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Legislative Council - Fifty-First Parliament, Second Session (51-2)
2008-06-04 Daily Xml
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UNIVERSITY COLLEGE LONDON

The Hon. R.D. LAWSON (14:52): I seek leave to make a brief explanation before asking the Leader of the Government, representing the Premier, a question about the University College London.

Leave granted.

The Hon. R.D. LAWSON: Members will have seen recently an announcement by the Premier whilst visiting London—amongst other places—that the government has signed a memorandum of understanding with University College London (claimed to be a world-leading British organisation) to establish a campus in Adelaide. The Premier's announcement states that $4 million will be made available immediately towards the refurbishment of the Torrens Building to accommodate the new institution, and that the government will support the set-up and operation over the first seven years of this institution.

The Premier's statement also says that the memorandum of understanding follows a major feasibility study with the University College London which began in October 2006. I should also add that this particular institution will be offering a post-graduate Masters of Science in Energy and Resource Management, as well as offering places to a small number of doctoral students. My questions to the Premier are:

1. Did the feasibility study referred to in this statement involve any discussion with any of Adelaide's three excellent university institutions to ascertain whether they could provide comparable courses if offered $4 million plus financial support over the next seven years?

2. Whether or not any such discussions took place, was any offer made to any South Australian institution to provide comparable support for the offering of courses of this kind?

3. Will the Premier deny recent reports that enrolments in the Carnegie Mellon University, established in Adelaide in May 2006 with $20 million of South Australian dollars of taxpayer support, have fallen far short of initial expectations and predictions?

The Hon. P. HOLLOWAY (Minister for Police, Minister for Mineral Resources Development, Minister for Urban Development and Planning) (14:56): In relation to the energy and resource industry, this government has provided millions of dollars to both the University of Adelaide and the University of South Australia to establish the key institutions which lead this country in their respective areas. I am sure members can recall my answering questions in the past in relation to the institute we have to investigate exploration under cover; that has been extremely successful.

I have spoken in this council before about how we recruited the noted geologist Professor Ian Plimer for the mining engineering course that this state has pioneered—an extremely successful course. We have more geology undergraduates at the University of Adelaide than any other university in this country. That is how successful it has been. Professor Richard Hillis and his group have been sponsored by Santos, and through them we have the School of Petroleum, which is a world leader. Through my own department those academic institutions have received significant support, including the funding of additional chairs to ensure that we are world leaders in those areas.

These programs I have mentioned are just at the University of Adelaide, but there is also the Ian Wark Institute and the Institute of Mineral Processing that this government has supported to the tune of some millions of dollars through my colleague the Minister for Employment, Training and Further Education at the University of South Australia. The new Chancellor of the University of South Australia is Dr Ian Gould who is the chair of the South Australian Minerals and Petroleum Expert Group (SAMPEG). He is also a member of the Resources and Industry Development Board and a former managing director of CRA and group managing director of Normandy Mining.

So, this government is well aware of the importance of the energy and resources sector. The University College of London is one of the top universities in the world and the fact that, in addition to the building up of our own local institutions in these areas, we can bring another institution the calibre and quality of the University College of London simply underlines the determination of the Premier and this government to make Adelaide a centre of excellence in university education. It is the reason why we now have unprecedented numbers of students in the state.

In the six years of the Rann government, the number of students attending these institutions in South Australia has grown enormously, and it has been because of the efforts that this government has put in to elevate the higher education system within South Australia. As to the specifics of what the government has done, I will take that question on notice, refer it to the Premier and bring back a response.

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