The bush and its future - winners in University's Gatton plan

The University of Queensland's governing Senate tonight unanimously endorsed Vice-Chancellor John Hay's recommendations on the future of its Gatton campus as an important and forward-looking plan.

The campus is set to become an international centre of excellence following a report by Senior Deputy Vice-Chancellor Professor Ted Brown that formed the basis of the advice.

Senate approved key recommendations which focus on the challenges facing rural industries and rural and regional communities, proposals for new courses and centres and a lift in student numbers.

The Vice-Chancellor said he would immediate establish an implementation committee to be chaired by Professor Brown.

"This will ensure that the momentum required for the successful implementation of the report's recommendation is not lost or dissipated," Professor Hay said.

The report called for Gatton to strengthen its existing national leadership by raising its student target to 2500 in five years on the back of a $13 million funds injection and reorganisation plan.

It envisaged Gatton as a future "centre of excellence in teaching, research and extension" directed towards the needs of rural industries and communities.

A major recommendation was a Centre for Rural and Regional Innovation to address the problems of the bush, to be set up within the School of Natural and Rural Systems Management. Senate also endorsed a chair in rangelands management with $1.25 million from the University leveraged against other contributions.

Linking the University's emerging Institute of Molecular Bioscience with the Gatton campus through the study of plant molecular biology was a forward-looking recommendation.

The report called for new partnerships with diploma and certificate providers such as rural industry training colleges, TAFE colleges and the Queensland Department of Primary Industries.

A lift in the student load target for Gatton over five years to 2500 was considered necessary to ensure the campus remains "viable and vital" and to justify the report's investment strategies. The growth was to be sought primarily from full fee paying postgraduate and international students. Greater growth would depend on an increase in funded places by the Federal Government.

The report contained firm advice against forcing veterinary and land and food scientists to go to the campus against their will. The emphasis was on the creation of new centres and courses and a big upgrade of facilities to attract newcomers to Gatton.

Other initiatives of the approved plan included:

- A feasibility study for the proposed Lockyer Valley Rural Industries Interpretive Centre in conjunction with Gatton and Laidley Shire Councils;
- Upgrading of local area network (LAN) facilities to improve communications between Gatton, Ipswich and St Lucia campuses;
- $1 million seed funding for flexible delivery of courses;
- A major upgrading of library and student facilities;
- Renaming the campus The University of Queensland, Gatton;
- New management appointments to pursue strategic development; and
- A revamp of the role of the Advisory Council to support the changes.