UQ in historic commercialisation

A new University of Queensland venture is showing how historical research is not just about the past, but also about planning for the future.

The University is today launching a new commercial entity - Histori|co - providing consultancy services in applied historical research for cultural heritage and environmental planning projects.

Drawing on the expertise of the University`s Centre for Applied History and Heritage Studies (CAHHS) in the Faculty of Arts, Histori|co has been established through UQ`s commercialisation arm, UniQuest, to provide specialist historic research and reporting.

CAHHS Director Dr Geoff Ginn said Histori|co clients include key heritage consultancies working for environmental firms, developers, governmental bodies and community groups.

"Drawing on industry links the Centre has developed over the past 8 years, Histori|co will provide best practice historical services to a broad range of projects," Dr Ginn said.

"These include cultural heritage assessments, conservation management plans, community development research, cultural history interpretation, archaeological surveys and research for Native Title purposes."

As well as providing commercial consultancy services through Histori|co, CAHHS is involved in the development of undergraduate and postgraduate courses in Applied History, supervision of graduate research and the provision of resources for historical societies and community groups.

The Centre also aims to raise public awareness of applied history through publications and seminar programs.

"The Centre`s mission since 1994 has been to advance the application of history to the needs of the wider society, beyond the traditional fields of academic study and `pure` research for publication," Dr Ginn said.

Histori|co will be officially launched by the President of the National Trust of Queensland, Pat Comben, at a function at Customs House in Brisbane this evening.

Media: For more information, contact Dr Geoff Ginn (telephone 07 3365 6407, email: g.ginn@uq.edu.au), Peter McCutcheon at UQ Communications (telephone 07 3365 1088) or visit the CAHHS website at http://www.uq.edu.au/hprc/apphist.html