Skip to Content

Staff Bulletin

Welcome to the Staff Bulletin

Today's Staff Bulletin includes this week's HR newsletter, where academic staff are reminded to reduce their annual leave balances to below 40 days before 1 February 2009. Also, in the lastest edition of the Research Bulletin read about Professor Erol Harvey's appointment to the Future Manufacturing Industry Innovation Council.

Scroll down the page to find out the latest staff news, events and announcements at Swinburne.

Making news this week:

Thursday 4 December 2008

Subscribe to ISR’s free news websites

The Institute of Social Research (ISR) produces three news websites staff may be interested in subscribing to. 

- Launched in October, Inside Story features original journalism, commentary and analysis covering Australian society, politics, culture and international affairs. Subscribe to the free email news alert before 10 December and be in the running to win a $250 Readings bookshop voucher.

- Australian Policy Online has been running for a number of years and features news and reports from leading Australian research centres and institutes. With over 160 member centres and institutes, Australian Policy Online offers readers much of the best Australian social, economic, cultural and political research available online.

- Creative Economy gives research and commentary on the creative industries and their cultural and social impact. The site includes articles from Australian Policy Online, industry groups, consultants and other Australian and international researchers and research organisations.


Back to Top

Centenary campaign calls for contributions

The Alumni and Development Office recently sent information to 55,000 alumni as part of Swinburne’s Centenary Fundraising Campaign. Donations to the university form an integral part of funding for student and research activities, with donors able to nominate the area they would like to contribute to.

Funds raised are used to:
- Increase the Swinburne Student Scholarship Program
- Support vital research
- Contribute to infrastructure developments, including the Advanced Technology Building

Staff can support the fundraising by donating, and encouraging family, friends and alumni to make a donation. Donations can be made by reply paid envelope (#218) or online.


Back to Top

Operation Caulfield Racecourse

Due to the building works underway at the Hawthorn campus, November saw Operation Caulfield Racecourse swing into action, with the majority of Hawthorn students sitting their exams at the racecourse. 

Although a first for Swinburne, hosting academic activities is not new for the Caufield Racecourse with Monash University conducting exams there every year.

Feedback indicates the venue provided a comfortable space for students and staff.  Student Operations would like to thank staff involved for their flexibility and support in accommodating the change. A review is underway of the exam period, which will include an evaluation of Caulfield Racecourse as an exam venue. Feedback should be sent to Janine Aldin at jaldin@swin.edu.au.

Back to Top

Ian Wallace receives inaugural Nova Award

A focus on simplicity and effective teaching methods has resulted in Ian Wallace being awarded the Open Universities Australia (OUA) inaugural Nova Award, for quality and innovation in instructional design.

Ian, from the Faculty of Higher Education, Lilydale, has harnessed the virtual environment of Second Life to foster collaboration between distance online students, who would otherwise have limited methods of working together. He believes Second Life “has enormous potential… it’s going to offer students a better way of learning”.

He also provides his off-campus students with assignment comments via a simple audio file, which gives them comprehensive feedback in a shorter time frame than traditional marking.

The biennial Nova Award celebrates outstanding achievement by an OUA provider in the use of online learning technologies.


Back to Top

New 'Smartpen' released

The Livescribe Pulse Smartpen is now available from the Swinburne Bookshop.

The Smartpen has been designed for meetings and lectures. It features audio and handwriting recording, as well as the ability to connect with a computer to store notes taken during live presentations.

If you missed the demonstration at the Hawthorn Bookshop, view the introductory video.
Back to Top

Dates to Remember

- Remember the Swinburne End of Year Staff Party on Friday 5 December at Albert Park.

- Registration for the International Student Graduations closes at 5pm on Friday 5 December. Staff are invited to the Hawthorn Town Hall to commemorate the achievements of Swinburne's international students, either by participating in the academic procession or sitting in the audience. Register here.

-  Academics and staff involved in developing professional skills in students and giving them feedback are invited to attend the ' What Works When' forum being run by Swinburne Professional Learning (SPL). The forum will be held on Tuesday 9 December, from 9.00am to 4.15pm in AGSE 207 (Hawthorn campus). For registration and further information visit the SPL website.

Back to Top