Media Release
August 18, 2004
Defence Reserves win ongoing support at UniSA
Staff and students who are members of the Defence Reserves will find they have strong support at UniSA.
The University is being acknowledged for its Defence Reserve friendly work environment at special event at City West campus on August 18 from 1.30 to 2.30 pm (Hetzel Room – level 2 Laubman and Pank Building).
Chairman of the Defence Reserves Support Council, South Australia, Peter Summers, said UniSA was a good example of an organisation that supported staff and students involved in reserve service because it acknowledged the special skills Reservists have and their needs for flexibility in the workplace.
“Reservists do need time off and students may have conflicts between reserve duty and exam timetables or other projects,” Summers said. “But it’s good to know that UniSA is keen to work around those issues because they value their staff and the experience that reserve training can provide students as well.”
UniSA Vice Chancellor Professor Denise Bradley said the Defence Reserves played an important role in the community.
“Staff and students who serve in the Defence Reserves can be called on to provide important roles in the clean up after bushfires, in rebuilding communities in countries such as Timor and in providing health and nursing support in the field,” Professor Bradley said.
“UniSA has a constitutional commitment to serve the community and many of our members of staff are involved in a range of activities including the Defence Reserves and volunteer work in everything from the environment and animal welfare to helping the aged and disabled.
“Reserves training gives our staff and students skills and knowledge including leadership, innovation, planning and analysis and these skills can be widely applied in their lives and in their workplaces.”
Professor Bradley said the University would be working with the Defence Reserves to see if there were appropriate opportunities to recognize prior learning for students who have been trained in the Reserves.
“There are many cases where Reserves training and experience could be equivalent to parts of a degree program and especially in areas where we engage our students in work placements such as nursing, pharmacy or in communications, engineering and a range of other disciplines.”
Media contact
- Michèle Nardelli office (08) 8302 0966 mobile 0418 823 673 email michele.nardelli@unisa.edu.au