27 February 2013
University of South Australia Business School Professor Bruce Gurd has been appointed president of the Australian and New Zealand Academy of Management (ANZAM), an organisation dedicated to furthering management education, scholarship, research and practice.
Professor Gurd is the first UniSA professor to be appointed to the role and the first South Australian in more than 20 years to head the Trans-Tasman organisation.
Professor Gurd has outlined some of the priorities ANZAM will focus on this year including addressing the unique needs of members in regional and rural Australia and smaller universities that don’t have the support framework of urban universities with large business schools.
This includes increasing the uptake of virtual education and communication tools that will support management academics in remote locations.
Professor Gurd has previously worked in chartered accounting, manufacturing industry and local government and his main research interests are in performance management systems and activity based costing.
Pro Vice Chancellor and Vice President: UniSA Business School, Professor Gerry Griffin, said that Professor Gurd’s vast teaching and research experience in South Australia and abroad had placed him well to succeed in the position, adding that Professor Gurd’s appointment reflects UniSA Business School’s increased focus on attracting and developing leading business educators.
“Professor Gurd’s work in the Business School’s 5-star MBA program, an ability to engage students which has taken him around the world, and a long career in a rapidly changing sector gives him the perspective to guide the group through the challenges that the tertiary education sector will face in the coming years,” Professor Griffin said.
“Professor Gurd’s appointment is even more satisfying because it speaks to the quality of people we attract as a Business School, and the investments that we have made in taking our quality of teaching to the next level,” he said.
Professor Gurd’s predecessor at ANZAM, Professor Charmine Hartel of the University of Queensland, expressed her confidence at the new appointment.
Bruce’s experience on Boards of Directors, including chairing roles, places him well to address the priorities he has set for the coming year and navigate a course to success,” Professor Hartel said.
Media contact: Will Venn office 8302 0965 email Will.Venn@unisa.edu.au
