Indian students aiming towards staying abreast with international educational standards and wanting to hone their skills to be universally employable have always looked for opportunities and options abroad for their further studies. Therefore, considering the current high proportion of international students enrolling into foreign universities, makes India the 2nd most important country in the world after China in the international student market. Additionally, it is also quite evident that the most chosen countries as per most of the Indian students are US, UK, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand, as nearly these 5 countries alone cover 85% of the total student numbers in international study destinations. Despite all 5 of them being unparalleled destinations for quality education and an impressive lifestyle guaranteed, Australia’s efforts in catering to show representation and interest has clearly appeared to have paid off compared to other countries, considering the student enrolments growing at a very rapid pace.
One more important factor which is helping Australia grow as an all-rounded hub for complete learning experiences is the mushrooming number of universities and educational institutions, who in pursuit of imparting the best education are also ensuring quality assurance mechanisms in its education system. Talking about one such renowned educational establishment which despite the challenges the global pandemic threw at us continued its path of providing full support to its student body, in every aspect of their individual/professional growth – Canterbury Institute of Management (CIM), comes as a welcome ray of hope during these gloomy times of turmoil.
Established in 1999, the Canterbury Education Group was founded by individuals with years of experience in delivering Vocational, English Language and University learning to domestic Australian and International students. Having four established institutes under its capable umbrella, among which 2 of those institutions are Vocational Education and Training (VET) institutions with locations in Sydney and Brisbane, and an English Language school that delivers university programs for the University of Southern Queensland, The Canterbury institute of Management (CIM) is a result of all the hard work put in by the group, having its accreditations by the Tertiary Education Quality and Standards Agency (TEQSA) Australia.
Building a better tomorrow
Progressing each day towards becoming one of the most successful academic institutions in Australia where students gain quality education in a vibrant and businesslike environment, CIM operates as an ambitious institution that values face-to-face communication and problem-solving, innovation and intellectual inquiry. Also, a widely recognized haven for practical and applied nature across all its courses, the curriculum is designed in a way that it equips graduates with essential skills through exposure to industry and business, ensuring and enabling all the students to be effective in the workplace immediately upon graduation. CIM also provides strong academic and pastoral care, where their dedicated team of academics are themselves earned scholars and experienced educators with sound industry links. “Our student services’ staff takes great pride in providing quality support and mentorship”, stated – Emeritus Professor Jim Psaros, during a brief conversation with us, where he illustrated what CIM really stands for, standing tall in its vision of always providing a welcoming environment for all at affordable study costs.
Having eminent personalities such as Emeritus Professor Jim Psaros, Dr. Ian Benton, Chair of the Academic Board, Adj Prof Asif Iqbal, the Campus Director & Dr. Helen Haslem, the Deputy Dean, as the primary flag bearers of CIM, helps the institute curate courses that are theoretically sound, and follow a case study approach. Moreover, assigning the task of curriculum development and design to a team of academics with long industry & academic experiences, has resulted in the institute offering 4 majors, where students have the option to select double majors that could be studied in the same course duration of 3 years, across the fields of Information Systems, Accounting, Management & Hospitality. The onboard faculty members ensure that many of the courses at CIM are designed for group assessments where students share ideas and make presentations with collective efforts. Some subjects are also carefully curated towards being skill based and practice oriented, believing in the fact thoroughly, that theoretical knowledge has no value until students can apply it for practical purposes.
Adding to his above statement, and now talking about how students are converted into ever-ready tomorrow’s professionals, Emeritus Professor Jim Psaros stated – “CIM encourages the involvement of students in its decision making and strategic planning on student related matters, through student representation on committees and advisory groups”. Canterbury Institute of Management Student Association (CIMSA), which is the official student representative body that supports student advocacy and sovereignty is a living proof to the fact that at CIM students play a very important/active role in working towards a better tomorrow, in an endless race towards individual growth.
Where success begins
Hosting students from across South Asia and Southeast Asia, and steadily diving into newer markets via its expanding agent network and social media platforms to boost exposure, CIM already boasts of a tremendous campus presence, along with state-of-the-art infrastructural facilities. With 2 campuses located in the city of high skyscrapers – Sydney and the city of Darwin, CIM has suitable, custom-build learning and teaching facilities for students and staff at both of its campuses. Readily available student-focused facilities such as an eLearning platform (Customized Moodle), on-campus computer labs and Wi-fi enabled campus buildings, encourage creativity and support learning, always keeping technological aspects of learning at the forefront.
CIM is also a hotspot of customized policies, which are designed to ensure that faculty and students interact on a regular basis. The Academic staff act as mentors throughout the students’ learning journey at CIM, serving the requirement of always being available for student consultation throughout the teaching term and during examination time. Students who require consultation outside the normal class hours, make an appointment through the Academic Manager to discuss their special requirement with the Program Director and/or Campus Director & Dean. And, for students who may need independent help related to their studies, CIM Student Association offers a student advocacy service, where the association is able to assist with a range of academic, administrative and welfare related student issues.
All in all, being that place where industry-academia relationships help all its students to get internships and placements, CIM truly believes in the transforming power of connecting education and industry. CIM Governing Council, Academic Board and operational teams completely understand modern industry expectations of job-ready and rounded graduates, and thus industry immersive focus is inbuilt in all programs along with in-built collaboration with industry ensuring an agile curriculum, reflecting industry needs with real world relevance. Lastly, as CIM is an essential part of the ecosystem which determines progress and advancement of society – which includes students, people, industry, businesses, governments, and communities, at CIM the whole management is committed to society by producing capable and confident graduates who do not just possess skills and qualifications but are equipped to lead industry of the future.
Emeritus Professor Jim Psaros – Chair of the Governing Council
A recipient of the Order of Australia Medal (OAM), Jim Psaros was the Professor of Accounting at the University of Newcastle until 2015. He held senior positions at the University of Newcastle, including Deputy Head Faculty of Business and Law, Assistant Dean Teaching and Learning, Director of Executive and Corporate Programs, Head of the Department of Accounting and Finance, and Academic Director of the Sydney campus. Prior to entering academia, he was employed for several years in chartered accounting. He has experience in Australia and overseas working for Big 4 accounting firms. For more than 20 years he has taught and researched at Australian and British universities. He has sat on the board of directors of companies and the audit committee of government authorities. He has both extensive professional accounting and research experience.
Also, a PhD holder in Accounting from the University of New South Wales, throughout his research career, Emeritus Professor Psaros has focused on issues of practical importance, and has conducted research in a range of areas, including auditing and fraud, the inadequacies of Australian accounting standards and, more recently, corporate governance mechanisms. Emeritus Professor Psaros has published extensively and has made many presentations at professional and academic forums.
