Adelaidean NEWS from the UNIVERSITY of ADELAIDE
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FREE Publication Adelaidean NEWS FROM THE UNIVERSITY OF ADELAIDE Volume 14 • Number 7 • September 2005 inside this issue 7 Adelaide home for Making new designs on prison safety computer evolution 8 Graduations photo spread 13 Open Day wrap-up 15 Helping a University treasure keep its cool 3 Five-star rating for MBA 4 Our Tall Poppies in bloom Professor Zbigniew Michalewicz Computer Science Photo by James Knowler, courtesy 6 of the Independent Weekly Jay’s success a University of Adelaide students stand joined us,” Professor Brooks said. More specifi cally, for massive and matter of balance to be big winners with a world-class “It would have to be one of the most complex problems, computers host IT expert taking up a Professorship signifi cant IT appointments at an artifi cial “problem-solvers” which with the School of Computer Science. Australian university in the last each develop an individual solution 11 20 years.” to the problem. Professor Zbigniew Michalewicz Growing healthy is regarded as one of the leading The best solutions are retained, links to China Professor Michalewicz was born in authorities in the fi eld of evolutionary Poland and worked in New Zealand the weaker ones discarded, and the computation, and started in his role before coming to international information that “evolves” from at Adelaide earlier this year. prominence while based in the that generation of problem-solvers is given to a newer generation, and The Head of Computer Science, United States for his work in the again, the best solutions are retained Professor Mike Brooks, describes relatively new fi eld of evolutionary while the weaker ones are discarded. Professor Michalewicz’s appointment computation. This process is continually repeated as a major coup for the IT industry in Very broadly, it can be described as over generations until the ideal South Australia. problem-solving using science – in solution is found. “It would be an understatement to the form of computers – to copy the say we are very excited that he has processes of nature. continued on page 10 Adelaidean Adelaidean has a readership of more than 30,500 per month – 12,500 in print and 18,000 online Editor: Ben Osborne Design and Layout: Chris Tonkin Writers: Howard Salkow Lisa Reid Ben Osborne From the Vice-Chancellor Contributors: Helen Simpson It seems barely a week goes by without the University of It is important to consider some other relevant data, which Charles Bodman Rae Kathy Crockett Adelaide featuring in some sort of university ranking, be it a this ranking either gave little weighting to, or ignored national or international ranking. Whether we like it or not, altogether. The University of Adelaide remains the university Printed by: rankings are becoming increasingly popular as devices for of choice in South Australia for people wishing to undertake Lane Print Group trying to measure a university’s value and contribution to our tertiary studies, particularly when measured by fi rst- Tel: +61 8 8179 9900 Fax: +61 8 8376 1044 society – and they are here to stay. preference applications. Our graduates are more sought Email: [email protected] after, and earn higher starting salaries than their counterparts More often than not, the University of Adelaide does quite Web: www.laneprint.com.au from other South Australian universities. If they were not well in these rankings and consistently punches above its Distribution: receiving a quality education, which equipped them with the weight. Occasionally we rank lower than we had anticipated, Lane Print Group skills and knowledge needed for a successful career, then such as in the recent Graduate Careers Australia survey of Passing Out Distribution Co. this would not be the case. Our student-staff ratio continues Australian universities’ learning and teaching performance – Advertising: to rank among the lowest in the nation, and since 2002, but for every ranking of this kind, we can point to two or KRL Media we have increased our investment in improving facilities, three other rankings which portray the University of Adelaide Tel: +61 8 8231 5433 infrastructure and resources for our students and staff. Fax: +61 8 8212 1238 in a far more positive manner. For example, in November Email: [email protected] last year The Times Higher Education Supplement ranked We have already done a lot, and there is more we must Coming Events: us as the 56th best university in the world, ahead of such continue to do – but I fi rmly believe we are heading in the All coming events must be University of renowned universities as Brown in the US, King’s College in right direction. Evidence for this is starting to come readily Adelaide related and of public interest. Please send details of events via email to: London and St Andrews in Scotland. to hand. A much more recent ranking by the Graduate Management Association of Australia gave our MBA [email