The IBO team at ECU City Campus
Edith Cowan University's (ECU's) International Business Operations (IBO) team is based across 12 countries, connecting prospective students and partners globally with the University, and supporting international recruitment in diverse markets. That global reach is a strength, however distance, time zones and different working environments can make it harder for colleagues to build everyday relationships that underpin a sense of inclusion and belonging.
Feedback from the 2024 Staff Engagement Survey indicated a desire for more initiatives to bring the team together and foster a stronger sense of inclusion. IBO designed its annual Team Summit as a purposeful opportunity for geographically dispersed colleagues to connect in person, learn from one another and strengthen their shared understanding of ECU.
New international students snap a picture
Held from 13 to 17 July, the 2026 IBO Global Team Summit brought the whole team together for five days of connection, professional development and collaboration with other teams across the University.
Alongside opportunities to reconnect and build relationships, the Summit provided a platform for upskilling, product knowledge refreshes, market planning and stronger internal engagement.
Marko Remes, Dean - International Business Operations, commented on the people-centred approach.
"For a team working across 12 countries, creating dedicated time to connect, learn and collaborate is an investment in both our people and the results we deliver for ECU."
A particular highlight was the student welcome events led by regional teams. The events connected commencing international students with the IBO recruitment team who had supported their journey to ECU and created an early sense of familiarity and belonging.
The benefit of the Summit extends well beyond the five-day program. IBO colleagues returned to their markets with refreshed product knowledge, clearer and more consistent recruitment messages, stronger capability in priority tools and systems, and direct relationships with the ECU teams they collaborate with. For internal partners, the Summit created a concentrated opportunity to share expertise with the global team, hear frontline market perspectives and improve coordination across the student journey.
"Personally, I valued the chance to put faces to the names of colleagues I have been interacting with and to strengthen my connections with the overseas-based staff," said Dianne Chambers, Director International, School of Education.
IBO in-country staff with WAAPA and other ECU School participants at the 'Schools Open Day'
Feedback showed that the strongest result was connection. Respondents agreed that they felt more connected to the global IBO team, and that the Summit strengthened relationships with colleagues from other regions. Most also felt that they had enough opportunities to collaborate outside their own areas.
"As a new member of the team, I really enjoyed attending the Summit. It was great to hear different perspectives, connect with colleagues from across the university, and be part of conversations about where we're heading. I left feeling inspired, appreciated and excited about the opportunities ahead," said Maggy Gatitu, Kenya Regional Manager.
IBO's overseas-based team members, Hayley and Karen, seeing City Campus for the first time
The survey also identified opportunities to strengthen future editions of the IBO Team Summit. Participants strongly supported retaining the whole-team, in-person format, student engagement, practical workshops and direct connections with Schools and other internal colleagues. Their suggestions included more informal time to build relationships and recharge, more cross-regional and market-led activities, deeper engagement with Schools and Student Administration.
These learnings will inform planning for the next Summit, continuing the same cycle of listening, acting and improving that shaped the 2026 program.
The IBO Global Team Summit is one example of how global staff feedback can be translated into local action. ECU's engagement surveys give employees an opportunity to share what it is like to work at the University and help identify improvements that can make ECU an even better place to work.
Conducted every two years, the Staff Engagement Survey supports University-wide benchmarking and strategic planning while helping schools and centres identify practical local improvements. By sharing your experience, you can help shape what ECU does next.
