Engagement, innovation and power of place guides CQUni agricultural research

CQUniversity is a regional university and proud to be so. Even though we have campuses spread far and wide, central Queensland is where our foundation lies. Like many regional universities we face challenges that our counterparts in metropolitan areas do not. However, our geography also delivers many and varied opportunities to engage, give-back to regional, rural and remote communities, and collaborate with stakeholders to understand our unique power of place.

The Central Queensland region – stretching from Hervey Bay to the Whitsundays, is a melting pot of diverse primary industry, the true ‘food bowl of Australia’. This region produces livestock, food crops, forestry and fisheries. In fact did you know that the Bundaberg region in particular produces 90 per cent of Australia’s sweet potatoes? That is a lot of sweet potato! In fact the region produces 21 different crops from vegetables to nuts and even blueberries, and horticulture crop production exceeds $500 million per year.

It is obvious when flying in to Bundaberg and seeing the patchwork landscape beneath that the region is a horticultural powerhouse yet these statistics blew me away. It leaves you to wonder what our supermarkets and refrigerators would look like if such food production wasn't taking place.

That is why our ‘power of place’ in this region is so vital. This engagement and collaboration are key drivers in allowing us to be a university that responds to local demand and informs many of our key research areas. To put the spotlight on our region and showcase the importance of local, smart and sustainable food production for not just the current generations but those to follow.

CQUniversity is not only well placed geographically to do this but also scientifically. Our research is world class and it was confirmed as such in the 2012 Australian Research Council Excellence in Research Australia (ERA) rankings, our agricultural research is rated at a five – meaning it is classed well above world standard.

I firmly believe one of the reasons behind this achievement is the high level of engagement with key stakeholders in this area. Working hand in hand with people who live and breathe agriculture on a daily basis means our researchers better understand the challenges. This thorough understanding means our researchers are well informed about finding the right solutions and conducting research that will bring about answers and deliver tangible long term benefits.

This work will not only help our primary producers but will pave the way for future innovation. Most importantly this research will go a long way to ensuring that agriculture continues to be a strong and enduring industry in Australia – especially when we see so many industries failing because of changed operating conditions and a failure to keep up with innovation and a global marketplace.

More so than ever before universities have an important role to play in the future of Australia’s economy by conducting research that applies to industry, with the specific intention of finding innovative, sustainable and simple solutions to complex economic, social and environmental challenges.

CQUniversity’s research agenda is focusing on exactly that, with agricultural research being completely ahead of the game. I’ll no doubt be bringing you further updates about this exciting area in the months to come but in the meantime why not have a look at some of our research stories just from the beginning of this year.

Ambassador to Nepal views waste-to-fertiliser project led by CQUni

Poultry to play part in locking up carbon, boosting soil quality

Growers could snap up better harvest data thanks to ute-mounted camera

Squeezing more value out of Aussie fruit and veges

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

Another year is coming to end and I’m looking forward to spending some time with my family over the holidays.

Despite the University having to make some tough decisions during the year, we have certainly achieved some amazing things, making the outlook for 2014 very bright. Our domestic student enrolments have grown over the course of the year and we’ve at long last begun to see a turnaround in international student enrolments. This year we’ve also had some impressive results in the international university rating system, QS Stars, and more recently secured Australia’s biggest share of funded postgraduate student places for allied health and nursing. We have also gained additional funded places for our popular enabling program STEPS. And of course the imminent merger with CQ TAFE and the injection of Commonwealth funding gives us plenty to look forward to, not just in 2014 but beyond.

As of July next year, CQUniversity will be responsible for the education and training of up to 40,000 students across the country, in a vast range of study areas from Certificate I to PhD.  This will make CQUniversity like no other university in Queensland. It will be history making for all involved and is creating a lot of excitement for staff, students, industry and the community.

Reflecting back on all that has happened this year, for me, 2013 has been about the people of CQUniversity – our dedicated staff, our fantastic students, and the wonderful communities who have supported us throughout our journey this year.

Yes, this year has had its challenges, but I have never been prouder to be Vice-Chancellor, then during this year.  I would like to take this opportunity to acknowledge and thank our hardworking and committed staff for working tirelessly throughout the year.

