Since her graduation from the University of Southern Queensland (USQ) in 1994, Heidi Dugan has become one of Shanghai’s most popular English-speaking television stars.

Best known as the host of popular television program You are the Chef, Ms Dugan was awarded Most Popular TV Host on International Channel Shanghai for eight years running.

Ms Dugan’s success was recently recognised at the 10th Australian China Alumni Awards in Beijing where she received the Judge’s Commendation for 2018 Australian Ambassadors’ Alumni Award for Women in Leadership.

Over 200 guests attended the awards presentation dinner last week, including alumni, senior Australian government officials and university representatives, and representatives from the Australia-China corporate community.

Ms Dugan has extensive experience in the TV and media industry including becoming one of the first foreign TV hosts on Chinese television, an emcee, TV presenter and judge. She has also published a cookbook titled Follow Me and Learn to Cook Like a 5 Star Chef.

Her latest accolade was in recognition of her experience, as well as her work as an adviser for international food brands entering the China market, and support and training of families about health food options.

Ms Dugan was honoured by USQ earlier this year as its 2018 International Alumnus of the Year.

“You get a lot of universities where they don’t know your name, they don’t know who you are,” she said.

“All of our teachers knew who we were, they knew our names, and they knew us inside out. And I think that is an incredibly unique thing for a university to be able to offer.”

To learn more about USQ Alumni, visit www.usq.edu.au/alumni.