Each year, the ANU College of Business and Economics (CBE) takes great pleasure in recognising our incredible teaching staff through the CBE Teaching Awards.
The awards highlight excellence in teaching, tutoring and education, and also acknowledges contributions to the College’s student-learning experience.
Congratulations to Dr Tejshree Kala, Dr Samira Nazar, Luca Maestrini, Yi Gong, and Dr Nico Klenner.
Tejshree Kala – Award for Teaching Excellence
Tej has taught Accounting Processes and Systems since 2018. Her teaching philosophy is focused on creating an engaging, supportive, and practice-oriented educational setting that fosters intellectual autonomy. To inspire students, Tej uses contemporary business examples, case studies and accounting cloud software in her classes to highlight the real-world relevance of accounting as the language of business.
Samira Nazar – Award for Teaching Excellence (Early Career)
Samira teaches entrepreneurship, innovation and new venture creation at the postgraduate level. She employs experiential-learning techniques, including simulations, Shark Tank-style pitches and stakeholder engagement, to foster critical thinking and enable students to apply their knowledge in real-life scenarios. Samira’s innovative approach inspires students to tackle meaningful problems and develop practical skills essential for their future careers.
Luca Maestrini – Award for Teaching Excellence (Early Career)
Luca has taught statistical subjects to undergraduate, postgraduate and master students. He consistently demonstrates passion and dedication in helping students strengthen their knowledge, skills and critical thinking, which are essential for success in both industry and academia. In his teaching, Luca strives to balance rigorous, research-based methods with a pragmatic, goal-oriented approach to real-world data analysis.
Yi Gong – Award for Excellence in Tutoring
Yi tutors Corporate Accounting, a challenging postgraduate course at the ANU Research School of Accounting. Drawing on her own learning experience, she strives to make complex concepts more accessible through real-world examples, visual tools, and interactive activities. Yi’s approach focuses on personalised support, aiming to help students build confidence, stay engaged, and apply what they learn in practical contexts.
Nico Klenner – Award for Citation for Outstanding Contribution to Student Learning
Nico is a Lecturer in Innovation and Entrepreneurship at the ANU Research School of Management. His mission is to empower students to tackle wicked problems and transform creative ideas into innovative products, services, systems, and organisations. As a transdisciplinary academic, Nico’s courses equip students with experiential-learning opportunities that are conducive to developing an entrepreneurial mindset and co-designing desirable futures through human-centred innovation.
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