Inspirational students celebrate end of their studies
Charles Darwin University (CDU) is recognising its first graduates for 2019, with more than 1800 proud undergraduate, postgraduate and vocational education and training (VET) students receiving their hard-earned qualifications today and tomorrow.
Hundreds of students will don their mortarboards and gowns to celebrate their academic and research achievements in front of proud families and friends.
Three ceremonies will be held across two days: the first is this evening when students from the College of Business and Law, the College of Education, the College of Indigenous Futures, Arts and Society and the VET School of Tourism, Hospitality and Service Industries will graduate.
On Friday morning students from the College of Nursing and Midwifery, Menzies School of Health Research and the VET School of Primary Industries and School of Community and Children's Services will be awarded their qualifications.
Friday afternoon students from the College of Health and Human Sciences, College of Engineering, IT and Environment and the VET School of Trades will cross the stage.
More than 650 higher education students will receive their testamurs while 1164 VET students will receive their certificates.
The university’s outstanding higher degree by research is also in the spotlight, with 17 students receiving their doctorates for research, which ranged from the impact of blue carbon to new approaches to treating malaria.
The ceremonies are the first to be presided over by the university’s recently appointed Chancellor, The Hon Paul Henderson AO, who will deliver the Occasional Address.
Mr Henderson will reflect on his own learning experiences that took him from being an apprentice marine fitter in Southampton, the shipbuilding capital of the United Kingdom, to the position of Chief Minister of the Northern Territory.
He will stress the importance of learning and particularly CDU’s role in developing the skilled workforce in the Territory that can support existing and emerging industries.
The Chancellor will highlight the development of the Northern Territory Medical Program as a milestone in CDU’s evolution. The program is a joint activity between CDU and Flinders University and allows students who aspire to careers in medicine to complete their whole degree without the need to leave the Territory.
The May ceremonies are the first of a number of graduation ceremonies to be held this year.