Content
Social and community impact
USC has a key role in meeting the Sunshine Coast's goals in the areas of skills development, knowledge dissemination, and the provision of social and cultural infrastructure.
Degrees reflect region’s needs
USC now offers more than 140 undergraduate and postgraduate study programs in business and information technology, communication and design, education, health, humanities and social sciences, and science and engineering.
Entrepreneurship and sustainability can be studies as part of most degree programs.
The expanding range of degress reflect regional demand, and current and anticipated state, national and international skill shortages.
The University has around 8,000 students and aims to reach 12,000 students by 2015.
The top 5 award programs are in Nursing Science, Psychology, Primary Education, the Graduate Diploma in Education and Sport and Exercise Science.
USC is the only Queensland public university to consistently rate 5 stars for teaching qulity and rates higher than any other public university in Queensland for graduate satisfaction (ratings from the independent Good Universities Guide).
Demand and enrolments grow
Demand for USC degree courses increased by 6.7 percent in 2011, yielding an enrolement of 7,766. Of these, 77.7 percent were from within the region, 49 percent were first in family to attend university, 44 percent were mature age, 65.2 percent were female and international students were drawn from 61 countries.
Scholarships support students
In 2011, more than 800 undergraduate students at USC received financial support from scholarships, bursaries and prizes woth more than A$1.48M.
Increased tertiary education participation
Participation in tertiary education in the Sunshine Coast region by the 15-24 age group has more than doubled since the University opened.
Access and participation programs include USC’s national award-winning Headstart program which allows high school students to study university courses, and the Tertiary Preparation Pathway, which helps students qualify for university entry.
International students enrich region
USC’s 789 international students contribute to the cultural, social and intellectual learning environment on campus, and to the diversity of the region. Students are drawn from about 60 countries, with the top five source countries being the USA, Germany, Canada, France and Norway. Friendships forged at university can be life-long and can extend to business relationships.
USC students study overseas
More than 40 USC students studied overseas through the award-winning Global Opportunities (GO) Program in 2011.
The GO Program allows USC students to undertake study at partner universities overseas while earning credit towards their degree. Top GO destinations in 2011 were the USA, Japan, Germany and Korea.
Graduate advantage
Since its inception, USC has produced around 10,000 graduates. In a financial sense, conservative estimates of average earnings advantage for graduates over non-graduates is 40 percent for those with a bachelor degree, and 59 percent for those with a higher degree. University qualifications can lead to a more satisfying career and more productive regional workforce.
Of those seeking employment, around 80 percent of USC graduates found full-time jobs or commenced further studies shortly after degree completion, with about half remaining on the Sunshine Coast. Overall, 83 percent of graduates were satisfied with their USC experience, higher than the national average.
Student work placements
To support both employers and students in achieving work readiness in graduates, USC offers a range of student placement options titled Work Integrated Learning. In 2011, 1,494 USC students undertook a work placement, in some cases leading to full-time employment for the student.
Research focus meets regional needs
In response to the region’s needs, USC specialises its research activities in the areas of sustainability and genecology. All research at USC is known as Coast Research and open access to research outputs of the University is available through the Coast Research Database.
In 2011, the University of the Sunshine Coast won $5.45M in Commonwealth funding over three years to boost research in areas like water, sustainability, forestry and aquaculture through collaboration with other universities on topics of regional, national and international significance.
Many projects by staff and students benefit the region directly, for example:
- Effective exercise programs for elderly people
- Methods of stormwater harvesting
- Fast growing native trees to mitigate climate change
- Help for breastfeeding mums
- Mental health in children and over 55s
- Influences on men's body image.
Sporting facilities
Community use of USC sporting facilities represents 80 percent of total usage. Average community weekly use of USC sporting facilities, including the stadium, fields, athletics track and hard courts is around 3,000. In addition, almost 8,000 community members access the facilities each year for events.
USC's $2.1 million Olympic standard swimming pool was officially opened in 2011. The heated 10 lane, 50 metre pool is used for specialised research and testing of elite athletes, while also being available for general community use.
Community events and sponsorship
Community events hosted by USC include Voices on the Coast (organised by Immanuel Lutheran College and attracting 4,000 school children), World Environment Day, the Indigenous Education Symposium and Language Immersion Day.
Seminars and forums were conducted for the business community, and for the property and development sector. These included the Business Professionals’ Forum, the Enterprise Tuesday series, and Understanding Contemporary Property, together with the Sunshine Coast Futures Conference Series, run annually in conjunction with Sunshine Coast Council.
Childcare Centre opened
In July 2011, the on campus children centre, opened. Operated by the AEIOU Foundation, the Centre provides 66 places for children aged six weeks to five years, including servicing the specific needs of children with autism. USC donated the land for the centre.
Art Gallery
USC’s Art Gallery staged 10 exhibitions in 2011, attracting a staggering 11,500 visitors. More than 600 community members are volunteers at the Art Gallery. The gallery has accumulated a very significant collection of Australian and Indigenous works.
Back to top