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Award for high achiever in two worlds

November 22, 2004

thumb Ian Anderson 002.jpgDr Ian Anderson, who has combined an outstanding professional career with leadership roles in the international development organisation Oxfam, has received the University of New England's Distinguished Alumni Award for 2004.
Dr Anderson, pictured, who was Chair of the Board of Oxfam International from 1999 to 2003, graduated from UNE in 1996 with a Master of Letters degree in Peace Studies, and in October this year with a PhD. UNE's Vice-Chancellor,
Professor Ingrid Moses, will present him with the award on Wednesday night (24th November) at a celebratory dinner for UNE alumni and friends at the Windsor Hotel in Melbourne. "Ian has undoubtedly displayed personal qualities of
vision, leadership and outstanding dedication in his professional life and
in his service to the global community," Professor Moses said.

Dr Anderson's involvement with Oxfam (initially with its Australian
affiliate, Community Aid Abroad) began in the early 1970s in his native
Melbourne. In 1981 he moved to Hong Kong, where his Oxfam involvement
continued at the same time as he pursued his accounting career (holding
senior management positions in international tax practice and investment
banking). He served as Founding Chair of Oxfam Hong Kong from 1987 to 1997,
Vice-Chair from 1997 to 2000, and a Council member from 2000 to 2003. In
1995 he was a founding Board member of Oxfam International, through which
Oxfam's global equity, human development and humanitarian relief programs,
strategies, policies and advocacy are coordinated. He served as that
organisation's Treasurer before his election as its Chair.
"I'm honoured and surprised by the award," Dr Anderson said. "I feel an
enormous sense of privilege to have had the opportunity to be involved in
Oxfam Hong Kong from its beginnings, and in the formation of Oxfam
International, and to have held leadership positions in both those
organisations at critical times. Part of that privilege was, thanks to the
patience and understanding of my colleagues, being able to do this in
conjunction with a full-time professional career."
His PhD research focused on the impact of Oxfam International's advocacy
activities on the poverty reduction policies of the World Bank. "I found
that NGO advocacy, when it picks the right issues, is well researched, and
carried out with full commitment, really does have the capacity to exert
significant influence on global decision makers," he said. In the course of
his research, representing UNE as both an alumnus and a postgraduate
student, he conducted interviews with the President of the World Bank, the
UK Chancellor of the Exchequer, the present Prime Minister of Canada, and
other high-ranking politicians, journalists, and officials from around the
world. Professor Moses said that UNE was "proud to have had such a
distinguished person represent it, as he worked towards the reduction of
global poverty both through his outstanding voluntary service and through
his empirical research while a UNE student".
Since returning to Australia in 2000, Dr Anderson has resumed his engagement
with Oxfam Community Aid Abroad. He was appointed to its Board in 2003 and
elected as Treasurer in 2004. Since 2002 he has been Founding Chair of
Australians for Just Refugee Programs Inc. and its "A Just Australia"
campaign.

Posted by Lydia Roberts at November 22, 2004 12:46 PM