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Sustainability at USC
24 November 2007
Events over the last week or two have seen me contemplating the University’s commitment to sustainability and our role in joining regional partners to promote this concept. Renowned environmentalist, Adjunct Professor at USC, and local resident, Ian Lowe, wrote for the uni’s 10yr Celebration Book that, “Given their important roles as educators, as research institutions and as the conscience of society, universities have a crucial role in helping us to manage the transition to a sustainable future.” So are we walking the talk? I’ll introduce three current examples to demonstrate we certainly do.
Last week saw the University supporting, and celebrating, Steve Irwin Day. The Irwins and Australia Zoo have made a huge impact to the conservation movement, not just nationally, but internationally. Interactions between Australia Zoo and USC are many and varied. We have alumni working at the zoo, students complete internships there, our international students in particular love the place and it will be a part of our orientation program for 2008. Australia Zoo staff contribute to our teaching and on-campus activities and through wildlife rescues care for injured kangaroos and other wildlife on campus. Both Steve and Terri are Honorary Senior fellows of the University with Steve’s recognition being awarded back in 2000. We’re very proud of our relationship with Australia Zoo and look forward to expanding the partnership.
A different type of partnership reached fruition this week when work began on translocating 12.2 hectares of native vegetation, including rare and endangered species from a residential development site at Bundilla to a 15 hectare site on our campus adjacent to Mooloolah National Park. Stockland, Australia’s largest residential land developer, and the University have joined forces on a landmark environmental project which will be one of the largest ever attempted in Australia. It is an enormous undertaking. With the University site itself being developed so quickly, it will be reassuring to see a representative component of the original habitat re-established on campus. The area will become a living laboratory for our students and staff as well as being a place to relax in natural surrounds. This type of initiative really is ground-breaking and will see our region associated with an international, lighthouse project regarding partnerships for a sustainable future.
A final case study involves the National Climate Change Adaptation Research Facility, funded at $126 million by the Australian Greenhouse Office. Last week, a Queensland led consortium headed by Griffith University was announced as the successful tenderer and USC is one of the partners. We know the Sunshine Coast is vulnerable to climate change so it is particularly pleasing to be part of this major research centre. Our region will become a key focus area for research and through the University will have access to expertise Australia wide. This success complements another first for the University. Earlier this year we established Australia’s first accredited postgraduate program in climate change adaptation. The program is training current and future professionals from not just the region, but across the country. The University places a lot of importance on the teaching-research nexus, which simply means we strive to ensure our teaching is up to date and guided by the most current research, especially regionally based research where appropriate. In the area of climate change adaptation, we are leading the way nationally.
Professor Greg Hill is Acting Vice-Chancellor at the University of the Sunshine Coast.