The University of Queensland has endorsed a proposal to relocate veterinary science to the University’s rural campus at Gatton.
The School, currently located at the University’s St Lucia campus in Brisbane, teaches the State’s only accredited degree in veterinary science.
Executive Dean of the Faculty of Natural Resources, Agriculture and Veterinary Science Professor Roger Swift said that the proposal included the construction of substantial facilities at the UQ Gatton Campus. “The Faculty and University are now seeking support from government and industry to assist with this development”, Professor Swift said.
The state-of-the-art facilities would replace ageing facilities at St Lucia. This was in accord with the University`s commitment to enhance undergraduate training of veterinary students.
A Project Implementation Plan to guide the relocation would be prepared involving broad consultation. A final plan will be presented to the University Senate by October 2004 with a target date of 2008 for the relocation of the School of Veterinary Science to UQ Gatton.
“This is a significant development and we plan to ensure that we properly determine the size and scope of the project,” Professor Swift said. “We will soon commission a project control group comprising staff, students and representatives from the veterinary profession to plan every aspect of the move in order to maximise the benefits for all parties.”
The University is also seeking a new Head for the School of Veterinary Science from the beginning of 2005. The new Head of School would have the opportunity to guide this project to provide quality training to veterinary science graduates well into the future.
The relocation of the School to UQ Gatton would make more efficient use of the excellent facilities built by the University in the past few years and attract other facilities and scientific groups to the campus, Professor Swift said.
Large animal teaching has been consolidated at UQ Gatton since 2001, while last year a world-class horse-breeding complex complete with embryo transfer laboratory was part of an $800,000 upgrade at the campus. The $20 million already spent on the construction and renovation of facilities at UQ Gatton over recent years includes Australia’s most advanced teaching dairy and a refurbished piggery.
The move would boost numbers at UQ Gatton by approximately 25 percent, resulting in the largest student body at the campus in its 107-year history.
When combined with the University’s projected growth for existing programs at UQ Gatton, the addition of veterinary students in 2008 would result in of approximately 3500 students studying from the campus.
This kind of growth confirmed the University’s commitment to the Gatton campus. It would be a significant boost for the Lockyer Valley and builds on the University’s commitment to the local region, Professor Swift said.
Media: For more information contact Executive Dean, Professor Roger Swift
(07) 54601201.
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