Smart kids on campus

The newest students to study at The University of Queensland may be young, but they sure are brainy.

For their first five weeks of school, students of the new Queensland Academy for Science, Mathematics and Technology at Toowong will spend one day a week working with top UQ academics at the University’s research institutes.

As part of their UQ practical experience, the students will take part in workshops and tutorials in biology, biomedical science, chemistry, mathematics and physics.

But their UQ experience will not end there – the ‘Smart State’ Academy will maintain an ongoing and close link with the University of Queensland, allowing its high-achieving students to develop their skills through a leading-edge curriculum.

University Vice-Chancellor Professor John Hay, AC, said the arrangement would provide Academy students with an enhanced learning experience and the opportunity to develop research and investigation skills in a world-class research environment.

“Here at The University of Queensland we have cultivated a tradition of research and teaching excellence that will afford students every opportunity to fulfil their potential,” Professor Hay said.

“As well as being provided with access to cutting-edge technologies in innovative fields such as robotics, biomedical science, forensic science and gene technology, students will be exposed to a groundbreaking research environment that has produced research successes of the likes of our scramjet project and life-saving cervical cancer research.

“It is our hope that this intensive learning atmosphere will enable Academy students to accelerate their education, leaving them well-positioned as our next generation of leading scientists and researchers.”

The 242 inaugural Academy students will take on the International Baccalaureate Diploma program, a challenging, widely recognised two-year curriculum that prepares 16 to 19-year-olds for university.

As well as being able to fast track their learning by combining their schooling with tertiary studies, students will be presented with opportunities to gain valuable work experience in current and emerging industries.

The Academy currently offers only Year 10 and Year 11, but the student population is set to expand in 2008 when Year 12 commences for the first time.

Media: For further information contact Lucy Manderson at UQ Communications (07 3365 2339 or 0404 388 584) or Jessica Gallagher (07 3346 9649).