Antonia Girardi (she/her)

NCP Grant, AUD88,000, DFAT 2025-2026

Inspired by the success of a previous short-term mobility program, the Blue-Economy Project offers a 10-week study abroad experience with an extended 4-week in-country immersion to provide a flexible yet impactful alternative to longer mobility options. It’s designed to accommodate students from low-income backgrounds, those with tight schedules, limited elective study options, or with disabilities who may face challenges with extended stays abroad. While maintaining proven excellence in enhancing student learning and meaningful social impact, it ensures equity, inclusion and diversity without compromising on excellence.

Background and Precedent: The Eco-Economy Project

The Eco-Economy Project, the direct predecessor of the Blue-Economy initiative, achieved tremendous success. It received Special Commendation for Indonesia Studies and Cultural Leadership 2023 by the Australia-Indonesia Institute (DFAT) for its innovative sustainability education program that promoted engagement with and deepened understanding of Indonesia within Australia. It delivered 18 real-world solutions, improving the lives of approximately 2,500 people on a disadvantaged shark-fishing island near Lombok. Through eco-conservation and community development, seventy students from 42 disciplines worked alongside academics, experts, and local communities to address challenges in food security, clean water access, pollution, well-being, gender equality, and livelihood diversification beyond shark fishing.

The project also earned recognition among Murdoch University’s Top Achievements in Wildlife and Conservation (2022) and received two Vice Chancellor’s Excellence Awards in 2023 and 2024, respectively for embodying university principles and enhancing student learning.

Evolution and Objectives

Building on this success, the Blue-Economy Project 2025 expands into a 4-week immersive education program, driven by the objective of ‘Creating Real-world, Internationalized Work-Integrated Learning through Community Engagement & Socioeconomic and Environmental Impact.’ The project integrates principles of equity and social inclusion to promote sustainability through education, teaching demonstrations, advocacy, and implementation of key initiatives.

Curriculum Integration and Learning Design

Integrated within BUS3451 Professional Business Project, the Blue-Economy Project strengthens students’ business, environmental, and social awareness while maintaining continuity with established professional and international partnerships in the region. In collaboration with an expanded network of local partners, it offers enhanced learning opportunities, including Asia literacy and Indonesian language components. The program extends its reach to more marginalised coastal communities, addressing a wider range of sustainability issues such as food systems and domestic waste management, with a strong emphasis on women’s empowerment.

Impact and Significance

These initiatives enrich students’ understanding of the interconnections between environmental challenges, social justice, business, and sustainability, creating a deeply immersive and transformative learning experience. By expanding its scope and partnerships, the Blue-Economy Project generates broader socioeconomic and environmental impact in Lombok and surrounding regions, further advancing Australia’s engagement and visibility under the New Colombo Plan (NCP). The project sustains the signature excellence of NCP mobility programs through its refined curriculum, enriched content, and increased in-country immersion, ensuring optimal outcomes for students, partners, and communities.

NCP Grant, AUD165,000, DFAT 2025-2026

Connecting Asia Literacy to Sustainability Literacy in Indonesia is an innovative internationalised education initiative that integrates sustainability, intercultural understanding, and research-based learning. It aims to develop graduates equipped to address complex environmental, social, and economic challenges through culturally informed and community-engaged approaches.

Educational Rationale and Approach

To equip students for diverse global contexts, the program embeds three interconnected literacies:

1. Understanding and Respect: Cultivates appreciation of cultural diversity and sustainable practices across Asian contexts.

2. Navigating Cultural Differences: Develops intercultural competence, empathy, and communication skills for collaborative sustainability action.

3. Indo-Pacific Alignment: Advances Australia’s regional engagement priorities by preparing graduates to address sustainability issues within Indo-Pacific communities with cultural and linguistic sensitivity.

Curriculum Design

Embedded within the Bachelor of Business Honours, the program adopts a 50–25–25 model combining:

- Research (50%): Independent, field-based investigation on sustainability topics.

- Teaching and Learning (25%): Coursework in research methods, Asian language and culture, and project management.

-Work-Integrated Learning (25%): Professional placement with NGOs, government, or community organisations supporting marginalised coastal communities.

Students undertake a 17-week semester in Indonesia, followed by a one-month field research project in Lombok. This immersive structure strengthens both academic rigour and employability by enabling students to apply knowledge directly to sustainability initiatives such as marine conservation, waste management, sustainable tourism, and community development.

Impact and Innovation

The project is innovative in education, immersive in learning, and supportive of research. It nurtures sustainability competence, intercultural awareness, and real-world problem-solving, while deepening institutional linkages and collaborations of Murdoch University in the Indo-Pacific. Through this integration of Asia literacy and sustainability literacy, the program cultivates globally minded, future-ready leaders committed to building sustainable and inclusive communities.

The Diploma of Sport and Business represents a pioneering initiative developed through a strategic partnership between Murdoch University – Murdoch Business School and the School of Allied Health and the WA Cricket Association (WACA), delivered through the Scorchers Institute of Sport and Business. This AQF Level 5 program was designed to meet the growing demand for professionals who can navigate the intersection of sport and business, offering students a unique pathway into higher education and the sports industry.

Program Vision and Purpose

The diploma provides a strong foundation in both business principles and sports science, equipping students with essential skills in management, marketing, leadership, and communication while fostering an understanding of the dynamics of the sports sector. It reflects Murdoch University’s mission to deliver inclusive, high-quality education and address local challenges in attracting domestic students to university programs.

Distinctive Features

• • Industry Integration: Students gain 100 hours of practical experience through work-integrated learning with WACA and the Perth Scorchers, leveraging elite facilities at the WACA Ground in East Perth.
  • Academic Articulation: Graduates can receive up to one year of university credit toward select undergraduate degrees, including the Bachelor of Sport and Exercise Science and Bachelor of Business, enabling seamless progression in their academic journey.
  • High-Performance Coaching: Participants have the option to engage in specialist cricket coaching, enhancing individual skill development alongside academic learning.
  • Networking Opportunities: The program fosters connections with industry professionals—managers, coaches, and players—creating a vibrant community of like-minded individuals.

The program leverages the cricket season through summer term offerings, ensuring an immersive experience for students passionate about sport and business. The first delivery is Semester 1, 2026.

Murdoch Business School has embraced a trimester teaching model to meet the evolving needs of postgraduate students and global markets. This approach has been pivotal in driving growth and enhancing flexibility for learners across diverse geographies.

The trimester system was introduced in 2020 to provide multiple entry points for students. This model has been instrumental in attracting and retaining students, and in accommodating the surge in international enrolments (2022-2024).  

The trimester model supports alternate unit offerings, enabling agile curriculum planning and responsiveness to market demands.

The trimester system has positioned Murdoch Business School as a leader in flexible, globally connected postgraduate education, enabling rapid adaptation to student needs and market trends. Looking ahead, the focus remains on digital transformation, sustainability governance, and cross-border collaborations to enrich the postgraduate experience and maintain competitive advantage.