Spotlight on Research

Getting the Bear Facts

By Associate Professor Dr Shyamala Ratnayeke
Few species evoke as much fascination, amusement and attraction as do bears. Through much of our history, bears have held a special significance—from the comforting presence of a child’s teddy bear to symbols of power, protection and untamed nature in modern societies and countless indigenous…

Demystifying Islamic Hospitality

By Professor Marcus Stephenson
The global Muslim population totalled 1.6 billion in 2010 and is forecasted to increase dramatically to 2.8 billion in 2050 according to Pew Research Center. In the latter part of this century, Islam is expected to exceed Christianity as the largest religion in the world.

An Ongoing Battle with Dengue

By Professor Poh Chit Laa
Dengue is a viral disease many of us, particularly in Asia, are familiar with. After all, more than 40% of the world’s population live in endemic areas. Statistics show that dengue cases have multiplied eight folds within the past 20 years, causing up to 390 million infections per year globally.…

Audience Participation in Classical Music

By Professor Don Bowyer
Aleatoric music has existed in one form or another in western art music for centuries, having become something of a staple of Modern Music of the 20th and 21st centuries. One 18th century form of aleatoric music involved dice, with the composer creating snippets of music that could be performed in…

Student Consumption and Debt in Victorian Oxford

By Professor Yuka Fujimoto
In 1877, then student at Magdalen College, Oscar Wilde was twice summoned by the University of Oxford proctors to appear before the University Court concerning a £30 debt involving fashionable goods. Wilde had ordered a felt hat, a superior suit and silk scarves from Joseph Muir, tailor and…

Does Corporate Internationalisation Improve Firm Performance?

By Professor Chaiporn Vithessonthi
Many managers understand the importance of international strategy, which refers to a firm’s international diversification. In my recent study, I found that for publicly listed firms in the United Kingdom, the proportion of firms with foreign assets grew from 4% in 1990 to 36% in 2016. Likewise, the…

Islamic Finance: The Way Forward

Islamic finance, in its simplest terms, can be defined as finance with ethical considerations in the way financial transactions are conducted.

Finding Yourself on a Bench

By Professor Matthew Sansom
Park benches are an everyday feature in most parts of the world. Typically, they offer respite for tired legs, a momentary break from the office or a moment’s rest while the children burn-off excess energy. You might not think of them as the basis for art but for Professor Matthew Sansom, they have…

Building Our Bridge in Diversity

By Professor Yuka Fujimoto
Professor Yuka Fujimoto lived in Japan until she was 12, and then continued her schooling in Malaysia. By age 16, she moved to Australia and found herself as one of the few Asian students in her grade at a high school in the countryside of Toowoomba. “People didn’t understand why I ate rice,” she…