protected] Rankings will never be the defi nitive method of establishing (Advanced) fi ve stars – up from two stars in the previous Deadline for next issue: a university’s impact on society. They do, however, provide survey – and our MBA four stars. We were also strongly Monday, September 12, 2005 a snapshot of how a university is performing in particular endorsed by the 2006 Good Universities Guide. Room G07 Mitchell Building, areas over a given period of time and it is for this reason we South Australia, 5005. welcome them, as they highlight and reinforce where we are All rankings enable us to identify, and react to, challenges Tel: +61 8 8303 5414 Fax: +61 8 8303 4829 performing well and where we need to improve. and opportunities in particular areas. Underlying this is our commitment to delivering the best outcomes for our Email: [email protected] At the same time, irrespective of any given ranking, good students, and this commitment ensures that we do not shy www.adelaide.edu.au/adelaidean or bad, our fundamental commitments are to improving the Material may be reproduced without away from constructive criticism; in fact, we welcome it. permission but acknowledgement must overall student experience at the University of Adelaide and be given to the Adelaidean. ensuring the best outcomes for our graduates. Had we Registered by Australia Post No topped the recent teaching rankings, these commitments 565001/00046 would not change. They underpin all that we do and while I like to think that we do it very well, we can always improve. Our teaching ranking was based on perceptions of students who were studying at the University between 1999 and 2002. It is no secret that this period was a particularly diffi cult time for the University, and I am pleased to say that we have JAMES A. McWHA moved forward quite considerably since then. Vice-Chancellor Correction Hands-on history It was a trip back in time for these students In the August edition of the from St Joseph’s School recently, when Adelaidean, a story about they were the fi rst class to experience a new Professor Derek Frewin activity-based educational program at beautiful incorrectly referred to him Urrbrae House on the Waite Campus. as the outgoing Executive Dean of the Faculty of Featuring University staff and volunteers in Sciences. authentic late 19th Century dress, students experienced life as the Waite family would In fact, he was the have some 100 years ago, as children in outgoing Executive Dean the schoolroom, as adult guests in the of the Faculty of Health dining room, or as servants. The program Sciences. also includes a schools kit for teachers. The The Adelaidean program supports the local history curriculum apologises to Professor and enhances the campus’ community Derek Frewin, and for any outreach activities. confusion caused. Photo by Lisa Reid Adelaidean | Volume 14, Number 7 • September 2005 2 Our graduates on path to success Careers University of Adelaide graduates are hot property in the Australian job market. A recent report reveals that nearly 80% of University of Adelaide graduates obtained full-time employment within four months of completing their studies in 2004. According to Graduate Destination 2004, which is based on an annual national Graduate Destination Survey and published by Graduate Careers Australia, of the University of Adelaide respondents, 78.7% were in full-time employment within four months of graduating, with a further 12.4% in part-time or casual employment. By comparison, out of all South Australian graduates seeking full-time employment within this period, 75.1% were in full- time employment. In some fi elds of study, a high percentage of University of Adelaide graduates succeeded in locating full-time work within four months. These included Civil Engineering (100%), Medicine (97.9%), Agriculture (95.2%), Dentistry (95%), Economics (92.9%) and Mechanical Engineering (90.9%). “This is an exceptional result considering a tighter market, mergers and acquisitions. It once again underlines the quality of the education and teaching we are providing,” said Vice-Chancellor Professor James McWha. The results also show a high percentage of University of Adelaide graduates continuing their studies: 45.6% of graduates of fi rst degrees continued on to further full-time study, compared to 23.4% nationally. Story by Howard Salkow Five-star rating for MBA Business Strategic changes to the University to 12, increased the quantity and Professor Hubbard said the AGSB is that our MBAs can add direct and of Adelaide’s Master of Business quality of core faculty in terms of focusing on teaching excellence as immediate value to organisations Administration (Advanced) program their academic qualifi cations, their part of what students want. by addressing real projects brought have resulted in it receiving a publications and their business to us by organisations,” Professor fi ve-star rating from the Graduate experience,” Professor Hubbard said.