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House of Assembly - Fifty-Second Parliament, First Session (52-1)
2010-07-01 Daily Xml
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CARNEGIE MELLON UNIVERSITY

Mr PISONI (Unley) (14:56): My question is to the Premier, because the Minister for Further Education has said he has no idea. Did the Premier, or his department, know that the Carnegie Mellon University Entertainment and Technology Centre had abandoned their Currie Street campus, prior to granting Carnegie Mellon University a further $3.8 million in grants in April of this year? If so, what conditions, if any, were linked to the extra $3.8 million granted to Carnegie Mellon after the election?

The Hon. M.D. RANN (Ramsay—Premier, Minister for Economic Development, Minister for Social Inclusion, Minister for the Arts, Minister for Sustainability and Climate Change) (14:56): We have talked about this question. The state's first agreement with Carnegie Mellon University—the 2005 assistance agreement—undertook to establish Carnegie Mellon University's H. John Heinz III College Australia (known as CMU Heinz Adelaide) in Adelaide. The 2005 assistance agreement, with a maximum value of $19.65 million for the establishment of CMU formally concluded on 30 April 2010.

A new agreement to support the role of Carnegie Mellon University as a permanent institution in South Australia has now been negotiated between CMU and the government of South Australia. The new agreement is linked to the continued efforts by Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh and CMU in Adelaide to attract increased enrolments in CMU courses, reflecting the state's objectives of enhancing Adelaide as an educational centre of excellence—I want to praise Alexander Downer for his leadership in this area—with CMU as a permanent and self-reliant institution.

The new agreement is exempt from public disclosure under the Department of the Premier and Cabinet circular 27 'Disclosure of government contracts'. The term of the new agreement is for 4 years ending on 30 June 2014. With regard to the current status of CMU, as Australia's first overseas university, CMU has made significant contributions, both domestically and internationally. It has been the cornerstone of the state's international university precinct, attracting Cranfield University and University College London—'some college', I think the member for Unley referred to it as.

An honourable member interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. M.D. RANN: Harvard first. Harvard is in America, Cambridge is in England, then Yale in America, University College London, then Oxford, and they have chosen Adelaide as their first offshore location.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. M.D. RANN: It has been the cornerstone of the state's international university precinct, attracting Cranfield University and University College London, and seeding the establishment of the Torrens Resilience Institute, founded in partnership with our three local universities, which will assist the federal and state governments to achieve foreign policy and humanitarian objectives by developing resilient national capacities in the countries of South-East Asia and the Pacific Rim.

In recognition of its unique status as Australia's first overseas university—strongly supported by Brendan Nelson, John Howard and the Liberals in Canberra—

Mr GARDNER: Point of order.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order! There is a point of order. Member for Morialta.

Mr GARDNER: I am sure that this is an interesting answer to a question, but it has no relation to what the member for Unley actually asked.

The Hon. M.D. RANN: It reminds me of a television program in the 1970s, but I am too kind to say which one. In recognition of its unique status as Australia's first overseas university, CMU has been supported by the commonwealth through the provision of AusAID scholarships. A high inquiry ratio from AusAID approved countries indicates that CMU is a popular choice for AusAID applicants.

The scholars admitted to CMU are of the highest calibre. A number of AusAID graduates, upon completion of their degrees, have moved into significant positions of influence since returning to their home countries, including overseeing the use of foreign aid in development programs. Locally, CMU has contributed to the South Australia's Strategic Plan targets relating to increasing public sector performance, increasing our state's share of overseas students and increasing the state's proportion of higher education students, and CMU currently has over 120 enrolments.

To date, 135 students have graduated and CMU will graduate its largest class in August this year. Enrolments have been increasing consistently at a rate of 20 to 30 per cent each year. I am told it has hired 25 local faculty and staff. CMU's faculty and students have contributed more than 20,000 hours of pro bono project work in South Australia, including a variety of business and community improvement programs. As a result of its successful establishment, CMU has now committed to a phase of consolidation and growth for its campus for the term of the new agreement and has appointed a new executive director, distinguished Professor Dr Terry Buss, whose appointment was effected from 7 May.

State commitments under the new agreement: the total maximum potential value of state commitment is up to $3.8 million. The majority of the state's support under the new agreement is linked to scholarship enrolments. CMU will benefit from state scholarship support only as enrolments are realised. As CMU was established for less than the original $19.5 million grant, there is a residual amount of approximately $1 million remaining from the 2005 assistance agreement, which forms part of the maximum potential $3.8 million value of the new agreement. This residual amount will fund both scholarships and the Carnegie Mellon Support Unit until 30 June 2011. The support unit will continue to monitor the state's contract with CMU and assist the university as it invests in the continuing growth of its Adelaide campus. Scholarship funding of up to $2.8 million, additional to the residual of approximately $1 million, will be made available for realised enrolments over the four-year term of the new agreement.

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