Faculty of Social Sciences & Leisure Management at Taylor's University has recently organized the "One Week with Visiting & Adjunct Professors" session was a commendable effort. This initiative aimed to enhance academic collaboration and knowledge exchange between faculty members and researchers, fostering joint publications, facilitating grant applications, and contributing to staff capacity building by inviting renowned scholars from diverse fields. This initiative was strategically linked to the Postgraduate Research Colloquium (PGRC) 2023, aligning with the university's commitment to academic excellence.
This year, the inclusion of three eminent scholars were invited from the fields of Hospitality & Tourism, Media & Communication, and Education, adding global perspectives to this initiative. Their expertise undoubtedly enriched research activities and academic discourse within the Taylor's University.
Prof. Dr. Robin Nunkoo, a Professor of Sustainable Tourism & Research Methods and the Head of International Center for Sustainable Tourism and Hospitality at the University of Mauritius. He is also a Visiting Senior Research Fellow at the University of Johannesburg, South Africa; and an Adjunct Research Fellow at Griffith Institute for Tourism, Griffith University. His research interests include quantitative methods, political economy, public trust in government institutions, and community support for tourism. He has published in such journals as Annals of Tourism Research, Tourism Management, Journal of Sustainable Tourism, and Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Research. He is also the Associate Editor for Journal of Hospitality Marketing and Management, and Annals of Tourism Research.
Prof. Dr. Mark Davis, a Professor of Publishing and Communications in the School of Culture and Communication at University of Melbourne. He has held roles as Associate Dean (Graduate Studies) and Founding Director of the Graduate School of Humanities and Social Sciences, as Deputy Head of the School of Culture and Communication and Head of the Publishing and Communications programme. He has also served as a Board Member of Melbourne University Publishing and Founding Editorial Board Member of Open Humanities Press. Likewise, he has published widely in leading international journals and in the mainstream media, and has been Chief Investigator on five nationally funded grants. Furthermore, he is the Author of Gangland: Cultural Elites and the New Generationalism and The Land of Plenty: Australia in the 2000s, which were shortlisted and longlisted for major national literary awards.
Assoc. Prof. Dr. Suanne Gibson, a Associate Professor of Inclusive Education at the Plymouth Institute of Education, University of Plymouth, United Kingdom. She has previously acted as Interim Director for Plymouth Institute of Education (2019-2021), been the Associate Director of Teaching, Learning and Internationalization (2017-2019) and also led the BA Education degree (2005-2015). Her specialist areas of teaching, research and knowledge exchange are Disability, Special Educational Needs (SEN), Inclusion and Critical Pedagogy. She teaches Undergraduate, Masters and PhD students, gives keynotes and has published widely in Special Educational Needs, Critical Disability Studies and Teaching & Learning in Higher Education. She is a renowned expert in the field of Special Education.
The diverse range of activities conducted during the week, including a Technical Workshop on International Grant Opportunities, one-to-one consultation sessions, and seminars on interdisciplinary research topics, provided a comprehensive platform for academic engagement. The inclusion of workshops covering critical aspects such as research grant application strategies, challenges and solutions in supervision, and ethical considerations demonstrates a holistic approach to staff capacity building and skill development.
This initiative not only benefited the postgraduate students and academic staffs but also undergraduate students, as evidenced by the guest lecture on 'Equity in Education', with a specific focus on special education. This inclusive approach ensured that the entire academic community can benefit from the knowledge and insights shared by the visiting and adjunct professors.
Overall, the "One Week with Visiting & Adjunct Professors" initiative appears to be a strategic and well-rounded approach to advancing research and academic excellence at Taylor's University. By leveraging the expertise of renowned scholars and providing diverse learning opportunities, the university is positioned to make significant contributions to interdisciplinary research, global engagement, and the overall academic experience for both faculty and students.