Professor of Property and Development joins USC
Helping Sunshine Coast property developers create sustainable new communities is one of the key objectives of University of the Sunshine Coast’s recently-appointed Professor of Property and Development Mike Hefferan.
Professor Hefferan, who was previously the Director of the Institute for Sustainable Resources at Queensland University of Technology, said USC could significantly contribute to sustainable, regional development in many ways.
These include conducting research that has relevance and impact and providing industry-ready graduates of the University’s new business degree in Property and Asset Management.
Professor Hefferan said he was particularly interested in researching the development and re-use of residential and commercial buildings, infrastructure and master-planned communities.
“Buildings are not only places where we live but places where businesses work and the primary form of investment for many people,” he said.
“Given the pace of development on the Sunshine Coast, issues such as environmental protection and sustainability also must be seen as core issues to be addressed.
“All of us have an acute interest in the built environment working well and efficiently. It must be designed for efficiency and liveability, produce profits, and be properly managed to adapt and evolve over time.
“It’s not just about viewing property as bricks and mortar. It’s the ‘value add’ of property for investors, users and the general community.
“We also have to look at what stops a development becoming just a dormitory … but rather a vibrant place for community, households and businesses.”
Professor Hefferan said he planned to work closely with the local property and asset management industry in making the new Bachelor of Business (Property and Asset Management) program highly interactive.
“Students will be doing placements and work experience, and we will be involved in case studies and have guest lecturers from industry,” he said.
Professor Hefferan has a wealth of experience in property and asset management and is one of only two Professors of Property and Development in Queensland.
At QUT’s Institute for Sustainable Resources, Professor Hefferan directed almost 200 researchers in projects involving sustainable built environments, resource management and social dimensions of change.
He also was an Executive Director within the Department of State Development for the past 12 years, managing the largest commercial and industrial property portfolios in Queensland and some major property development projects.
Professor Hefferan is a registered urban and rural valuer, a Fellow of the Australian Institute of Company Directors, a member of the Property Council of Australia and of the Urban Development Institute of Australia.
He also is a Board Member of the Australian Property Institute, the Australian Green Development Forum and the Centre for Subtropical Design, and has researched and lectured in universities in Australia, the United States and throughout Asia.
— Terry Walsh