DrMaria Ishkova

Maria is an education-focused Lecturer in the Discipline of Work and Organisational Studies at the University of Sydney Business School, she is a Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (SFHEA).

Maria has a classical pedagogical education and a PhD in political science from one of the leading Russian universities (BMSTU, 2002). She spent more than 15 years working in organisational communications including more than 6 years as Chief Communications Officer and board member. She was extensively cited, results of her work and professional achievements were recognised by various awards at the national level and the book “Everything about internal communications” (2013) Maria co-authored was awarded as the Best Book about internal communications (VIII RuPoR Award, Russia). A highly skilled facilitator and MC, she chaired more than 100 business conferences.

Maria started her academic career in 2013 at the University of Queensland as a casual academic with the Business School and School of Communication and Arts. In 2017 she was invited to work for the University of Sydney. She coordinates undergraduate and postgraduate units and delivers masterclasses on organisational communication for students and professional staff, addressing both individual and organisational perspectives to guide learners toward professional success. Driven by a passion for amplifying Student Voice and the Students as Partners teaching philosophy, Maria’s innovative, industry-oriented, and personalised approach to education has been recognised with USYD’s most prestigious teaching awards, including the Vice-Chancellor’s Award for Excellence in Teaching and Learning (2025), Business School Leadership - Student Experience Award (2024), Dean’s Award for Teaching (2022), Academic Enhancement of Student Life Award (2022), SRES Inaugural Award for 'Relationship-rich Education' (2021), Vice-Chancellor’s Award for Outstanding Teaching (2020, team), and Wayne Lonergan Award (2019, team).

Maria’s vast professional experience and success across a variety of industries define her multifaceted approach to industry engagement, not only increasing the employability of graduates and helping these future business leaders to discover win-win-win communication but also inviting industry partners to challenge their thinking, co-create agile solutions to controversial organisational communication problems and co-promote their best practices publicly. In line with that, her SoTL interests lie in the field of core skills development (i.e., examining graduate qualities, embedding cultural competence into the curriculum, evaluating leadership development of students) and practice that improve teaching and learning experience (e.g., belonging, assessment feedback and student engagement, students as partners, learning by teaching, flipped classroom, co-creation of experience).