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Media Release

May 27 2006

Defence research and education collaboration a boon for SA


Mawson Lakes campus satellite dishThe University of South Australia has welcomed the State Government’s move to build on a collaboration with UK specialist postgraduate education provider, Cranfield University, Defence College of Management and Technology.

UniSA Vice Chancellor Professor Denise Bradley said the plan, which would support the memorandum of understanding between Cranfield and some of UniSA’s most advanced defence industry research and education nodes, was farsighted. Specific strategic collaborations such as this one can only strengthen SA’s emergence as Australia’s premier defence industries specialist,” she said.

“We have a long history of successful research and education alliances with the Defence Science and Technology Organisation (DSTO) and industry partners at Technology Park, across Australia and globally through UniSA’s Division of IT Engineering and the Environment (ITEE). The Premier’s move to consolidate our relationship with Cranfield builds on the State Government’s support for industry research collaborations such as the Centre of Excellence in Defence and Industry Systems Capability (CEDISC).”

UniSA has been working closely with Cranfield University for more than 18 months. The relationship has included hosting visiting scholars, strategic partnerships to bid for defence education contracts and academic exchanges.

Cranfield University has a powerful defence education capacity, providing postgraduate programs tailored for the defence sector in systems engineering, defence management and security analysis and information and knowledge management. Home to the Defence Management Group, Cranfield also has specific expertise in defence management education.

UniSA Pro Vice Chancellor for the Division of ITEE, Professor Robin King said the consolidation of UniSA’s partnership with Cranfield will capitalise on the considerable local expertise in the defence technologies arena.

“Already a key partner with the defence industry in projects worth more than $2 million annually, UniSA plays a significant role in developing local expertise to support defence industry growth in line with the State Strategic Plan,” Professor King said.

“UniSA’s Systems Engineering and Evaluation Centre (SEEC) has been working with industry partners including BAE Systems, Saab Systems and ASC to develop the first Masters of Military Systems which has its first intake of students in July and we are now exploring the potential of new joint programs and projects with Cranfield. Another key area for positive and fruitful collaboration will centre on communications engineering and electronic defence systems.”
 

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