Gaythorne’s Cameron Eckersley will graduate from The University of Queensland next week armed with a Bachelor of Environmental Management (BEnvMan) as well as a sharp global outlook thanks to his additional diploma studies.
As well as his Bachelor degree, Cameron concurrently studied a Diploma in Global Issues (DipGI), a program offered through a joint venture of universities including the Universities of Melbourne, British Columbia (Canada), Nottingham (United Kingdom), Lund (Sweden), and Tecnologico de Monterrey (Mexico).
This program considers the cultural, environmental, economic and political dimensions of globalisation to deepen students’ understanding of how these global issues intersect with individuals, societies, and countries.
Program Director Dr Sebastian Kaempf said the diploma program, which is taught through a combination of online and internal courses at UQ and at UQ’s partner universities, has proven to be particularly popular with UQ students whose main university degree would not allow for many elective subjects.
“They feel the desire to deepen their understanding in a wide range of courses that offer a distinctly global dimension to their understanding of the world they live in,” Dr Kaempf said.
Cameron said one of the biggest motivators for him to undertake the Diploma in Global Issues came as a result of his decision to apply for (and ultimately partake in) a semester studying abroad at the University of South Carolina.
While not all of the subjects Cameron took were directly linked to environmental management, he believed some of the other subjects from UQ and its partner institutions broadened his knowledge and understanding.
"Global Citizenship from the University of British Columbia in Canada was very intriguing as it allowed me to develop a more global-centric understanding of a wide variety of issues and the interaction with other international students provided a forum for healthy debate and discussion,” he said.
“Many of the subjects that I took through UQ for the DipGI have contributed in improving my understanding of global issues and challenges that I will likely face as I go out into the professional workforce next year.”
Cameron has been fortunate to secure an environmental science graduate role with Anglo American Metallurgical Coal over the next two years.
“Having undertaken vacation work at Xstrata Coal during the summer break prior to my final year, I am looking forward to the challenges this role will bring,” he said.
Cameron will attend his formal graduation ceremony at UQ on Monday, 17 December.
This graduating cohort is joining a group of more than 200,000 distinguished UQ alumni many of whom are pursuing careers around the world while choosing to stay connected with UQ.
Details of venues and times for the UQ end-of-year graduations are available online. The ceremonies are broadcast live online here.
Five honorary doctorates will be awarded including Emeritus Professor Robert Milns AM, Dr Jean Calder AC, Professor Dennis Liotta, Mr Andrew Petrie and Dr Samuel Hawgood.
The University of Queensland is one of Australia's leading teaching and research institutions and continues to attract the vast majority of the state's highest academic achievers.
Timetable of all UQ end-of-year graduation events can be found here.
For more information about the Diploma in Global Issues, click here or contact Nathan Turville n.turville@uq.edu.au
Kristen Bastian: Faculty Marketing Office – 07 3346 9279 or k.bastian@uq.edu.au
