Dean's Letter: The end of Semester 1, 2022

It’s been a big first semester for the Faculty of Business and Economics, made even more special by the return of our students to campus. It makes a big difference having our community back together in person. For those international students still overseas, we really look forward to welcoming you back to campus soon!

We hope you’ve enjoyed the vigour of face-to-face learning as much as we have. You can look forward to more of it next semester. Well done on your willingness to embrace hybrid curriculum delivery, as well. We know there are many benefits to online learning.

As you approach your end-of-semester exams and final assessments, remember you are in a unique position to be learning from some of the most esteemed professors in their field; teachers who bring their pioneering research into the classroom to share their findings with you. Their hope is that you can take these learnings out into the world and make an impact with the education you’ve received at the University of Melbourne upon graduation.

Now is the time to put your heads down and apply what you’ve learnt in tutorials and lectures across the semester and give the last two weeks of study your all. Don’t be afraid to ask for help where you need it. And remember, the semester break is on the horizon where you can enjoy a well-deserved break.

I’d like to acknowledge those students who took home a Dean’s Honours List award last week. It was a great joy to celebrate the highest 3% of our academic achievers, especially for the students being awarded the 2019 and 2020 Commerce Medal, who could not collect their awards due to COVID-19 restrictions.

This week, we are acknowledging National Reconciliation Week. The theme is “Be Brave. Make Change.” Which asks everyone in Australia — individuals, families, communities, organisations and governments—to Be Brave and tackle the unfinished business of reconciliation. I encourage you to engage with the wonderful programs and important research being delivered by the Dilin Duwa Centre for Indigenous Business Leadership. We have so much to learn from our First Nations peers.