Queensland University of Technology Newspaper ■ Issue 176 ■ May 5-May 18, 1998 Mandawuy honoured for his cultural dedication by Phillipa Hanrick Educator and lead singer/songwriter for the band Yothu Yindi Mandawuy Yunupingu said he would use his QUT honorary doctorate — awarded at the arts graduation ceremony on April 22— to promote an indigenous cultural institute. The institute, which has been a Student takes dream of Mr Yunupingu’s for more off in air traffic than 10 years, will provide cultural and music education through links with control training tertiary institutions throughout Australia. The Yothu Yindi Foundation has established a music centre and Page 3 recording studios and the “spinoffs” from its operations will be used to finance and promote cultural research for the institute. As an educator, singer/songwriter and advocate of family and traditional Aboriginal values, Mr Yunupingu said his honorary doctorate would add weight and credibility to his endeavours to achieve a universal understanding and acceptance of his culture. The degree of Doctor of the University is an honorary award of Celebrating the conferral of his honorary doctorate for contribution to the community and to the highest status in recognition of education … educator and singer/songwriter Mandawuy Yunupingu is starting a cultural institute distinguished service to the community. He was the first Aborigine in the “I also recognised the power of music The establishment of a cultural Emma wins The conferring of the doctorate Northern Territory to gain a university and the ability to reach people around institute brings together and advances recognises Mr Yunupingu’s degree. the world through music.” Mr Yunupingu’s passion for music, ABC’s first Olle contribution to the education of He has since worked to promote In 1985, Mr Yunupingu formed the education and the celebration of scholarship Aboriginal children as well as community-driven, formal education in now-famous band Yothu Yindi and, in Aboriginal culture. Australian and international Aboriginal communities. 1991, he took leave from teaching to During his visit to the university, audiences about Aboriginal culture. “I wanted to deliver education to my concentrate on his musical career. Mr Yunupingu visited music students Born in the remote north-east of own people because I realised that if Yothu Yindi has had a number of at the Academy of the Arts and Page 4 Arnhem Land, Mr Yunupingu worked Aboriginal people could read and write successful albums including Homeland delivered a seminar as part of the as a teacher and later became principal we could influence people all over the Movement, Tribal Voice, Freedom and, Oodgeroo Unit’s 1998 guest at his community school of Yirrkala. world,” Mr Yunupingu said. most recently, Wild Honey (Birrkuta). speaker program. State’s first international college launched by Phillipa Hanrick The Minister for Economic Trade and Development, Doug Slack, launched Queensland’s first international university teaching-based college at QUT last week. Mr Slack also opened QUT International College’s new premises in P Block at the university’s Kelvin Grove campus at the launch ceremony on April 27. The college will provide pathways to enter QUT’s degree, postgraduate and other courses through a combination of Designers set diplomas, English language, foundation and bridging programs. their sights on Established in 1997 to bring together all QUT’s Finland preparatory programs for international students — many of which have been conducted for the past decade — QUT International College teaches three, 14-week semesters each year, reducing the time it takes to complete courses. Page 8 Expanded services are also offered to support the intensive study program. These include additional academic and English language counselling, longer periods of contact time and smaller (l-r) QUT International College director David Stent, Minister for Economic Trade and class sizes. Development Doug Slack, and QUT Vice-Chancellor Professor Dennis Gibson enjoy a vote of thanks from final-year law student Hee Kiat Sii at the college’s launch Continued Page 2 Registered by Australia Post – Publication No. QBF 4778 INSIDE QUT May 5-May 18, 1998 Page 1 A word from the Vice-Chancellor QUT staff hit the shops Flexibility nothing new The principles of lifelong learning and with the traditional face-to-face, on- flexible delivery were identified as campus learning experience. fundamental to the future of our Our students have a variety of universities well before they were commitments outside the university. highlighted in the West review of They are demanding subjects be higher education. available when they can attend, The universities of technology have whether in evening mode or in blocks embraced these principles very on certain days or weekends, and that successfully for many years. This has support services be available when they flowed naturally from our close need them. industry links and our convenient