As much as I love holidays, I am looking forward to getting back to work next year and moving forward with transition activities. Without wanting to wish the first half of next year away, I can’t wait for 1 July.

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to everyone, I hope you have a very safe and very relaxing break!

Thanks for checking in on my blog over the past year.

Health funding will benefit regional Queensland

No one can argue that there has long been a shortage of skilled health workers to service regional areas of Australia. This is an issue training providers, universities and governments alike have worked to address over the years.

There are many reasons why there are shortages in regional and remote Australia but a common explanation usually relates to difficulties in luring health professionals away from larger cities and the lifestyles these metropolitan centres can offer – especially to young people.

I have always said that those who study local, are more likely to stay local and this couldn’t be more true when it comes to health professionals. Students who leave their regional hometowns to study at metro universities are less likely to return home after completing their studies and regional universities find it harder to attract students from larger cities. If we can do something to turn this around and encourage people to study at their regional university or to relocate and study in a regional centre I think we can start to fill this void.

This is why I congratulate the Federal Government on their recent announcement to fund almost 300 additional places in postgraduate health programs at CQUniversity.

The Government has recognised the need for highly trained health professionals in regional Queensland and CQUniversity has demonstrated a strong capacity to deliver educational pathways.

Students are the big winners because they will now have more options to further their studies and become highly trained health professionals upon completion. I hope this will go a long way in both encouraging people (especially recent school leavers) to stay in Central Queensland to study and luring students from the city to study with us.

The other big winner will of course be regional Queensland communities who will benefit access to health professionals on their doorstep.

This is such a positive development not just for CQUniversity but other regional universities, as this type of funding supports universities, that are serving communities with the highest demand for skilled workers. 

White Ribbon Day

It’s frightening to read the statistics about domestic violence in Australia – anywhere from one-quarter to one-third, and even up to one-half (depending on the survey) of Australian women will experience physical or sexual violence by a man at some point in their lives. And tragically, one woman is killed every week in this country by a current or former partner.

White Ribbon is male-led movement that encourages men to make a commitment against violence, promote positive attitudes and behaviours towards women amongst their peers and to intervene safely to prevent violence again women when needed. In fact the awareness campaign was started following a massacre of 14 women at a university in Canada more than 20 years ago.

As such the United Nations General Assembly declared 25 November as the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women, the White Ribbon is the iconic symbol of this day and is a timely reminder for both men and women to encourage positive behaviour and make a stand against violence towards women.

This is particularly relevant for communities in regional and remote Australia as it is these areas where instances of domestic violence are highest. Violence has a profound and damaging impact on its victims and on the community as a whole. When women are assaulted by men, or constantly threatened and abused, this leaves deep physical and psychological scars for not just them but their children, friends and extended family.

This violence against women is not just a women’s issue. In fact it’s a social issue where men can play a key role in the solution. Not every man is responsible for violent behaviour, but we can all do something to reinforce the fact that violence against women (or violence against anyone for that matter) is not acceptable.

So, what can we all do? The simplest thing you can do is to wear a white ribbon or wristband today. This shows others that you do not excuse violence against women or turn a blind eye and that you’re committed to supporting local and global action to stop the violence for good.

I’d also like to take this opportunity to highlight the work some of our researchers, like Heather Nancarrow, are doing in this field through the Queensland Centre for Domestic & Family Violence Research. This Centre, located at our Mackay campus, contributes to the prevention of domestic and family violence by informing, promoting and supporting the actions of individuals, communities, services and governments through leadership in research, professional development, education and community engagement.

I’m also so pleased that as part of our last Enterprise Bargaining Agreement we now offer staff affected by domestic violence the opportunity to access domestic violence leave and employee assistance. This is just one way we as an organisation are making a stand against domestic violence and ensuring victims feel that they can access help when needed.

Let’s let today be a reminder that we all need to take a stand against violence. What will you do to raise awareness and promote positive attitudes and behaviour? 

Open minds make all the difference

Do you know that almost half of the population will experience a mental health disorder at some point in their life?

That’s right, mental health issues are common, but there is still an immense social stigma attached to mental health disorders.  This is most likely why many people prefer not to seek help despite recognising the symptoms.

