Networks
Click buttons to explore the ABDC's Networks and Awards
International Education Network
The ABDC International Network is a forum for sharing ideas and knowledge about what constitutes good practice in the areas of international recruitment, mobility, research and teaching and learning.
The network meets at least twice a year.
In the video below, former Network Chair, Professor Michaelia Rankin, describes the Network’s value, activities and challenges.
The contribution of international education to Australia
Many international students go on to create businesses in Australia after they graduate.
In the videos below we profile a couple of success stories from International student entrepreneurs.
Job Makers
Digital Crew
Digital Crew, an international digital marketing agency, is part of the our series of business school international graduates who have created businesses and jobs in Australia.
Our International Graduates Create New Businesses
Mo Works and Hatchquarter
As part of the ABDC series about international graduates who have created businesses and jobs in Australia, is this profile of the international digital agency, Mo Works, and the incubator, Hatch Quarter.
Professional Managers’ Network
- Supporting ABDC’s advocacy in influencing higher education public policy and practice on network relevant issues affecting business education. This involves monitoring developments, drafting documents and providing advice to ABDC on issues, international trends, and best practice.
- Promoting professional capabilities development through sharing knowledge on current issues and best practice, and providing an engaged collegial network of support.
- Facilitating a national, collaborative and strategic approach to systemic change that pursues excellence in business faculties, colleges, and schools across Australia (in areas relevant to the network).
Business Academic Research Directors’ Network (BARDsNet)
The Australian Business Deans Council (ABDC) and the Australia and New Zealand Academy of Management (ANZAM)jointly established the Business Academic Research Directors’ Network (BARDsNet).
In this turbulent time for research funding performance, training places, commercialisation and other research-related issues, BARDsNet exists to:
- Provide a learning platform for the people who have line responsibility for administering research in business faculties and schools.
- Enhance the research capacities of business faculties and schools through identifying and implementing new strategies and ideas.
- Act, where appropriate, to influence research policy, which enhances research infrastructure in Australia and New Zealand.
- Identify collaborative ways of working together as business academic research directors across Australia and New Zealand.
BARDsNet membership comprises business school or faculty research directors, deans or associate deans (research) in Australia and New Zealand. ABDC member deans must endorse Australian BARDsNet nominations and ANZAM coordinates New Zealand nominations. BARDsNet may also co-opt members for short periods to assist with specific tasks.
BARDsNet plays a key role in overseeing the development and review of the ABDC Journal Quality List that is used by business schools in Australia and overseas. The 2019 review of the list is currently underway.
BARDsNet members meet twice a year.
Professor Tracy Taylor
Chair, BARDsNet Executive Committee
Tracy is the Associate Deputy Vice Chancellor R&I at RMIT University College of Business and Law
Teaching and Learning Network
Professor Yvonne Breyer
Chair, L&T Network Executive Committee
Yvonne is the Deputy Dean, Education and Employability at Macquarie Business School
ABDC Network Awards
The ABDC Annual Network Awards recognise and reward innovation and excellence across all areas of activity within Business Schools – research, teaching and learning, international engagement, professional management, and climate action.
Applications for the 2024 ABDC Network Awards close on 23 September.
Network Award Categories
ABDC Award for Innovation and Excellence in International Engagement
This award is for initiatives that have enhanced outcomes or improved practice in inbound, outbound or collaborative international education and/or engagement. They may relate to student recruitment, student mobility and research collaborations or teaching and learning partnerships with institutions overseas.
Apply
This Award has a new application deadline of 1 October. To apply, please complete the form at https://forms.gle/WgLT2hRrho56axJfA
Award criteria
The criteria for this award are:
- Innovation: How innovative is the initiative in terms of its objectives, design, approach, delivery and/or content?
- Sustainability/scalability: Can you demonstrate sustainability and/or scalability of the initiative?
- Institutional support: To what extent has your institution/business school demonstrated commitment to the initiative through the provision of support or recognition of its value?
- Value for money: Has the initiative led to efficiency gains on previous practice and provided a return on investment?
- Excellence: What evidence can be provided regarding the underlying excellence of the initiative?
- Societal impact: How has the initiative had a positive impact on the community at large and stakeholders including students, staff and/or industry partners?
