Edith Cowan University
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Edith Cowan University (ECU) is located in Perth, Western Australia, (31.92045° S 115.8675° E). It is named after Edith Dircksey Cowan, who was the first woman to be elected to an Australian Parliament.
ECU is Western Australia's second largest university. With over 30,000 students, ECU educates more than thirty percent of Western Australia's university students. ECU was formed from the amalgamations of teachers' colleges with a history dating back to 1902 when the Claremont Campus was established; this made ECU the modern descendant of the first institution of higher education in Western Australia.
The University has three metropolitan campuses, in Churchlands, Mount Lawley and Joondalup, and a regional campus in Bunbury, 200 km south of Perth.
Divisions of note include the Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts (WAAPA) and its new Law School which commenced operation during 2005.
The University specializes in the service professions, and education remains one of it key focuses. The University consults with the government, industry professionals, professional bodies and employers widely when designing courses linking theory with contemporary practice by providing opportunities for students to experience real work situations. Study programs are offered at Bachelor, Master and Doctoral levels in numerous subject areas within the five faculties, namely, Business and Law; Communications and Creative Industries (with includes the Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts); Community Services, Education and Social Sciences; Computing, Health and Science; and Regional Professional Studies. A significant number of ECU courses are unique to Western Australia and Australia. ECU is an established national leader in the use of innovative communication, multimedia and information technology in education.
More than 4000 international students originating from more than 90 countries study with ECU each year. This includes the off-shore delivery of a variety of courses in a number of countries, student and staff exchange programs with other universities, joint research activities, international consultancies and individual academic links. All students are represented by the , however postgraduate students are also represented by the ECU Postgraduate Association (a member of the Council of Australian Postgraduate Associations) and international students are also represented by the International Students Council.
Campuses
Joondalup Campus
Located in Perth's fastest growing metropolitan sector, the Joondalup campus is part of a major educational precinct which includes the West Coast College of TAFE and the recently relocated Western Australia Police Academy.
Students enjoy the benefits of a modern, purpose-built tertiary campus with extensive state-of-the-art facilities including the landmark 'Campus West Building', the Science and Health Building, plus a multi-million dollar recreation centre and microbrewery. On-campus residential accommodation is available with fast rail and transport ten minutes walk from the campus and Perth's major freeway close by.
Together with students from across the globe, kangaroos can often be spotted on the grounds of the Joondalup campus!
Churchlands Campus
The Churchlands Campus is situated in a lovely garden setting, nestled conveniently between the city centre and the coast which boasts some of Perth’s most spectacular coastline. A wide range of courses is offered on this campus where courses such as nursing are conducted from Perth’s most modern, purpose-built health and science facilities. The school also houses the Perth Institute of Business and Technology, a feeder school offering diplomas in several courses equivalent to first-year studies in Edith Cowan University.
Due to the recent housing boom in Western Australia, plans have been underway since 2005 to close and redevelop the campus for more lucrative purposes though these plans have been partly delayed.
Mount Lawley Campus
Students at the pleasant Mount Lawley campus take a wide range of courses. This campus is located minutes from the city of Perth and abounds with shops, cafes, restaurants, and entertainment. This cosmopolitan suburb is a vibrant residential area and is well served by public transport. Mount Lawley campus has excellent study facilities, extensive teaching resources and residential accommodation is available for students.
It is also the home of the Faculty of Communications and Creative Industries incorporating the School of Visual Arts, School of Communications and Multimedia and the Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts (WAAPA), one of the most exciting and successful arts training institutions in Australia. The Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts (WAAPA) has earned a reputation for producing among the finest graduates in the performing arts, both in Australia and internationally.
South West Campus (Bunbury)
Located 200 kilometres south of Perth, Edith Cowan University’s South West Campus (Bunbury) is the only university campus situated in the state’s southwest. Greater Bunbury is Western Australia's second largest city and is a significant seaport. It is also the gateway to the scenic southwest region with its wineries, gourmet food production, tourism, arts and spectacular coastal scenery.
With a unique country atmosphere, the South West Campus features modern facilities, small class sizes and offers a comprehensive range of courses. The campus recently saw the addition of a new $2.7million purpose build student housing, which in effect combines a stimulating educational experience with first class accommodation.
Regional Centres
Edith Cowan University offers selected programs at various regional centres. These programs are designed to meet the special and local needs of the area. These centres can be found in Broome, Geraldton and Margaret River.
Located in the centre of Margaret River, the Margaret River Education Campus opened in 2004 and is a collaborative initiative between ECU, Curtin University and the South West Regional College. The Faculty of Regional Professional Studies offers ECU courses at the campus whose centrepiece is the state-of-the-art Centre for Wine Excellence.