What’s more mental health will affect most of us on different levels from time to time and I’m sure there isn’t one person who from time to time hasn’t needed time off work for ‘mental health day’. So why is there still such a social stigma? Why is talking about mental health still so taboo in this day and age? Why is it more socially acceptable to get the flue then it is to be suffering from depression?

As life gets busier, mental health issues are going to become more prevalent so it’s everyone’s responsibility start recognising the signs and looking at mental illness without the stigmas. Someone suffering from a mental illness shouldn’t have to hide it, if they choose they should be able to openly discuss it in the same way they would a cold or a sports injury.

Initiatives like Mental Health Week and RU OK? Day have done much in recent years to start addressing taboos around mental health and have quite likely save many lives because people have realised that mental health is something they can talk about and get with.

As depression is predicted to be one of the world largest health problems by 2020, I think we should all continue to check on our loved ones, friends and colleagues (and even complete strangers) from time to time, not just on highlighted days. Importantly we should also take stock of our own mental health and act on it.

CQUniversity is a world leader in mental health nursing research and I am very proud of the innovative work Professor Brenda Happell and her team do in this area.  This important research is not just helping students learn about the complex area of mental health nursing but is helping individuals and communities in achieving better mental health outcomes. Through the work of this team, students at CQUni have the opportunity to collaborate closely with teachers who have a lived experience of mental illness in order to deeply understand consumer perspectives on mental illness and recovery and to de-stigmatise mental health issues. This method helps students to understand that people suffering from mental illness aren’t just patients but people with the same needs, hopes and dreams as everyone else.

This helps our students understand that mental health sufferers are not just patients, but are real people with hopes, dreams and desires that go well beyond their mental illness. This approach is leading the way in Australia and overseas by involving the mental health ‘consumer’ in their own recovery, delivering empowerment to both the caregiver and receiver. 

A true inspiration

As a Vice-Chancellor I am lucky enough to meet people on a daily basis who inspire me. They might be a student who has overcome significant hardship to be accepted into university and go on to top their class, a staff member who thinks of an innovative new way to do something, or a member of the community who is doing their bit to help others.

Every now and then however you will come across someone who complete blows you away. Someone who’s story is so powerful it makes you look deep within yourself to see if you to have those same qualities. For me that happened when I had the pleasure of meeting Matthew Ames.

Matthew is a husband and father of four (as well as the brother of one of our lectures Dr Kate Ames), who just over a year ago suffered from a severe illness, whereby the only way to save his life, was to amputate both arms and both legs. Afterwards he was in a coma for three weeks and spent almost two months in intensive care. In the year since his operation, Matthew has made a recovery that has amazed everyone who has shared his journey, powered by love and support from his family, a positive attitude and focus on what he can do, rather than what he can't.

Matthew is without a doubt one of the nicest and most remarkable people I have ever met. His bravery and resilience in the face of such adversity is nothing short of amazing. To see what he has achieved in only one short year since his illness makes you really believe that nothing is impossible.

Everyone at CQUniversity was lucky enough to have the opportunity to attend a guest lecture with Matthew and I know that every single person who went along would have come away a better person because of it.

Thank you so much for sharing your story with us Matthew, and also to your wonderful wife Di.

If you would like to learn more about Matthew and his story please go to http://renovatingmatthew.com/

Me with Matthew and his wife during their recent visit to CQUni Rockhampton

Success in QS ratings helps to bring about positive focus

QS Stars is a breakaway ratings system from the highly reputable Times Ranking System, that rates universities from around the world in categories such as internationalisation, online delivery, access, teaching, employability and research.

This was our first time participating in the ratings system, and we achieved an impressive 3 stars overall, while scoring specifically a 4 star rating for both teaching and facilities. But the major cause for celebration in all of this was our 5 star rating for internationalisation, access and online delivery.

We pride ourselves on being a university for everyone and to receive ratings like these for student accessibility, online delivery and internationalisation (indicated by our proportion of international staff and students, as well as the strength and number of our international partnerships) is truly a great achievement.

Ratings like these not only give us all a much needed pat on the back but help us enormously to build our global reputation and attract students to our University. Participating in these ratings also provides us with a benchmark for future growth and improvement. 

Pro Vice-Chancellor Ailsa Lamont accepts CQUniversity's award in Istanbul