2023 winner
Past winners
2022 winner
Sagar Athota, Senior Lecturer, University of Notre Dame
Team member: Associate Professor Sean P. Kearney
For the India Immersion Program, an international service-learning immersion to Tenali, India, that over 100 students have participated in over nine years.
2021 winner
Andrea Haefner, Senior Lecturer & Director of Griffith Asia Business Internship (GABI), Griffith University
For leading the Griffith Asia Business Internship, an interdisciplinary, global work integrated learning course, and pivoting to a remote offering in 2020-21.
ABDC Award for Innovation and Excellence in Scholarly and Applied Research (up to 4 awards)
These awards recognise excellence in scholarly and applied research undertaken in business, management, economics, and related fields of research.
Apply
Applications for this award have now closed. Winners will be announced on 15 November.
Award criteria
Excellence in research will be judged and recognised separately for scholarly and applied work and, in each case, for emerging researchers (up to level C) and established researchers (level D and E). As a result, up to four awards will be made. Applications should clearly indicate the researcher’s level and whether the research that is the basis for their application is scholarly or applied in nature. Group applications will be assessed at the level of the most senior named academic.
The criteria for the research awards are:
- Innovation: How innovative is the research in terms of its aims, design, approach and the gap it fills?
- Excellence: What evidence can be provided regarding the underlying excellence of the research (e.g. the quality of the peer reviewed outlet, unsolicited feedback, testimonials, co-design with research partners, stakeholder feedback etc.)?
- Engagement: Is there evidence of communication of the research to a wide audience (e.g., presentation at conferences, media coverage, conversation articles, evidence of industry collaboration and/or funding, industry or policy briefings etc)?
- Impact: Using objective measures, how has the research positively impacted the field (e.g., significant citations and awards, contribution to the improvement of practices in the industry, government, or the NFP sector).
2023 winners
Past winners
2022 winner
Associate Professor Simon Angus, Department of Economics and SoDa Laboratories, Monash Business School
Team members: Klaus Ackermann and Paul A Raschky
For the Monash IP Observatory — a unique data gathering virtual instrument that is able to passively, safely, remotely and scientifically measure the activity and quality of the internet anywhere on the planet.
2021 overall winner
Professor Alexander Newman, Deakin University
Team members: Karen Dunwoodie, Luke Macaulay, Jo Ingold
For Centre for Refugee Employment, Advocacy, Training and Education (CREATE), which helps people from a refugee background rebuild their careers through access to education and meaningful employment.
2021 highly commended
Associate Professor Michelle Evans, University of Melbourne
Team members: Cain Polidano, Julie Moschion, Marcia Langton
For I-BLADE (Indigenous Business Longitudinal Analysis Data Environment), a partnership between government, data custodians and researchers to measure the significant economic, social, and cultural contributions to Australia made by Indigenous businesses.
New in 2024: ABDC Award for HDR Supervision and Mentoring
This award recognises a scholar who has demonstrates a positive impact on other scholars through their outstanding mentorship, helping others to achieve their career objectives by investing intellectual, social, and personal capital to foster the development of an HDR candidate or mentee. Depending on applications received, up to two awards may be made for HDR supervision specifically and mentoring more broadly.
Apply
Applications for this award have now closed. Winners will be announced on 15 November.
Award criteria
- Intellectual support: Evidence that the scholar helps the mentee or HDR candidate develop ideas constructively (e.g., by brainstorming, offering a sounding board, suggesting a diverse perspective, providing written feedback).
- Social support: Evidence that the scholar helps the mentee or HDR candidate develop a professional network to support their success (e.g., introducing them to others, writing reference letters, suggesting them as co-authors/reviewers/editors).
- Personal support: Evidence that the scholar prioritises the wellbeing and development of the mentee (e.g., encouragement through difficult times, helps maintain self-efficacy, provides perspective or specific career/work strategies).
- Inclusivity: The scholar has an authentic record of inclusive mentorship and supporting diverse mentees.
ABDC Award for Innovation and Excellence in Teaching and Learning
The ABDC Award for Teaching and Learning recognises Australia’s most outstanding university academics in business, management, law, and related fields who have demonstrated leadership through sustained commitment to L&T innovation, quality teaching, and sustained dedication to improve the student experience and learning outcomes in higher education.
