In brief
Vice Chancellor appointed chair of ATN and IDP Board
Professor Denise Bradley has been appointed Chair of the Australian Technology Network of Universities (ATN) and Chair of the Board of IDP Education Australia Limited. UniSA’s Vice Chancellor and President, Prof Bradley replaces Queensland University of Technology Vice Chancellor, Professor Peter Coaldrake, who was Chair of the ATN from May 2003. As well as contributing to the ongoing policy debate on the key issues of access, equity and diversity, the ATN will play an important role in developing the Research Quality Framework for publicly funded research through its representation on the Government’s Expert Advisory Group. As Chair of the IDP Board, Prof Bradley will oversee the next stage in the development of IDP Education Australia Ltd, replacing Professor Lance Twomey, Vice Chancellor of Curtin University of Technology, who stepped down in February 2005 but remains a member of the Board.
SEEC’s core role in defence industry growth
UniSA’s Systems Engineering and Evaluation Centre (SEEC) will play a pivotal role in the state government’s new Centre of Excellence in Defence Industry Systems Capability (CEDISC). The creation of a focus for defence systems engineering research and education in South Australia will see SEEC play an important role in research and education for complex systems nationally, according to Director, Associate Professor David Cropley. “Our tasks will be to deliver high quality, internationally bench-marked postgraduate programs in areas such as systems engineering, test and evaluation, systems integration and systems capability maturity to the defence industry; and to support improved defence industry systems capability through the provision of research and consultancy services in relevant areas.”
A Swedish eye for design
UniSA could soon be welcoming students from one of Sweden’s most prestigious graphic design and pre-press training facilities, BrobyGrafiska, in the next few years. Two lecturers from the specialist design school, Katarina Svensson and Åsa Wilkberg, have just spent three weeks visiting UniSA to further explore possibilities for collaboration between UniSA’s School of Art and the Swedish technical college. “We expect our students may want to come to UniSA for one or one and half years to complete their studies and achieve a Bachelor’s degree,” Wilkberg said. “We are also looking at developing online collaboration on student projects and an exchange agreement for students and possibly staff. What they will learn about the artistic aspects of design here will complement their strong technical expertise.” The BrobyGrafiska offers a three year college program and has more than 350 students enrolled from across Sweden.
On report
UniSA played host to six international journalists recently in SA to see for themselves why we claim to be an education city. The journalists from Japan, China, Germany, Indonesia, India and the United Arab Emirates said they were impressed with Adelaide’s dimensions as an urban centre that was not too big to get lost in. Their half day at UniSA saw them lunch with academics from or with expertise in their countries of origin, tour City West including, the new Kaurna Building, meet with representatives from senior management and the international office, and then chat with students from back home. Despite the allure of all that information – cuddling Koalas and Kangaroos was still high on their agenda.
Creating Adelaide
Author of The Rise of the Creative Class and now a consultant to cities around the globe, US Professor Richard Florida, visited UniSA last month to talk to some key stakeholders about how we might ensure Adelaide becomes a more successful and creative city. Prof Florida was a luncheon guest of UniSA’s Vice Chancellor and the hot topic was the rejuvenation of Adelaide’s West End. The Florida formula is to encourage tolerance, technology and talent, all obvious priorities for UniSA.