UCL signs landmark agreement with South Australia to establish School in Adelaide

Press release from University College London

UCL (University College London) will become the first UK university with a campus in Australia following signing of an agreement today with the Government of South Australia to establish the UCL School of Energy and Resources in Adelaide. Under the terms of the agreement, signed by the Hon Mike Rann, MP, Premier of South Australia, and Professor Malcolm Grant, President and Provost of UCL, the School will start work in 2009, and become fully operational in 2010.

The Government of South Australia, a recognised government leader in energy-related policy issues, and UCL, one of the world’s leading universities, have worked together to agree a facility that  will have the potential to shape how the critical issues of energy and resources development and utilisation are tackled globally. The School will take up to 60 students on its two-year Masters programme in Energy and Resources, and it will also offer a portfolio of Executive Education programmes tailored to meet the requirements of senior industry executives and engineering managers.

The School, which will occupy the Torrens Building in central Adelaide, will be an integral part of UCL, with all its quality assurance, academic and monitoring processes identical to those that apply to the rest of the university. The academic and business programmes will be promoted globally alongside those for the rest of the university. UCL will appoint a Director and core academic staff to the School, and the teaching model will also require academics from London to teach in Adelaide, enabling integration with their teaching and research being undertaken in London. Joint London-Adelaide research programmes will also be developed. UCL will ensure that the MSc’s curriculum reflects the concerns of industry and work with employers to ensure that professional training is flexible and relevant to employers’ needs.

The SA Government is putting $AUS 4 million towards the refurbishment of the Torrens Building and will support its set up and operations over its first seven years. Once this term is complete, UCL will continue its activities in Adelaide, which by that stage will be self-financing.

“UCL is committed to working to solve real-world problems and we relish the opportunity to work not only with the South Australian Government but also with many Australian and international energy companies through our presence in Adelaide,” said Professor Michael Worton, UCL Vice-Provost (Academic and International). “The State of South Australia not only has enormously important energy resources, but also a far-sighted vision regarding the sustainable consumption of energy.

“Transnational education is changing the way that students and professionals now study and develop their skills.  Through our campus in Adelaide and as part of University City there, UCL will give a global lead on industry-focused research and teaching in a global context.”

“UCL’s credentials in science, in energy and resource management are second to none, complementing this State’s development of its immense resources in uranium, geothermal hot rocks, copper and other minerals,” Mr Rann said. “As a result of our University City push, the numbers of international students studying in Adelaide have grown from a modest 6,000 in 2000 to 23,327 last year.  With the attraction of UCL to Adelaide, it has now achieved even greater momentum.”

"Australia plays a key role in the supply of resources to developed and developing societies alike, and is close to key energy and resources markets such as China, India and Japan," added Marco Federighi, Sub-Dean, UCL Engineering Sciences. "The School will enable UCL to play its part in addressing this complex worldwide challenge. It is a hugely significant step for our university."