Recently announced Australian University of the Year - the University of Queensland - will open its campus on Sunday, August 2 to prospective students, parents and teachers.
The University will hold its 1998 Courses and Careers Day from 9am to 5pm, with a central display in Mayne Hall, St Lucia, Brisbane, and careers talks in nearby buildings.
It received its University of the Year accolade this month from the Good Universities Guides for outstanding outcomes for graduates - the key outcomes of getting a job and gaining access to further study.
Courses and Careers Day spokesperson Dr Rod Rogers said the day was a good chance for people to talk face to face with University staff and students about courses, career paths, facilities and entry requirements.
"The day will be very helpful for Year 10 students deciding their subjects for the next few years, and for Year 11 and 12 students sorting out which universities offer the programs they want," he said.
"Courses and Careers Day also is relevant for anyone considering further study options, including postgraduate studies.
"We invite people to come along and market research their futures."
Dr Rogers said it was difficult for high school students to decide their future directions with so many unknown variables, such as their own tertiary entrance scores and institutional course OP scores depending on demand.
"On top of that, people have to make up their minds as to the types of careers and courses they think might suit," he said.
"The best advice we can give people is to keep their options open for as many programs as possible."
Dr Rogers said the University of Queensland was different from other universities, offering a competitive edge for its graduates.
"Ours is also a very caring institution. As a parent myself, I know that families are concerned that their children receive the best support and assistance.
"The University of Queensland offers high quality support for its students, including health services, personal counselling disability support, advice on study methods, chaplaincy and residential accommodation.
"It's a very good package which looks at the total student, including physical and mental health and well-being."
Dr Rogers said University academics and staff from faculty offices and other services would be available to discuss areas of special interest, while formal information sessions throughout the day would provide essential background on studying in fields from art history to zoology. Programs and campus maps will be available from Mayne Hall.
Displays in Mayne Hall will cover the full range of undergraduate and postgraduate courses at the Gatton and St Lucia campuses, and the University's new high tech UQ Ipswich campus, opening for its first student intake in February next year.
The day will also include campus and library tours, and five of the University's major museums and collections will open to visitors from 9am to 5pm, accessible via the Great Court. They are the Physics Museum, University Art Museum, Anthropology Museum, Geology Museum and Zoology Museum.
The University, founded in 1910, was Queensland's only university for more than 50 years. It remains the State's only resource for degrees in medicine and surgery, pharmacy, veterinary science, dentistry, oral health, physiotherapy, occupational therapy, speech pathology, and mining, minerals and materials engineering.
The University of Queensland's world-class programs attract most of the top band of school leavers in Queensland, plus highly qualified students from interstate and overseas. Teaching programs are underpinned by research ranked in the top two of Australia's 37 universities.
About 27,700 students (including 6000 postgraduates) are enrolled in more than 200 courses offered through 62 departments and schools.
An open day for prospective students and their parents will also be held at the University's Gatton College campus on August 30. The campus is one hour's drive from Brisbane and 30 minutes from Toowoomba on the Warrego Highway. Gatton College staff are expecting an influx of visitors seeking information about the range of undergraduate courses at certificate, diploma and degree levels as well as postgraduate opportunities offered by departments on the Gatton campus of the University.
Media: For further information contact Dr Rogers, telephone 3365 3353.
