15 December 2006

Students contemplating studying business in the new year will now have more opportunity to specialise in high demand employment areas thanks to the introduction of the new Bachelor of Business programs at the University of Queensland`s (UQ) Gatton Campus.

The Campus is offering two new Bachelor of Business programs including Sustainable Enterprise Management and Food Industry Management.

The Bachelor of Business (Sustainable Enterprise Management) program is designed for students seeking a professional business degree with special emphasis on how businesses can compatibly achieve both profitability and sustainability.

The Bachelor of Business (Food Industry Management) program is designed for students who aspire to be the business leaders and managers of the future. The program will equip students with the necessary knowledge, skills and self-confidence to assist in effective and successful management, within constantly changing and highly competitive national and international business environments.

Coordinator of the Sustainable Enterprise Management program, Mr Paul Dargush, said the new program was designed to equip students with the skills to manage some of the greatest challenges facing Australian businesses today.

“Significant challenges include the increasing price of fossil fuel, climate change and diminishing natural resources,” Mr Dargusch said.

“These challenges are evolving in an already complex environment where staying internationally competitive requires great skill and expertise.

“But there are also immense opportunities and Sustainable Enterprise Management explores exciting solutions such as new markets for environmentally sustainable products, improved business development techniques and better relationships between business and society.”

Coordinator of the Food Industry Management program, Associate Professr Tony Dunne, said the food industry constitutes Australia’s largest manufacturing sector.

“The food industry involves companies engaged in a wide variety of activities such as: product innovation and management; state of the art food manufacturing; specialist manufacturing, marketing and exporting initiatives and creating value-for-money products for consumers – our consultation with the food industry indicates that there is a strong demand for graduates with business skills.

“UQ Gatton Business graduates will be ideally placed to fulfil the future leadership roles of this industry,” Associate Professor Dunne said.

The new Bachelor of Business programs should prove popular with students already planning to study at UQ Gatton. Completing a dual degree with Applied Science will allow them to combine practical study with a business degree.

Fields of study within UQ Gatton`s Applied Science program include Agronomy; Environmental Tourism; Equine Science; Horticulture; Parks and Wildlife Management; Production Animal Science; Rangeland Management; Veterinary Technology; and Wildlife Science.

The Bachelor of Business is being offered for the first time at UQ Gatton in 2007. For more information, telephone UQ Gatton on 1800 642 093.

Media inquiries: Susanne Schick, UQ Gatton Campus (07 5460 1229, 0409 265 587).
Further information/comment: Paul Dargusch (07 5460 1691, 0438 626 333).