PhD Doctors in the House at ICMS

Leaders in the academic world bring subjects to life for career-focused education at the International College of Management, Sydney (ICMS).

ICMS has a proud history of education excellence, and continues to grow. Over the last year and with the implementation of new courses, ICMS has recently taken on board an additional six PhD qualified faculty members. This adds to the existing cohort of high quality faculty who hold PhDs in a wide variety of academic disciplines. A further three staff are studying towards this pinnacle of academic achievement, strengthening ICMS’ position as the largest university-level education provider on the Northern Beaches.

Leading the way at ICMS is Deputy Vice Chancellor (Academic) Professor Chris Auld. Professor Auld, who completed his PhD at the Pennsylvania State University (USA), examined the influence of professional and volunteer staff in decision-making in Canadian National Sport Organisations. He has researched and published extensively in sport management and in 2010 was elected as a Senior Fellow and Founding Member of the World Leisure Academy (membership of the Academy is limited to 50 individuals worldwide).

Deputy Vice Chancellor (Learning and Teaching) Dr Margot McNeill holds a PhD in Educational Technologies and Assessment from Macquarie University.

“ICMS’ established mission of career-focused education is at the forefront of what many higher education institutions are engaging with now as students are keen to make explicit links between what they learn in their studies and their future careers,” she said.

“That’s why I’m so committed to ICMS; I see authenticity in what we do reflected in great career outcomes for our students.”

Associate Professor Joanna Crossman, whose doctoral thesis explored transnational work and learning, believes her research complements the vision ICMS has concerning the interrelationship between these two areas.

“Research keeps my teaching current so I like to make sure that I research in areas broadly related to the courses I teach. Most courses I have taught – conflict management, negotiation, communication, managing across cultures and change management – embed international perspectives so my experience of working in Scandinavia, Borneo, the Middle East and the UK helps me to give real life examples,” she said.

Dr Hemanath Swarna holds a PhD in ecological economics from the University of Queensland.

“A PhD holder’s expertise assures the students that their education is delivered by an authority in the field and that their education is rigorous, conceptually and technically, while at the same time is designed for quick, practical applications,” Dr Swarna said.

“Also, since the PhD holder’s expertise is established, he or she is free to concentrate on designing a cutting-edge course and delivering content in a way that engages the students and sustains their interest in the subject.”

ICMS CEO and President Dr Dominic Szambowski was awarded his PhD from the University of Sydney.

“The academic quality and calibre of staff at ICMS, whether in education directly or in the administration of the college, is outstanding. Holding a PhD (Doctor of Philosophy) in any field speaks to a level of commitment, intelligence and expertise that greatly benefits our students. We are proud of the high number of our team who hold PhDs and recognise their enormous contribution to our students’ education,” he said.

“We teach our students the attitude, knowledge and the skills to make it in the workplace, giving so much more than the average university experience, and all staff are committed to this.”

Photo:
Left;
Dr. Margot McNeill (PhD, Macquarie University).
Professor, Dr. Chris Auld (PhD, Pennsylvania State University (USA)).
Associate Professor, Dr. Joanna Crossman (PhD, Flinders University).
CEO, Professor, Dr. Dominic Szambowski (PhD, University of Sydney).
Dr. Leonid Petrov, (PhD Australian National University)

For more information on ICMS, click here: https://www.icms.edu.au/