Page 40 - Tropic Magazine Issue 27

TROPIC • EDUCATION

Cause-driven

campus (half-jokingly) to join CQU in establishing

a full campus in the region, I jumped at
BRIGHT FUTURE
the chance. How quickly my bemused
CQUniversity Associate expression turned to a smile as I
Vice-President for the embarked on this exciting mission.
CQU’s initial plan was to buy a building
Far North Queensland Region and establish a campus, but Acquis fever At the time of the campus
Jodie Duignan-George with was sweeping through town and few opening, our local team
her take on the direction of the commercial properties were available.
region’s tertiary education. With some serendipity, our current numbered just 11 people.
premises came up for lease and we took it.
In October 2015, a mere 13 months after I By February 2016, we had
Words: Jodie Duignan-George joined “Team CQU”, we officially opened grown to a team of 44 and
our campus at Cairns Square – although by July 2016, there were
A regional city with two world-class we didn’t start face-to-face teaching until
universities? Are you serious? the following year. 76 of us – all to cope with
If it sounded like a far-fetched At the time of the campus opening, our rising student demand
proposition five years ago, it barely raises local team numbered just 11 people.
an eyebrow today. Hopefully that’s a By February 2016, we had grown to a
testament to the importance of education team of 44 and by July 2016, there were
and training in fuelling a prosperous 76 of us – all to cope with rising student
future for Cairns. demand. Such rapid growth certainly I’m so proud that we’ve independently
CQUniversity Cairns has now been offered its challenges, but for the most established all we have without
operating for half a decade, and while part it helped establish the close-knit government funding, including all four
that time’s certainly flown, I still team culture we enjoy today. of our Cairns sites. However, we’ve
remember the birth of the campus like it All of us at CQU Cairns knew we were now reached a critical phase in our
was yesterday. embarking on something special. With a development which necessitates Federal
When former CQU Vice-Chancellor shared vision to “dare to be different”, we Government assistance in building a new
Scott Bowman first raised the prospect set out to provide quality education for all campus, to consolidate and allow for our
of a Cairns campus, I thought he was who had the desire and capability – not continued growth.
dreaming. While Cairns has a healthy just those from privileged backgrounds The new campus would skyrocket our
population of 150,000, we’re smaller than with spotless academic records. To this tried-and-true programs, which provide
most multi-university cities by the order day, we attract cause-driven staff who significant opportunities for Cairns locals
of a few million. want to make a difference and enact to expand their horizons.
However, after working with Professor our mission of changing students’ lives From engineers, pilots and teachers,
Bowman, I knew if anyone was bold for the better. to nurses and paramedics – we have
enough to try, it would be him. There was In that first year our enrolments helped amazing people get into amazing
a relatively untapped market for flexible increased by over 20 per cent, and in the new careers.
online study in Cairns, but the prospect years since we’ve enjoyed similar growth. As we near our five-year milestone, and
of traditional classroom-based university We look set to grow at a similar rate again with a new VC at the helm in Professor
study was less obvious. In any case, I in 2021. Nick Klomp, I’d like to thank the CQU
wished him luck. Through our deep engagement with local Cairns campus staff for their tireless,
A year later, when CQU opened its industry and community, we set about dedicated service, as well as our past and
distance education study centre in offering degrees that lead to jobs. present students for allowing us to guide
Cairns, I watched on with interest. CQU boasts a five-star rating for their transformative journeys. It’s been an
A year after that, upon hearing of the graduate employment and starting honour and a privilege to work with such
university’s increased student retention salaries in the Good Universities Guide, devoted and talented people.
and enrolments, I realised CQU’s local so we simply couldn’t let the national
standing was on the rise. standard down – not least because it’s a MORE: cqu.edu.au
When Scott eventually asked me standard our Cairns students deserve.

40 • Tropic • Issue 27