Page 34 - Tropic Magazine Issue 17

TROPIC • COVER STORY

“Our growth has exceeded business case expectations
which proves to us that CQUni needed to be here,” Ms
Duignan-George said.
“Our goal has always been to provide the people of Cairns
with greater opportunities, opportunities that don’t require
them to relocate out of town to study. Regional universities
serve a critical purpose as part of a city’s growth is built on
the skills and workforce
of its community. We are helping to keep Cairns’ kids here
where they can learn locally, stay local and continue the
economic growth that all regional cities need
and deserve.”
New horizons Ms Duignan-George said that when the study centre first
opened, it did so with only one full-time staff.
“Now we have more than 130 team members and we’re
running out of room to accommodate any more.
The growth of digital media industries has This is despite the fact that we opened a further two CQUni
prompted CQUniversity to introduce new courses sites in 2018, expanded our facilities in our existing three-
at the Cairns campus. level City campus and will open our airport campus this
year,” she explained of the significant growth.
It’s now offering a 1-year Diploma of Digital Media, Since starting its on-campus delivery in March 2016, the
a 2-year Associate Degree in Digital Media and CBD campus has gone from offering just under 20 courses
a 3-year Bachelor of Digital Media at the Cairns face-to-face to now delivering over 30 courses on-campus
campus, that complement the existing Creative and mixed mode ranging from TAFE-level
Arts courses offered. to undergraduate and postgraduate degrees.
Head of Digital Media, Associate Professor Steven The campus offers everything from health degrees to
Pace, told Tropic that visual design, interactive
media and video production are not only growth
professions in the Cairns region, but there is plenty
of scope for future development.
“These qualifications prepare students for a career I am very fortunate to
in the digital media industries with a choice of lead an incredible team
specialisations in graphic design, interactive of dedicated and talented
media, animation and video production,” he said.
“We have new teaching spaces, including a digital people here in Cairns and our
media lab, a video production studio with a success to date is on them.
chroma-key infinity wall, lighting rig and multi-
camera production system. Jodie Duignan-George,
Associate Vice-Chancellor Far North Queensland region
“There’s also an adjoining control room, a sound
recording booth, a video-editing suite and a student
lounge.” education and the arts, engineering and business.
CQU Cairns is also now offering a Bachelor of “The first year was really about making the connections with
Psychological Science. community and industry to get a sense of what the needs
were and identify the gaps in programs that were on offer,” Ms
Senior lecturer Darren Walker said students in Duignan-George said.
Cairns can now study psychology on-campus from “We’ve now got the engineering lab on Buchan Street, the Sports
year one all the way to honours. Sciences building on Aumuller Street, the airport campus which
“Students who graduate with us will have will officially open in early May, and a number of new facilities
opportunities to pursue postgraduate training in as part of Cairns Square expansion including: music studios, a
Clinical, Forensic and Positive psychology,” he said. digital media lab, a VR lab and a Psychology observation lab.”
“We are investing in unique Cairns research While CQUni is a leader in online study and prides itself on
providing students with the flexibility to study their own way,
facilities, including observation and virtual-reality Ms Duignan-George said staying connected with students was
laboratories. extremely important.
“We also want students to apply their knowledge “That’s where our growing campus has played such a big role,”
outside the classroom and will be encouraging she said.
voluntary placements with community “With academics, professional staff and student support services
organisations. all available under the one roof, we’re able to provide both our
Enrolments for both psychology and digital media online and on-campus students with a place to connect, form
study groups and access resources and technology in a safe and
courses are already in the double digits. friendly environment.

34 • Tropic • Issue 17