CDU grads big day on Friday
For hundreds of graduands participating in Charles Darwin University’s graduation ceremonies tomorrow (Friday, 12 October), the hard work and effort is about to pay off.
Almost 1100 students will receive awards across a broad range of vocational and higher education qualifications.
Ten PhDs will be awarded for research ranging from the impact of climate change on cultural heritage sites to the burden of rheumatic fever on young Aboriginal people in remote locations.
CDU alumnus, Kevin Kadirgamar will give the Occasional Address at the morning ceremony. Mr Kadirgamar was awarded the 2015 Australian Young Lawyer Award for his pro bono work on migration and refugee legal matters.
Kathy Guthadjaka will be recognised as an Honorary Doctor of Education for her lifelong dedication to the education of Yolŋu people and will present the Occassional Address at the afternoon ceremony.
Also known as Gotha, Dr Guthadjaka’s work in the formation of bilingual and intercultural education is known throughout Australia and stems from her passionate belief that children who form a strong, clan-based identity will be able to take their place confidently in Australian society.
For more than 45 years Dr Guthadjaka has championed bilingual education success at Galiwin’ku and has established a return-to-country community for her own Warramiri clan. Both of these significant community development programs took vision, resilience and decades of negotiation to achieve.
She is continuing to revitalise the Warramiri language and culture through the Australian Literacy and Numeracy Foundation, and her work as Senior Research Fellow and Elder on Country at CDU’s Northern Institute.
The ceremony for the College of Engineering, IT and Environment, College of Health and Human Sciences, College of Nursing and Midwifery, Menzies School of Health Research; Faculty of Vocational Education and Training School of Community and Children’s Services, School of Primary Industries, and School of Trades will be held at 11am.
Graduands from the College of Business and Law, College of Education, College of Indigenous Futures, Arts and Sciences, and the Faculty of Vocational Education and Training School of Tourism, Hospitality and Service Industries will be recognised at the ceremony starting at 5pm.
The ceremonies will be held at the Darwin Convention Centre.