Previous Campuses
The University has had a number of previous campuses, more notabally at Claremont on the grounds of the old Claremont Teachers College. This was transferred to the University of Western Australia in 2005. Conditions placed on this by the State Government required that the site could only be used for specified limited purposes.
Academic Structure
Faculty of Business and Law
- School of Accounting, Finance and Economics
- School of Law and Justice
- School of Management
- School of Management Information Systems
- School of Marketing, Tourism and Leisure
Faculty of Computing, Health and Science
- School of Exercise, Biomedical and Health Sciences
- School of Computer and Information Science
- School of Engineering and Mathematics
- School of Natural Sciences
- School of Nursing, Midwifery and Postgraduate Medicine
- School of Psychology
Faculty of Education and Arts
- School of Education
- School of Indigenous Australian Studies (Kurongkurl Katitjin)
- School of International, Cultural and Community Studies
- Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts
- School of Communications and Contemporary Arts
Faculty of Regional Professional Studies
- School of Enterprise and Technology
- School of Professional Community Services
Vice-Chancellors
- 2006 - Present
- Prof. Kerry O. Cox
- 1998 - 2006
- Prof. Millicent Poole
Governing Council
The governing council of the University is known as the [University Council]. It is the governing body of the organisation which controls and manages the operation, affairs, concerns and property of the University, in accordance with its [Corporate Governance Statement].
The membership of the council is composed of people across various disiplines and groups as mandated under Part III, Sect. 9 of the [Edith Cowan University Act 1984]. Its membership includes persons appointed by the Governor of Western Australia, Co-opted members, Members of the Academic and General Staff of the University as elected by the members of these groups, as well as members of the Alumni and Student Guild representatives.
History
The origins of Edith Cowan University date back to the estabishment in 1902 of Claremont Teachers College, the first tertiary education institution in Western Australia. Other teacher training colleges were formed over the years, and in 1982 they were all merged to form the Western Australian College of Advanced Education (WACAE). This was designated a university and took the name Edith Cowan University on January 1 1901.Notable alumni
- Hugh Jackman (actor)
- Frances O'Connor (actor)
- Alice Haines (actor)
- Simon Lyndon (actor)
- Lisa McCune (actor)
- Rolf Harris (entertainer and artist)
- Kathryn McCusker (opera singer)
- Clinton Power (musician)
- Christina Morrissey (Broadcasting Previously with Channel 10, now a television presenter)
- Paula Voce (Channel 7 presenter)
- Alison Carter (journalist)
- Alistair Edwards (perth glory star)
- Dr. Ian Martinus (winner of 2005 Business News "40 Under 40" title)
- Y.A.B. Datuk Musa Haji Aman (chief minister of the Malaysian state of Sabah)
Current Issues
Financial Situation
There has been significant talk across the Australian Higher Education sector since late 2005 regarding the financial position of some Universities across the country. While the University has made significant progress such as the [Higher Education Workplace Reform Requirments]and other matters to retain current federal fund in the organisation, is set to hand back a significant portion of it's Commonwealth Grant Scheme funding as a result of not meeting specific enrollment targets for 2006. This amount is reported to be between AUD $1.2 - $1.5 Million.
The continued decline in student numbers are having negative impacts on the University's budget position, but the final outcomes of these potential budgetary impacts are still being assessed, but are reported to include a reduction in the building program necessary to bring about the closure of its Churchlands Campus and potential staff job losses.
Internal Restructuring
As a result of the current financial status of the University, it is currently undertaking an internal Change Management and Restructuring process. This process is designed to save approximantly $12-16 Million from the organisations budget, as well as bring about the reduction in faculties from five to four.
Current proposals indicate that the Faculty of Community Services, Education and Social Sciences and Faculty of Communications and Creative Industries will be combined to form a new super-faculty, designed to deliver greater cost savings assiciated with removing of positions duplicated by the merger. The merger proposal is yet to be approved and actioned, and the name of the potential name of the combined faculty also remains to be decided.
Campus Consolidation
As part of it's Campus Consolidation program, the University intends to close the Churchlands Campus as part of campus rationalisation and focusing on key poupulation corridors. The final timetable for the closure of this campus is still undecided, as the withdrawal from this site is dependant on the funding and construction of facilities at other campuses to house schools and business units departing from the location. Current plans call for the site to be turned into a residental development, with the University receiving permission from the State Government to use the proceeds from the development for the purpose of the University's construction and building plan.
The Campus Consolidation process has already seen the closure of the Claremont Campus, which was transferred to the University of Western Australia in 2005.
External links
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