Educators look to the north
Most
of us have heard the statistics on Adelaide’s northern suburbs:
Participation in tertiary education is lower than national averages and
youth unemployment alarmingly high. Politicians acknowledge that it’s
among Australia’s most disadvantaged areas, but what’s being done to
change the situation?
Quite a lot, if the Northern Adelaide Education Symposium held recently at UniSA’s Mawson Lakes Campus is anything to go by. The symposium brought principals and student counsellors from schools in Adelaide’s north together with UniSA staff to look at how the University is working to improve the educational prospects of people living in the north, and what extra support will be offered in future.
With presentations by Mike Elliott (Director of UniSA Northern Adelaide Partnerships), Brenton Dansie (Dean of Teaching and Learning, for the Division of Information Technology, Engineering and the Environment), Michael Rowan (Pro Vice Chancellor for Education, Arts and Social Sciences), David Saville (USANET coordinator) and UniSA’s Vice Chancellor Professor Denise Bradley, the symposium covered a lot of ground.
While Saville reported on the success of USANET – more than 4,000 students from low socio-economic backgrounds or rural and remote areas have entered UniSA as part of the bonus points-based scheme – Prof Rowan took the opportunity to talk about UniSA’s teacher education programs, which from next year will be offered in the northern suburbs at new facilities at Mawson Lakes.
The Vice Chancellor tied up the presentations with a talk about UniSA’s vision for the north, and the attendees enjoyed some lunch and a chance to speak with each other about the various initiatives.
Craigmore High School principal, Des Wauchope, said he was impressed. “It was enlightening and encouraging to listen to the Vice Chancellor talk about UniSA’s vision for the north,“ he said.
“I think the flow-on for our students and our school is fantastic, and I’m really encouraged by the fact that teacher education is coming to Mawson Lakes. Having it so close and accessible is going to be fantastic.“
For more information on UniSA initiatives in northern Adelaide, visit www.unisa.edu.au/unap/Proj.asp or call UNAP on (08) 8302 3659.