Spatial Sciences Education in WA -past, present, future

WASC 2013Thursday 16 May 2013

Professor Bert Veenendaal Head of Department

Early beginnings

• In 1829, John Septimus Roe (8 May 1797 – 28 May 1878) appointed WA’s first Surveyor General. He is tasked with the mapping and management of some 2,527,600 km2 of land

• WA School of Mines opened in Coolgardie in 1902, then moved to Kalgoorlie in 1903 – commenced with 6 students in surveying

• Joined Western Australian Institute of Technology in 1969, which now is Curtin University

Source: W.E. Fretwell (1874-1958)

John Septimus Roe (1797-1878)

First mine surveying graduates

• James Peat, Aug 1912– Sacrificed his life for his country in World War I– 29 June 1917 - shot and killed by a sniper in the trenches in Germany

Source: 80 years, WA School of Mines (1982)

Spatial sciences programs structure

BSc

BSurv

BSc

Grad Cert

Grad Dip

MSc

MPhilPhD

Geospatial Technology Competency

Model• US Dept of

Labour

Yr

4

3

2

1

Spatial education model

Indust

ry

Geographic Information Science Surveying Mine & Eng Surveying

Distribution and analysis of Graduate Attributes

Distribution and analysis of Level of Thinking

Measures and analysis

The challenges to meet

• “an additional 2,474 surveyors, 608 spatial scientists, 271 technicians and 180 ‘other’ professionals will be required to meet forecast levels of construction activity and to cover for the replacement of existing employees”

[Determining the Future Demand, Supply and Skills Gap for Surveying and Geospatial Professionals, BIS Shrapnel report for Consulting Surveyors National, Jan 2013]

• 10% gap/short in 2016, 15% gap/short in 2019• Declining student numbers nationally• Declining spatial programs in higher education in Australia• Declining autonomy for spatial sciences departments• Engaging the stakeholders to provide a unified, rationale and

convincing stance for spatial sciences education

University of the future

• The Ernst & Young report, titled University of the future: A thousand year old industry on the cusp of profound change, called on universities to specialise by targeting certain student groups, use their assets more efficiently and partner more closely with industry or be left behind

Source: http://theconversation.com/universities-must-adapt-or-perish-report-10293

Adapted from: University of the future, Ernst & Young 2012, p. 6

Five drivers of change