Bond University will offer Australia’s first Master of Laws in Enterprise Governance, in a bid to better educate today and tomorrow’s corporate leaders on good governance and ethical leadership.
Professor Nick James, Executive Dean of the Faculty of Law officially announced the new degree at last week’s Committee for Economic Development of Australia (CEDA) 2019 Economic and Political Overview held at the Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre.
“Governance is again in the news,” said Professor James, commenting on the recent release of the Final Report of the Royal Commission into Misconduct in the Banking, Superannuation and Financial Services Industry (commonly known as the Hayne Royal Commission).
Professor James explained that the final report had confirmed the findings in the interim report tabled in Federal Parliament in September 2018, highlighting significant gaps in governance within Australian financial institutions, including risk management and compliance problems, and evidence of unethical decision making.
Professor James went on to point out that similar problems with enterprise governance had been revealed in the final report of the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse tabled in Federal Parliament in December 2017 and were very likely to be found by the upcoming Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety established in October 2018 and due to finally report in April 2020.
“These Royal Commissions provide further evidence that governance is an issue not only for corporates, the so called ‘big end of town’, but for all types of enterprise whether for profit or not for profit, private or public, businesses or government, large department or local council,” Professor James said.
“Every enterprise must be led by people with a thorough understanding of the principles of good governance, and it is for this reason that Bond University has created the Master of Laws in Enterprise Governance. The name of the program reflects the all-encompassing nature of governance in Australia today.”
As to why the degree should be offered by a law school, Professor James explained that the foundation of good enterprise governance is an understanding of and compliance with the enterprise’s legal and ethical obligations, and that the expertise of lawyers and legal scholars is invaluable in teaching others about best practice in governance.
"Bond University has an enviable reputation as a progressive university providing students with an exceptional learning experience and preparing them to make a positive contribution to any workplace they enter. The Bond Faculty of Law is very proud to offer this new program to Australia’s enterprise leaders.”
Professor James said the new Master of Laws in Enterprise Governance would expose students to both the foundational principles and the cutting edge of governance, and assist them in becoming informed, ethical and successful leaders.
The program will commence in May 2019 and can be completed on a part-time basis in only 16 months. It will be delivered as a combination of online modules and intensive workshops taking place on Bond University’s Gold Coast campus and is available to both law graduates and other graduates with relevant enterprise experience.