Cotutelle Framework Agreement signed with Mahidol University

Last month, Professor Sakkie Pretorius, Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Research), warmly welcomed Nopraenue Sajjarax Dhirathiti, Vice President for International Relations and Corporate Communication at Mahidol University, Thailand. They came together to sign the Cotutelle Framework Agreement.

This new agreement builds on the existing research collaborations between the two universities and the joint research initiatives led by Macquarie’s Graduate Research Academy. Under this agreement, doctoral candidates from both universities may continue to apply and enrol in the cotutelle program, fostering academic exchange. While visiting Macquarie, the delegation from Mahidol University also attended the Australian Newborn Hearing Screening workshop organised by the Australian Hearing Hub.

---

From L to R: Michael Newman, Investment NSW; Georgina Beattie, Department of Regional NSW; David Gainsford, NSW Department of Planning and Environment; the Honourable Anoulack Chanthivong MP, Minister for Industry and Trade; Mr Taewoo Lee, Consulate-General of the Republic of Korea; Liz Livingstone, NSW Treasury; Dr Sung-Young Kim, Macquarie School of Social Sciences; Injae Hwang, Korea Trade-Investment Promotion Agency Sydney; Tim Wong, Investment NSW

Collaboration at the Korea-NSW Business Forum

On 19 July, the Consulate-General of the Republic of Korea in Sydney, in collaboration with Investment NSW, organised the 2023 Korea-NSW Business Forum in Sydney. Dr Sung-Young Kim from the Macquarie School of Social Sciences moderated the panel, which featured senior members of the NSW Government discussing the topic ‘Economic Policy, Trade and Investment under the new NSW Government’. Consulate-General Taewoo Lee opened the forum, and the keynote address was delivered by Minister for Industry and Trade Anoulack Chanthivong. The forum provided an opportunity to find out about the latest developments in the NSW economy and engage in discussions about promising areas of collaboration between Korea and New South Wales.

---

Noel Pearson leads discussion at Macquarie University on the Voice to Parliament

On 27 July, the Radical Centre Reform Lab at Macquarie University Law School hosted a Q&A discussion on the upcoming referendum on Indigenous constitutional recognition through a Voice to Parliament.

Noel Pearson, one of Australia’s most eminent orators and authors, initiated the conversation with an opening keynote address covering the historical and political journey for constitutional recognition, the Uluru Statement from the Heart and an explanation of what Australians are being asked to vote on via the referendum later this year.

For a Q&A discussion on the topic, Mr Pearson was joined by Dr Shireen Morris, Senior Lecturer at the Macquarie Law School and Director of the Radical Centre Reform Lab, and Gary Field, a proud Wiradjuri man and Operations Manager at Barang Regional Alliance (pictured above). The event was hosted by Professor Leanne Holt, Pro Vice-Chancellor of Indigenous Strategy, and partnered with the Macquarie Business School and the Macquarie Minds and Intelligence Initiative. The in-person event was also live-streamed.

Click here to watch the recording.

---

Macquarie hosts important discussions about the road to net zero

On 26 July, Professor Myles Allen from the University of Oxford, often referred to as “the physicist behind net zero”, was hosted by the Macquarie University’s Transforming Energy Markets (TEM) Research Centre and Smart Green Cities Research Centre.

Professor Allen was the guest of honour at a fascinating event titled ‘Geological Net Zero: How to stop fossil fuels from causing global warming’.

After a welcome by Professor Eric Knight, Executive Dean of the Macquarie Business School, and TEM Director Professor Stefan Trueck, Professor Allen outlined his ideas for a pathway to geological net zero – a state in which, for every tonne of carbon dioxide still generated from fossil sources, one tonne is permanently restored to the geosphere or solid earth.

The presentation was followed by the panel discussion ‘Net Zero and the Transition of Australian Electricity Markets’ hosted by Emeritus Professor Lesley Hughes. The panel included views from Professor Allen and three Australian energy market experts: Dani Alexander, CEO of UNSW Energy Institute; Professor Vladimir Strezov, Macquarie School of Natural Sciences; and Dr Madeline Taylor, Co-Director of TEM and Director of Research Training at the Macquarie Law School.

The panel discussed various aspects of how Australia will be able to achieve net zero, as well as challenges such as energy justice and the fossil fuel lobby. They also explored what individuals can do to contribute to a successful transition.

“The takeaway for me,” said Professor Trueck, “is that we need a carbon management approach to stop fossil fuels from causing global warming, and we need it before the world stops using fossil fuels if we are to achieve net zero.”

Thank you to everyone who attended the event and made it a success.

---

Staff engaging with a presentation at the Learning and Teaching Festival

Professional development at Learning and Teaching Festival

At Macquarie University College’s recent Learning and Teaching Festival, staff from the offices and faculties gathered to share their wisdom on the first year of teaching and transition. Professor Taryn Jones, Pro Vice-Chancellor (Education) opened the festival, which focussed on belonging, confidence, defining academic and personal success, support within and beyond the classroom, and cultivating independence.

---

 

National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Children’s Day

In the lead-up to National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Children’s Day on 4 August, Aunty Trish and Carol Dixon from Walanga Muru enjoyed engaging with early childhood educational centres, where they shared Creation (Dreaming) stories. This week’s story was The Brolga and the Frog from the Purnululu community in Western Australia. The story was followed by an activity where the children made puppets featuring the Brolga and the Frog characters.

Ella, an early childhood teacher from the Morning Buds Early Learning Centre, reports that the children “displayed great interest during the story and were eager to participate in creating their puppets of the characters in the story. In fact, the whole day, the children continued to use their puppets to re-enact the dreamtime narrative.”