Lumen Autumn 2025 - Flipbook - Page 33
I think by doing my job well, I will also be
able to contribute to those aspirations.”
Serey has made an impressive impact on
the banking sector in Cambodia by leading
important reforms, including a crackdown
on fraudulent microcredit institutions and
the introduction of modernised payment
systems, both of which have enabled fairer
and safer banking.
She is also involved in healthcare
charity work: “I help fund free eye surgery
for underprivileged people, or free surgery
for children with cleft palates or any facial
deformation.”
Her Excellency Dr Serey Chea,
Cambodia
Her Excellency Dr Serey Chea is the first
female Governor of the National Bank
of Cambodia.
She is passionate about creating a better
life for Cambodians through equitable
banking, promoting women’s economic
empowerment and ensuring people from
disadvantaged backgrounds receive proper
healthcare to enhance their quality of life.
Serey’s PhD at the University (2021)
explored the impact of financial inclusion
and liberalisation in ASEAN economic
development.
“To make sure that my children will be
growing in a place where there is peace,
with safety, where they have equal
opportunity, where they have good
access to health care and support, is
my aspiration,” she says.
“And so, even though I’m not a
peacekeeper, I’m only a central banker…
Global impact
Entrepreneurship and innovation
collaboration – China
Our University partners with many of
the world’s leading higher education
institutions, research centres, corporations
and government agencies.
The University of Adelaide has a
long-standing partnership with Shanghai
Jiao Tong University (SJTU), with
established collaborations including
joint professional appointments, two
Australia-China Joint Research Centres, a
dual master’s program in winemaking and
viticulture, a staff exchange agreement, a
student exchange agreement, and a joint
PhD agreement.
This allows for the free flow of people
and ideas – and can help shape future global
leaders and provide the scale required
to address some of our planet’s most
pressing challenges.
We have more than 290 partners in 47
countries, working together to have real-life
impact globally. The breadth of their work
is extraordinary.
Cosmic ray research – Argentina
The Pierre Auger Observatory in western
Argentina is dedicated to observing cosmic
rays, the highest energy particles in
the universe.
Research at the observatory involves
hundreds of scientists from around the
world. Our University is a founding
member of the collaboration and hosted
the first design workshop for the
Observatory in 1993.
Staff and students are involved in a range
of projects. The main scientific objectives
are to identify the composition of cosmic
rays, patterns in their arrival directions,
and structures in the cosmic ray
energy spectrum.
In October this year, Professor Noel
Lindsay, Pro Vice-Chancellor,
Entrepreneurship, and Dean of Business,
Adelaide Business School, joined the
Chinese Vice Minister of Education, Vice
Mayor of Shanghai and President of SJTU
to launch the Innovation Forum for World
College Students (IFWCS) at SJTU.
IFWCS aims to promote collaboration
in entrepreneurship and innovation, inspire
innovative thinking, provide entrepreneurial
support and empower students to address
emerging challenges and shape the
future together.
Indigenous study – Canada
In a significant step towards fostering global
Indigenous collaboration, the University
of Adelaide has embarked on a promising
initiative with Canadian institutions.
LUMEN
Meeting the people whose lives have
been changed by access to health services
is one of her greatest motivations. “They
say ‘Thank you – I can see better now. I can
contribute better to my family’. Or a child
who, after surgery can smile and say, ‘Now
I am proud to see myself in the mirror. I
can go to school without the feeling of being
bullied’. These are the moments that make
me proud… but also motivate me to
do more.”
Serey was awarded the Distinguished
International Alumni Award by the
University in 2024 in recognition of
her impact.
The collaboration involves the University
of Alberta, the University of Regina and
the First Nations University. It is exploring
shared experiences, opportunities for a
mobility program for Indigenous staff and
students, collaboration opportunities and
governance structures.
This initiative underscores the
University’s commitment to fostering global
Indigenous partnerships and enhancing
the education and cultural experiences of
Indigenous communities.
Meeting global wine challenges –
United States
The similar climates and wine-focused
expertise of both California and South
Australia are helping to drive collaborative
efforts to address global challenges in wine
production.
An initiative with the University of
California, Davis (UCD) is addressing
issues such as the impacts of climate change
on viticulture and oenology.
It is being spearheaded by Professor
David Block, Chair in Viticulture and
Oenology at UCD, and our University’s Sue
Bastian, Associate Professor in Oenology
and Sensory Studies.
