Defence centre launched
by Geraldine Hinter
Recognising
that electronic systems are a critical part of any defence strategy, the
Government of South Australia and the University of South Australia have
joined forces to encourage the development of local skills and
capability maturity in system technologies and processes.
The Centre of Excellence in Defence and Industry Systems Capability (CEDISC), which was launched last month, will respond to major global changes in systems engineering thinking and practices by developing local talent to meet those challenges.
The state government has invested $4.7 million into CEDISC, which will work collaboratively with Defence, DSTO, industry and UniSA to provide specific capabilities, training and services in systems and software engineering.
UniSA’s Systems Engineering and Evaluation Centre (SEEC) will be a lead player in the new Centre (CEDISC), based in the Mawson Lakes technology precinct.
The DSTO Professor of Systems Engineering at SEEC, Stephen Cook, says CEDISC aims to up-skill industry engineers so that they can undertake the complex design and integration tasks associated with large scale projects, like the air warfare destroyer contract. In addition to its educational role, CEDISC will also provide a range of contract research and consulting services to support its mission.
“With its heart in South Australia, CEDISC follows the successful model pioneered by SEEC that provides research services, coursework and consultancy across the nation,” Prof Cook said.
“We are proud to be involved in this initiative, which will have a vital role in successful defence project outcomes.
“There is a rosy future for highly qualified systems engineers and UniSA has recognised the demand for these skills and responded with an exciting range of postgraduate educational opportunities.”