A new era in education

A new era in education at the Gold Coast was celebrated today with the opening of Southern Cross University’s Foundation Building at the new Gold Coast campus by the Honourable Julia Gillard, Deputy Prime Minister.

Ms Gillard, Deputy Prime Minister, Minister for Education, Employment and Workplace Relations, and Minister for Social Inclusion, addressed a gathering of 120 people including government, business, education and community representatives before unveiling a plaque with Southern Cross University Chancellor the Honourable John Dowd AO QC and the Vice Chancellor Professor Peter Lee.

Ms Gillard was accompanied by the Member for Richmond, Justine Elliot, and Member for Page, Janelle Saffin.

“What is happening here is part of our dream and our vision for the future of higher education,” Ms Gillard said. “We are standing here today in a beautiful new building and I am pleased that we were able to support this development with $7.7 million.

“The building is fantastic but what is even more fantastic is what is going to happen within its walls.”

Ms Gillard said the government was working with schools and universities to lift achievement and expectations.

“We will continue to work with universities on this national quest to be bigger, to be better and to be more inclusive - to have the benefits of university studies spread throughout our population,” she said.

“This University has been a partner with the government in that reform agenda - I think we are all driven by the passion for it - and this building is an embodiment of what that reform agenda means: an ability to say to this community this is your local university. An ability to say to the kids in school today - think about it you could go there, you could study there, this could be the pathway your life takes.”

Construction of the Foundation Building, part of a staged campus development at Southern Cross Drive, Bilinga, at the southern end of the Gold Coast, started in 2008 and plans are now well under way for a second building.

In welcoming Ms Gillard, the Chancellor Mr Dowd, said Southern Cross University had a very clear mission to deliver on the federal government’s education revolution.

“We have more than 16,000 students studying with us, and that number will grow exponentially with this new facility,” Mr Dowd said.

“Only 18 per cent of people at the Gold Coast aged between 25-34 years possess a Bachelor degree or above. This is around half the national average. Fifty-three per cent of all young people in this region are not pursuing any form of education beyond year 12.

“These stark realities stand in contrast to the sun and surf image of the region. We therefore need to add another ‘S’ to this image – that of scholarship."

Vice Chancellor Professor Peter Lee said it was a day of great celebration and significant achievement for Southern Cross University.

“We have a proud history of serving the educational needs of the region, having first established a campus at Tweed Heads eight years ago,” Professor Lee said.

“From today we broaden our reach to include the southern Gold Coast, in response to a pressing need for higher education facilities here.”

Professor Lee said the campus would assist in raising aspirations for all people in the region.

“It will serve as a place from which outreach activities from the university to schools can be further strengthened. We will also continue to act as a driver for economic development.”

Located 400-metres from North Kirra Beach, key features of the Foundation Building include a student services hub, designed to provide a one-stop shop for student support and enquiries and the hi-tech fourth floor library, offering stunning views of the ocean and Gold Coast Hinterland.

The new Gold Coast campus offers undergraduate degrees in business, convention and event management, international tourism management and law and paralegal studies. It complements courses in secondary and early childhood education, occupational therapy, social science, sport management, nursing and midwifery at SCU Lakeside, at Caloola Drive, Tweed Heads and SCU Riverside, Brett Street, Tweed Heads.

Photo: The Deputy Prime Minister Julia Gillard unveils the plaque at the official opening of the Foundation Building at the new Gold Coast campus with the Chancellor John Dowd and Vice Chancellor Professor Peter Lee (left).