Deans Diversity and Inclusion Excellence Awards
The D&I Excellence Awards recognise and celebrate individuals and groups who have made exceptional contributions to further the strategic objectives of FBE’s D&I agenda
As a new addition to the annual Deans’ Excellence Awards, the D&I Excellence Awards were established in 2022 to recognise and celebrate individuals and groups who have made exceptional contributions to further the strategic objectives of FBE’s D&I agenda. Establishing the D&I Excellence Awards highlights our commitment and ambition expressed in the D&I strategy and stated in the FBE/MBSL Joint Vision and Strategic Framework as: “we will lead by example in creating diverse and inclusive environments.”
The Awards showcase our commitment to promoting and rewarding D&I to our internal and external stakeholders, reaffirms our joint EQUIS and AACSB accreditations and our commitment to the PRME. The Awards also promote the Faculty’s awareness of the importance to advance D&I in practice.
There are three categories of award with the following winners this year as follows:
Thought Leadership and Intellectual Contribution
Dr Jan Kabatek (MI)
Using population-level register data, Jan sheds light on several critical and highly contentious questions pertaining to LGBTIQ+ people and their outcomes. The Selection Panel was particularly impressed by Jan’s efforts in broadcasting the research by TV, newspapers, as well as academic/professional outlets, with concrete outcomes to influence policy design.
Promoting D&I
There are two winners under this category for 2022.
Associate Professor Melissa Laird (MSPACE)
The Selection Panel was impressed by the whole career/role approach through “MSPACE De-colonising Curriculum Project” and Melissa’s efforts throughout her career as a senior academic leader in promoting and celebrating D&I through numerous programs, initiatives, etc. with a special focus on Indigenous sovereignty and special consideration for Indigenous students.
sheCommerce Team
consisting of Associate professor Mei Dong, Samantha Fossey, Cody Moore, Dr Victoria Roberts, and Dr Zhen Shi.
sheCommerce is an immersive and academic enrichment program for Year 9-12 high school students who identify as women or non-binary and are passionate about leadership and pursuing a career where they can impact change. The program has been designed to address the underrepresentation of women among the BCom student population. The Selection Panel was impressed by the well-designed approach sheCommerce Team applied to recruit students and the innovative pedagogical approaches in the delivery of the program.
For example, the Management Session applied an arts-based experience, with students visiting the Emu Sky Exhibition held here on campus. There, they participated in a drawing activity to raise awareness of the role of perspective-taking in ethical leadership and stakeholder management. The interactive Economics session saw students participating in two economics games: a prisoner’s dilemma game and an auction game. Through the games, students learned the basics of game theory and the relationship between money and prices. In the Finance session, the students were placed in a trading room at the Spot, and given access to global equity shares via Refinitiv Workspace and observed real-time ASX stock trading. They participated in a portfolio choice game, where they analysed company financial and accounting data and formed their own investment portfolio, and they learned key financial theories such as diversification and value investing.
The successful delivery of the program highlights a high-quality collaboration of academics, professional staff, and current BCom student mentors, which showcases the collegiality and teamwork spirit of the Faculty.
Inclusive Pedagogy
not awarded in 2022