Other universities will respond to location for city workers. demands for flexibility in delivery in a Compared with other universities, variety of ways. we have a large proportion of students QUT is already a leader in offering who do not come directly from school. courses part-time. We have an Traditionally, we have catered for opportunity to build on this advantage people coming to, or returning to, by providing much greater flexibility university at various stages of life. They in time, for both teaching and teaching may be mature-age people, young support activities, to better meet people who have chosen to work or student needs. travel for a while before undertaking If we can bring a whole-of-university university study, or people who are focus to this challenge, we will coming back to study. They may be maximise our competitive advantage QUT’s latest recruitment strategy Meeting the needs of this diverse working lunch hours, evenings and seeking career change, career in the area of flexible delivery in the for mid-year entry involves taking group requires flexibility in course Saturdays to deliver the goods. development, to upgrade qualifications, foreseeable future. information about the university to delivery (see V-C’s message, left) — and, Centres on the map for QUT’s travelling or to update their skills. Professor Dennis Gibson␣ ␣ people in shopping centres. it seems, in the ways in which QUT display include: Brookside, Carindale, Largely in response to the needs of The thinking behind it is to reach the assists students to apply for courses. Chermside, Garden City, Aspley, Queen employers and of workers who want to non-school leaver market which makes So, staff — including executive, Street Mall, Stafford, Toombul (pictured study, we have had a very strong part-time up a large proportion of QUT students. academic and general staff— have been above), Toowong and Indooroopilly. program compared with other universities. Part-time mode, of course, now comes under the heading of flexible delivery. LawSim to challenge students The three integrated elements of by Noel Gentner to develop their own computer-based “It boiled down to being able to create flexible delivery are the technology used applications without the need for problems of different levels of to deliver the course, where it is to be A unique law teaching tool created programmers, graphic designers or complexity and present them in a more delivered and when it is to be delivered at QUT has attracted overseas media specialists. or less realistic way, and at the same for the convenience of the student. interest, particularly from the “In essence, it can convey quite time allow students to develop their skills Certainly, the first two elements have United Kingdom. interesting and complex scenarios where in legal research,” Mr Joughin said. caught the imagination of the futurists Developed over a period of two problems can be presented to the Mr Joughin said that, during second — picture the hologram lecturer giving years, the tool is a template called student,” Mr Joughin said. semester this year, several law lecturers the class in your living room. LawSim and has been described as “Scenarios built up by video and would use the template to create But the third — flexibility of time — one of the most flexible educational audio material can include letters from resources for 1999. still has enormous potential combined technology projects at QUT. clients’ files, and also a bank of He said the Open University in the Joint project manager Gordon ‘characters’ which can be used to present UK had also shown an interest in LawSim. Joughin, a flexible delivery advisor with different perspectives on a problem.” “The Open University is by far the … Minister launches college Teaching and Learning Support Services Mr Joughin said about a dozen largest in the UK — with over 200,000 from Page 2 value-added principle in every sense of (TALSS), said the project was initiated characters had been selected — students — and, at the invitation of its the word,” he said. by the former dean of law, Professor according to gender, race and age — to Pro-Vice Chancellor (Technology P Block has undergone a $2million He said about 2,500 international students David Gardiner. provide comment on particular legal Development) Professor Diana refurbishment by Phillips Smith Conwell were enrolled at QUT which represented Mr Joughin said LawSim created problems which encouraged students Laurillard, the template was Architects Pty Ltd and now accommodates $60million in State export earnings. learning environments in which to realise there were different demonstrated late last year and a second up to 300 students, is fully air-conditioned, Final-year law student — and former students could explore multi-levelled perspectives that could be brought to demonstration was given last month,” has two computer laboratories and a 24- foundation student — Hee Kiat Sii, problems in law. bear on a case. Mr Joughin said.