMA Incorporated and its activities in the higher education campus service sector in Australia and NZ, in the first instance visit the ACUMA website at http://www.acuma.org.au

Higher education news summaries for June 2010

Higher education news summary for June 2010
- Australia and New Zealand focus

ACUMA has published the June higher education news summary for Australia and New Zealand on Scribd.com and Issuu.com:
Past monthly summaries can also be browsed by visiting the main ACUMA Incorporated profile pages:
As with previous summaries, articles are listed by title, with brief introductory text and a link to the original source.

For information on ACUMA Incorporated and its activities in the higher education campus service sector in Australia and NZ, in the first instance visit the ACUMA website at http://www.acuma.org.au

Tuesday, June 22, 2010

Mr Lowan Sist, CEO MU Student Union, moves on

CEO of University of Melbourne's MU Student Union Ltd, Mr Lowan Sist, moves on

Mr Lowan Sist, long-time Chief Executive Officer of MU Student Union Ltd at Australia's University of Melbourne, has announced his intention to move on from the position.

Lowan's contribution to the student experience at Melbourne University included successfully navigating a course for the Union through the implementation of Voluntary Student Unionism legislation, and the post-VSU landscape.

From 2004 to June 2010, Lowan Sist developed and revised all organisational policy and procedures, and implemented a strategic and operational plan, which included an environmental sustainabitity plan for the Union.

Additionally, Lowan guided the development of retail spaces, retail planning and student-focused space development. In the course of his activities as MUSUL CEO, Mr Sist has developed the respect of peers within the university, University of Melbourne students and the MUSUL Board.

MU Student Union have been a long-term participant in ACUMA Incorporated's activities in the Australasian campus service industry and, under Lowan's guidance, in 2005 hosted ACUMA's annual conference dinner event.

ACUMA Incorporated would like to congratulate Lowan Sist on his achievements during his time at the University of Melbourne, and wish him all the best in his future endeavours.

Higher education news: 23/06/2010

Higher education news, relevant to broad campus service delivery in Australia and New Zealand. Items outlined below are linked direct to article sources, and are presented here as reference information only.

General higher education news:

Peter Coaldrake wary of CMU record
The Australian
"South Australia's financial support for US-based Carnegie Mellon University's Adelaide campus is coming under fresh scrutiny with Universities Australia chairman Peter Coaldrake warning..."

Disadvantaged by official criteria
The Australian
" 'High risk, low impact' is the epitaph to abortive political strategy. It may also be the legacy of Labor's higher education revolution unless..."

Overseas student market at risk
The Australian
"The threat to universities from a significant downturn in international students is real and immigration needs to better refine its visa integrity."

Sector calls for government to kill visa bill
The Australian
"PhD candidate Umut Ozguc is afraid she will have to leave Australia under proposed visa changes."

Tertiary funding focus flawed
Stuff.co.nz
"As the vice-chancellor of Victoria University, I have the advantage of being able to see first-hand the potential of New Zealand's best and brightest. I also see first-hand..."

On track to deliver world-class tertiary learning for all
The Australian
"It is misleading to suggest the government has ignored Bradley's advice on higher education. The Rudd government was elected with an ambitious agenda and central to that agenda was our education revolution."

International higher education news:

Special exchange
The Standard - Hong Kong
"This year, 39 Hong Kong and 38 Australian students will be swapping countries as part of the Endeavour Australia Cheung Kong awards. The fund aims to promote educational exchange opportunities for students between Asia and Australia and to..."

Indian outreach has its problems
"Here's an idea for a vice-chancellor who likes to see the staff sweat: tell the director of student services to prepare for a partnership with the University of Pune in India, the one with more than one million students."
The Australian

Universities’ outside work pulls in £3bn
The Sunday Times - UK
"Record revenues from business partners and selling services to the public sector buck the economy’s recessionary trend."

Technology developments likely to impact on education:

Is email really going away?
MediaBistro.com
"Email is going the way of the dodo, according to Facebook COO Sheryl Sandberg. Only 11% of teens use email daily, preferring instead..."

A Google Paid Content System For Publishers May Be Coming By Year-End
PaidContent.org
"Google (NSDQ: GOOG), which had hinted for nearly a year now that it was working on building some sort of paid content system for publishers, is reportedly set to launch..."

How Teens Watch: The Future (of Media) is in Their Hands
The Nielsen Company
"In the U.S., young people’s media usage is markedly different from that of older generations but is likely to converge with..."