Apply
Applications for this award have now closed. Winners will be announced on 15 November.
Award criteria
The criteria for this award are:
- Innovation: How innovative is the initiative in terms of curricula and resources, evaluative practices and delivery that influence, motivate, and inspire students to learn?
- Excellence: What evidence can be provided regarding the underlying excellence of the initiative including scholarship activities and testimonials?
- Collaboration: Is there evidence of partnership with academics and non-academic stakeholders outside the individual’s institution including the industry and/or the community?
- Scalability: What evidence is there that the initiative can be deployed to other disciplines in the business school or university or across business schools?
2023 winner
Past winners
2022 winner
Katrina Mohamed, Senior Lecturer, Monash University
Team members: Robert Brooks, Jacinta Elston, Nick McGuigan, Kathy Ilott, Fiona Bertoli, Karen McRae, John Page, Jamil Tye
For the Masters of Indigenous Business Leadership (MoIBL) program — Australia’s first Indigenous-led business master’s program, co-designed and led by Indigenous business leaders, Elders and business school academics
2021 overall winner
James Wakefield, Senior Lecturer, UTS
Team members: Kristina Vojvoda and Raechel Wight
For utilising technology to facilitate active, collaborative student learning in UTS’ compulsory, first-year accounting course.
2021 highly commended
Nicolas Pontes, Lecturer, The University of Queensland
For Newish Communications, the first student-run and 100% student managed communications agency in Australia.
ABDC Award for Innovation and Excellence in Professional Management
This award recognises initiatives that demonstrably improve the management of ABDC member business schools.
Apply
This Award has a new application deadline of 1 October. To apply, please complete the form at https://forms.gle/zQBxoTuc6qGeHGft9
Award criteria
The criteria for this award are:
- Innovation: How innovative is the initiative in its aims, design and implementation?
- Scalability: Can this initiative be deployed in other areas of the university or at other institutions? For example, beyond the business school there may be evidence of broader institutional support for the initiative.
- Impact: How has this initiative improved management practices in your school? This could be through delivery of cost savings, removing frictions in processes, or contributing to staff and student experience.
2023 winner
Past winners
2022 winner
Lauren Richardson, Librarian, Sydney Business School University of Wollongong
For developing a librarianship skills program for Executive MBA (EMBA) students to develop and sustain study, time management and academic skills.
2021 overall winner
Kym Davis, Manager, Operations, College of Business, Law and Governance, James Cook University
Team members:
- Angela Mehigan (Project Lead)
- Rachel Knight (Project Administration)
For the design and implementation of a trimester teaching timetable across JCU Australia tropical campuses and partner locations in Singapore and Brisbane.
2021 highly commended
Colin Picker, Executive Dean, Faculty of Business and Law, University of Wollongong
Team members:
- Sue Mathews
- Erin Snape
- Michael Grainger
For two COVID-19 response initiatives for international students: Food+ with Care, and RUOK call campaign.
ABDC Award for Transformative Action and Innovative Approaches to Climate Change
The ABDC is committed to assisting business schools to educate the next generation of business leaders about the importance of a net zero future for Australia and to advance research on business responses to climate change. This award recognises transformative initiatives led by business schools with high potential for climate positive and sustainability impacts.
Apply
Applications for this award have now closed. Winners will be announced on 15 November.
Award criteria
The criteria for this award are:
- Innovation: How innovative is the initiative in terms of its aims, design, approach, and delivery?
- Scalability/Replicability: What potential does the initiative have to be scaled up or replicated in other contexts?
- Engagement and/or Collaboration: Is there evidence of engagement and/or collaboration with academic and non-academic stakeholders?
- Transformative Action: How has the initiative had or is expected to have demonstrable positive impacts on climate and society?
2023 winner
Past winners
2022 winner
Associate Professor Jean Canil, Adelaide Business School, University of Adelaide
Additional team members:
- Professor Ralf Zurbrugg
- Dr George Mihaylov
For promoting mechanisms for effective climate-change planning among Australian crop farmers, involving developing a framework for multi-cover derivative insurance for agribusiness.