QUT will hold its first university-wide December graduation ceremonies next month to enable students who finish their course at the end of this semester to attend their ceremonies a matter of weeks after their last exam.
This year the graduation ceremonies will be held from December 14 to 18. QUT's Student Business Services ran a successful trial in August of the compressed timeframes needed to ensure graduands received a quality experience.
SBS client services associate director Julianne Paltridge said the December graduation ceremonies were a tangible way to increase student satisfaction with their overall QUT experience.
"In the past, students have waited until the following February to graduate. Now, students can attend their ceremony closer to the time of completing their studies," Ms Paltridge said.
"December graduations will be of particular benefit to international students, students returning or travelling overseas and for those who take up positions away from Brisbane, at the completion of their course."
QUT Student Support Services ceremonies officer Ibi Repcsik is predicting an increase of up to 20 per cent in the number of attendees, based on the experience of other institutions that have implemented December graduations.
"In particular, we welcome the opportunity to provide ceremonies for international students, who otherwise would have returned to their home country long before the February events", Ms Repcsik said.
Online registration for December graduations will be available from until December 6 2009.
Go to http://www.studentservices.qut.edu.au/grad/ceremonies/
Students will be able to register after the release of results if their course status is 'complete' and they meet the eligibility criteria.
