Two Notre Dame staff members receive Professional Development Scholarship

Document Type

Media Release

Publication Date

Fall 6-5-2009

Publisher Name

The University of Notre Dame, Fremantle Campus

Publication Place

Fremantle

Abstract

Two staff members from The University of Notre Dame Australia’s Fremantle Campus each recently won a $5000 scholarship for study or conference purposes.

Ms Rashmi Watson, Coordinator of Professional Development (Teaching and Learning), Coordinator of the Graduate Certificate in University Teaching and Senior Lecturer in Education and Professor Richard Berlach, Associate Dean (Teaching), School of Education, were the recipients of the scholarships.

The scholarships, funded by the Perth Convention Bureau, were offered exclusively to each of the universities in Perth. They cover travel, accommodation and registration expenses to a maximum of the scholarship awarded.

The Professional Development Scholarship recognises the dedication of those who give outstanding services to their profession, trade or special interest organisations.

Ms Watson will be using the $5000 to attend the '34th International Conference on Improving University Teaching' in Vancouver, Canada in July 2009.

“In my role as Teaching and Learning Coordinator, the conference will have long term benefits to Notre Dame academic staff.”

The conference will cover creative and innovative initiatives in higher education through seminars, round table discussions and digital showcasing.

“It will extend networking opportunities between Notre Dame and international colleagues involved in improving pedagogy in higher education,” said Ms Watson.

“I am thrilled to be awarded this opportunity and look forward to sharing my experiences and knowledge on my return.”

Professor Berlach will use the scholarship to attend a conference of the ‘International Society for Teacher Education’ in Sweden in 2011 to promote the 2012 conference for which the School of Education has put in a bid to host.

“Putting together our bid to host a major conference would have been impossible without the Bureau’s extensive expertise. Should our bid be successful, academic, economic and social benefits to the state will be considerable,” said Professor Berlach.

“The Perth Convention Bureau’s initiative of extending the Professional Development Scholarship to universities is most welcome. It affords academics the opportunity not only to showcase the work in which they are currently involved but also rewards their efforts.”

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