General Purposes North 4 Building

Work continues on the construction of the new building. The GPN4 Building will provide new accommodation for the University’s Institute of TESOL and Continuing Education and provide 1800sqm2 of new teaching spaces. The teaching spaces will include 2 new Lecture Theatres, a Collaborative Teaching and Learning Centre and seminar room. Construction is expected to be completed by June 2008.

Refurbishment of centrally-controlled teaching rooms

Work is underway for the refurbishments for the:

- Abel Smith Lecture theatre (23-1). Anticipated completion of May 2008
- Richards Building room 312. Anticipated completion by the end of 2007
- Parnell Building room 302. Anticipated completion by the end of 2007
- Enhanced Student Charge – Faculty space refurbishment

The Teaching & Learning Space Committee recently noted progress with the refurbishment of undergraduate teaching and learning spaces funded under the Enhanced Student charge program.

Projects underway for summer 2007/2008 included; the Chemistry Building - School of Molecular and Microbial Sciences Podium area project; the refurbishments and upgrade of teaching spaces; the development of a First Year Science Student Learning Centre on Level 2 of the Priestley Building; and the upgrade of a number of Engineering teaching laboratories.

Heron Island Internet Connection

Teaching and Learning Space Committee has endorsed an allocation of $25,000 from the Enhanced Student Charge to the Faculty of Biological and Chemical Sciences towards the provision of internet connectivity through a microwave link between the Heron Island Research Station (HIRS) and the mainland. The link will provide substantial increases to upload and download speeds.

Redesignation of Teaching Rooms – Ipswich Campus

Teaching and Learning Space Committee have approved a proposal regarding the removal of rooms 104, 107 and 108 in Building 2 at the Ipswich Campus from the schedule of centrally-controlled teaching spaces. The removal of the rooms was approved following the Committee’s approval of an Enhanced Student Charge-funded project to upgrade spaces to support Faculty of Health Sciences activities. The Campus has also identified that a number of rooms are no longer required by the School of Information Technology and Electrical Engineering. The following rooms will be reconfigured into centrally-controlled teaching seminar rooms:

- Room 209 (40 seat seminar room)
- Room 224 (30 seat seminar room)
- Room 352 (30 seat seminar room)
- Room 365 (50 seat seminar room)

The Committee also approved the removal of Room 108 in Building 12 from the schedule of centrally-controlled teaching spaces to relocate the UQ Bookshop from Building 10 to Room 108 in Building 12. The UQ Sport fitness centre in Building 10 will be expanded to occupy the space vacated by the Bookshop.

Enterprise Lecture Recording System

A trial of the system has been undertaken in the latter part of Semester two involving three lecture theatres (Steele 206, Hawken T203 and Goddard 139). Volunteers were recruited from amongst academics using the venues for a four week test program. Approximately 30 lectures were captured during the trial which enabled a number of teething problems to be resolved. The trial was successful and positive feedback has been received by both staff and students.

Equipment has been ordered for the installation of all 13 venues and it is anticipated the System will be operational by the start of Semester 1. The Systems will be installed into all lecture theatres with a capacity of greater than 200 students, including a room at the Ipswich and Gatton Campuses and one at the Herston site.

Data Projector Replacements in Centrally-Controlled Teaching Spaces

31 data projectors will be replaced in centrally-controlled teaching rooms across the St Lucia, Gatton and Ipswich Campuses from funding allocated in the Asset Management Plan.