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Alumni - Professor Sally Kift

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​Professor Sally Kift  PFHEA GAICD

Adjunct Professor, College of Business, Law & Governance - James Cook University 

CBSHS 1973 - 1977

Follow Sally on twitter @kiftsally

University academic, Professor Sally Kift attended CBSHS from 1973 to 1977 and is currently President of the Australian Learning and Teaching Fellows (ALTF).  She has had a noteworthy career in academia including working as Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academic) at James Cook University (2012-2017).  Prior to commencing at JCU in 2012, Sally was a Professor of Law at QUT, where she has served as Law Faculty Assistant Dean, Teaching & Learning (2001-2006) and QUT’s Foundational Director, First Year Experience (2006-2007). Sally received a National Teaching Award (AAUT) in 2003. In 2006, she was awarded one of three inaugural Australian Learning and Teaching Council (ALTC) Senior Fellowships.

In 2009, she was appointed an ALTC Discipline Scholar in Law. In 2017, she became a Principal Fellow of the Higher Education Academy.

Sally’s work has been widely published and she has spoken at numerous national and international events on a wide range of subjects.  She is also frequently asked to sit on higher education review and appointment panels, to evaluate teaching excellence, grant outcomes and curriculum renewal across the disciplines.

After leaving CBSHS Sally went onto to study at the University of Queensland with two other former students with whom she also lived with in one of the universities residential colleges.  She credits this vital support from her peers with helping her adjust and transition into University life.  Even though she graduated over 30 years ago and many of her fellow students have moved away she has maintained these friendships and still makes time to catch up with them at least once a year.

After graduation from university Sally once again drew on her experiences at CBSHS, these included the self-help skills she had been taught and the resilient approach to life that she had learnt during her time at school.  Sally says these skills assisted in her finding a graduate entry position in her chosen field of study and helped her on the path to the career she has today.

Her most influential teacher during her time at CBSHS was English teacher Miss Lampe.  Sally says she was both very supportive and encouraging and had a unique teaching style - students were taught to think quite critically and freely which Sally says made lessons fun and more interesting.

Her favourite memories from her time at high school are the time she spent sitting out on the grass and having lunch under the trees with her friends and also being involved in the school musical.  .

Sally’s advice to today’s students would be “to just relax a bit more and not sweat the small stuff, high school really is one of the best times of your life and it’s important to take advantage of everything that is on offer. Everyone is there to help you succeed – no one wants to see you fail. Be proud of who you are and where you go to school”.

Sally’s top tips for today’s students are:

1.       Don’t wish your time away. Responsibility and pressure will come all too quickly. High school is a self-indulgent bubble before it all gets real.  

2.       Take your time and explore your career options more broadly.

3.       Make the effort to stay in touch with your friends.

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Last reviewed 28 July 2023
Last updated 28 July 2023