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House of Assembly - Fifty-Second Parliament, First Session (52-1)
2011-10-18 Daily Xml
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TORRENS UNIVERSITY AUSTRALIA

The Hon. J.J. SNELLING (Playford—Treasurer, Minister for Employment, Training and Further Education, Minister for Workers Rehabilitation) (15:35): I seek leave to make a ministerial statement.

Leave granted.

The Hon. J.J. SNELLING: South Australia is continuing to prove why it has earned a reputation as Australia's learning city, and the latest news that many members will have heard yesterday is the culmination of that reputation. I am, of course, speaking of my approval for Laureate Education Asia to establish a private university in Adelaide using the proposed name, Torrens University Australia. Maybe 'West Torrens University Australia' might be a better name.

There is no getting around that this is a very big deal for our state. Attracting a university of this calibre shows the world is looking in our direction, looking at our city as an educational hub. This will be only the third private university to establish a presence in Australia and the first in 20 years since Bond University in Queensland and Notre Dame University in Western Australia were established. We can be extremely proud of the fact that Laureate has chosen Adelaide over every other capital city.

Laureate International Universities is a global organisation which has 58 accredited campus-based and online universities offering education to more than 675,000 students in more than 25 countries across the world. Impressively, Laureate boasts an honorary chancellor—none other than former US president Bill Clinton—who offers advice on social responsibility, youth leadership and increasing access to higher education, and that of course is a topic that is very close to my heart.

This is a vast international university network for domestic and international students, and its presence in Adelaide will provide incentives for students to choose Adelaide as their study destination of choice. With a focus on truly international education and research, a student in Adelaide will be able to study for part of their degree in Sao Paulo, Paris, Chicago, Osaka and many other cities. This offers a terrific opportunity and inspiration for our young people.

This result is the culmination of a stringent assessment process which began with Laureate's application in late 2010. Since then, an independent assessment panel, comprised of senior representatives from the university sector, chaired by Mr John Branson AM (former chairman of Stuart Petroleum Limited), reviewed the application and consequently recommended approval be granted.

Laureate International Universities will provide all start-up funding for their Adelaide institution. They have not received government funding or subsidies. They will initially be based in the Torrens Building on Victoria Square while they search for suitable locations within the CBD. Students will begin to be enrolled for 2013 and the university will at first offer four academic programs. There will be a Bachelor of Design, a Bachelor of Business (International Hospitality Management), a Bachelor of Global Business and a Master of Education.

They intend to expand their offerings from the second year of operation; so, by 2016, they will cover six broad fields of study at either the undergraduate or postgraduate level or both. Beginning with about 200 students, they expect to build that to around 3,000 students after 10 years. Over the first few years, they expect to invest $A30 million, which does not take into account many assets including costs of intellectual property, systems and senior management. So, you can see that this is a long-term arrangement. Overall, Laureate expects to invest more than $A100 million.

This result would not have been possible without the work of many. I would like to offer my personal thanks to the chair of the assessment panel, Mr Branson, and the panel members, the delegate of the Training and Skills Commission (who is also the Director of Quality in DFEEST) and all the hardworking staff in DFEEST, the Department of Trade and Economic Development and, of course, my department of Treasury and Finance. So, Laureate looked at every capital city in Australia before they decided to apply for establishment here in Adelaide. In their words:

Only South Australia had a university policy and competent people to talk to who made us feel welcome about creating a university in Adelaide. Our research backed up our initial feeling to be in Adelaide. It is growing quickly with very good demographics...it is a friendly and attractive destination for foreign students.

That is a tremendous endorsement for our city, Madam Speaker.

The SPEAKER: If members wish to have a deep and meaningful conversation, I would ask them to do it outside or do it quietly and not shout it across the benches.

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