SCU Science and Engineering Precinct

Scott SMITHFoundation Professor of EngineeringSchool of Environment, Science and EngineeringSouthern Cross Universityscott.smith@scu.edu.au

Regional Universities Conference, 14-15 November 2013

Gold Coast Campus, Southern Cross University

scott.smith@scu.edu.au

Education Investment Fund (EIF):Background

• EIF established by Nation-Building Funds Act 2008.

• Role of EIF to support strategically focused infrastructure investments - build a modern, productive, internationally competitive Australian economy.

• EIF-Regional Priorities Round: $500 million budget, EOI November 2011.

• Aims to:

- Improve tertiary education participation and attainment,

- Improve access to world class tertiary institutions and communities,

- Build sustainable regional institutions and communities,

- Support regional skills needs,

- Support research that is integral with regional teaching and learning or VET needs, and

- Develop linkages within regions and connect regions nationally and globally.

scott.smith@scu.edu.au

• AUD$27.9 million (Education Investment Fund Regional Priorities Round) in January 2013

AUD28 million to SCU

• New Science and Engineering Precinct (refurbishment of library)

• New Learning Centre…..campus heart

scott.smith@scu.edu.au

• Southern Cross University (SCU)

- History, Some Facts, Schools

• Education and Investment Fund (EIF)

- SCU Built Environment

- EIF and SCU: Science and Engineering Precinct, Learning Centre

• Sustainability: Community, University

Scope of Presentation

scott.smith@scu.edu.au

Southern Cross University:History, Some Facts, Schools

scott.smith@scu.edu.au

Northern Rivers and the Southern Cross

• Home to approx. 300,000 people

• Covers region ≈ 20,730 km2

scott.smith@scu.edu.au

• Lismore campus

• Set on 75 hectares (750,000 m2)

scott.smith@scu.edu.au

Southern Cross University• 1970: Lismore Teachers College

• Late 1970s: Northern Rivers College of Advanced Education

• 1989: Network member of the University of New England (UNE-NR)

• 1994: Southern Cross University (Lismore and Coffs Harbour)

• Today: Campuses in Lismore, Coffs Harbour and Gold Coast (including Tweed Heads locations) + associated providers within Australian and internationally

scott.smith@scu.edu.au

Southern Cross University• VC, Prof. Peter Lee, FTSE

(Engineers Australia 100 most influential engineers since 2004)

• Student population 16,000 (internal and distance)

• Six 5’s in 2012 ERA. School ESE contributed to all six (Geochemistry, Zoology, Crop and Pasture Production, Forestry Sciences, Earth Sciences, Agricultural and Veterinary Sciences)

• Engineering (Civil Engineering) first intake February 2013

scott.smith@scu.edu.au

Southern Cross University• School of Arts and Social Sciences

• School of Education

• School of Environment, Science and Engineering

• Gnibi College of Indigenous Australian Peoples

• School of Health and Human Sciences

• Southern Cross Business School

• School of Law and Justice

• School of Tourism and Hospitality

• The Hotel School Sydney

EngineeringNational Motivators:• Engineering skills shortage: Projects delayed or cancelled.

- Currently: 9.500 engineering graduates/year (from Uni., TAFE)

- Required: 13,000 to 20,000 engineering graduates/year

(Engineers Australia CEO, July 2012)

Regional Motivators:• No engineering course in entire Northern Rivers

region…capture and retain local talent

• Growing awareness of Regional Engineering

scott.smith@scu.edu.au

Science and Engineering at SCU• Teaching

- Civil Engineering

- Forest Science

- Environmental Science

- Marine Science and Management

• Research

- GeoScience

- Plant Science

- Coastal Biogeochemistry

- Marine Ecology

- Forestry

• Science and Engineering Precinct: Clustering of science and engineering disciplines (teaching and research).

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EIF and SCU

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Learning Centre

Engineering

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Lismore Campus Precincts

• Focused precincts of knowledge transfer

• New facilities to accommodate leading edge technologies

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Infrastructure Development Arising from EIF: Science and Engineering Precinct

• Stage 1: Refurbishment of existing library into engineering research and teaching laboratories (completion 2014, 2015)

- Improved university profile in STEM

- Cross-discipline research and teaching

- Vibrant academic precinct

scott.smith@scu.edu.au

scott.smith@scu.edu.au

Infrastructure Development Arising from EIF:New Learning Centre (Completion 2015)

• Master Plan and in response to student feedback……..

• 4th generation library: reconfigurable, flexible & collaborative learning spaces, multimedia technology

• Self-contained study rooms.

• Improve access to digital education resources.

• More accessible (central) and user-friendly facility.

• Create a campus heart.

• 24 hour access and community use.....transform the university and community.

scott.smith@scu.edu.au

Sustainability

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Sustainability: Region• More choice for regional students to attain

qualifications

• Address local, regional and national workforce shortages…regional employability

• Project’s construction injecting $77million into local economy + create more than 120 direct and indirect jobs

• Within first 10 years, project estimated $135million to economy + additional 570 Graduates and 345 Science Planning graduates

scott.smith@scu.edu.au

Sustainability: University• Sustainable adaption of existing building

• Enhance the university experience….campus vibrancy

• Reduce attrition

• Great campus vibrancy

• Science and Engineering as a beacon…build it an they will come

• Additional net income

• Courses focus on regional and sustainability issues (e.g. water treatment, bridges, climate adaption…)

scott.smith@scu.edu.au

Concluding Remarks

• SCU’s new built environment

(i) create regional knowledge hubs,

(ii) enhance student experience,

(iii) strengthen research contributions,

(iv) encourage institutional collaborations, and

(v) foster industry partnerships

• Ultimately, we are striving to enrich the quality of life in regional Australia

scott.smith@scu.edu.au

Thank you

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SCU Engineering Building (Level 1)

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SCU Engineering Building (Level 2)

scott.smith@scu.edu.au

scott.smith@scu.edu.au

SCU Strategic Plan• Vision:

- recognised for enriching our communities through the excellence of our scholarship and the achievements of our graduates

• Means:

- Focused precincts of knowledge transfer .

- New facilities to accommodate leading edge technologies.

- Greater connection with wider community.

- Encourage closer integration with current commercial interests.

scott.smith@scu.edu.au

SCU, Lismore Campus

scott.smith@scu.edu.au

SCU, Lismore Campus

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SCU Engineering: Key Discipline Areas• Civil Engineering commenced

2013. 4 year degree, provisional accreditation by Engineers Australia

• Structural Engineering• Geotechnical Engineering• Traffic and Transport

Engineering• Construction• Project Management• Water Engineering• Civil Engineering

(Underpinning themes of communication, sustainability, environment, humanitarian engineering, risk, ethics)