Allied Health Clinic almost ready for first patient

I am really looking forward to tomorrow when I’ll be touring the new public access Allied Health Clinic at CQUniversity Rockhampton with representatives from Health Workforce Australia.

As the facility nears completion, I can’t stress enough how much it will offer our community and the students enrolled in CQUni’s allied health programs.

Regional areas like Rockhampton are often strapped for qualified health professionals – not to mention modern facilities. Having this clinic on campus not only means that our students can learn their profession in a ‘real life’ environment alongside qualified practitioners; it also means that local people (up to160 a day!) will have greater access to state-of-the-art facilities and treatment, taking the strain off the existing health services in town.

What better way to prove our credentials as ‘Australia’s most engaged university’? It really is a win-win situation.

Perhaps the most important aspect of this new clinic, however, is the potential for students to ‘study local, stay local’. Evidence shows that when a student studies in a regional area, that student is several times more likely to stay in a regional area after graduation. The flow-on effect this will have for the local health profession, and the wellbeing of local people, is just tremendous.

I would also like to acknowledge the role Health Workforce Australia has played in getting this clinic off the ground. Without their major contribution of $9m, we wouldn’t have been able to provide such a world-class facility to our community.

Stay tuned to my blog and Twitter, as I'll let you all know once the clinic is open to the public. I invite as many of you as possible to come down and see it for yourself - it is truly a stunning facility, and one that will have huge community benefit.


For a sneak peek inside the clinic, have a look at this brief YouTube clip -

Bundy students up and away…

I was thrilled to log on to the Bundaberg News Mail website last Friday and read about 100 of our students who are about to take to the skies as part of CQUniversity’s new aviation course.

As I have mentioned on a number of occasions, flying is something close to my heart, and something I do as much as I possibly can. In fact my own plane, a Jabiru J230C, was manufactured in Bundaberg.

It seems fitting that these CQUniversity students are learning the ropes in Bundaberg as it was here that one of Australia’s true aviation pioneers was born and raised.

Bert Hinkler, undoubtedly Australia’s greatest aviator, developed his interest in flying at a young age, observing the way ibis could fly at a lake near his school.

The CQUniversity aviation course is an innovative and exciting program for CQUniversity, but it is particularly fitting that it is being delivered in Bundaberg, where Bert Hinkler still remains a favourite son.

Congratulations to these students on pursuing their passion! I have no doubt you will all feel right at home in the cockpit and love every second of taking to the sky.

Below is a picture of me with my plane taken last year for The Australian by Adam Knott.



Alumni and the road to greatness

Those who know me well know how much I love to fly. Fortunately for me, due to our multi-campus structure I have the opportunity to take my plane out regularly when I visit each of the campuses. Getting out and about and making contact with CQUniversity staff, students and alumni in all of our locations is one of the highlights of my role.

I was hoping to fire up the engines of the Jabiru tomorrow and fly to Emerald to attend the next in our series of alumni and supporter events, but due to the horrible weather I’ll need to drive.

Planes and automobiles aside, these events are so important to the future of the University and achieving greatness. They also provide a fantastic forum for ensuring ongoing engagement with our community. It is one of my firm beliefs that a large part of a University’s reputation rests on the satisfaction of its alumni.

As part of the event I will deliver a presentation, providing attendees with information on the current phase of our renewal and growth, statistics on student numbers, and how we are tracking against our mid and long term plans.

I also use events like these to thank our alumni, donors and institution supporters for remaining connected with the University. Their support will help make CQUniversity one of Australia’s truly great universities.

More alumni and supporter events are also scheduled for this year in Melbourne, Sydney and Bundaberg (hopefully I’ll get to fire up the Jabiru for that one!).

The photo below is from the recent Brisbane event. I'm pictured here with alumna Patricia Courtenay.