Celebrating 125 years Roseworthy Campus

Roseworthy Campus will host a series of special events later this year to celebrate its 125th birthday and showcase its vision for the future.

On Saturday 18 October, a commemorative service will be held in majestic St Peter's Cathedral at 11am, followed by a graduation re-enactment ceremony in Bonython Hall at 3pm, including the presentation of Awards of Merit and Humanitarian awards.

Later that evening a celebratory dinner will take place at the Pavilion (Adelaide Oval) acknowledging Roseworthy's longstanding involvement in agricultural education and research, with an exhibition of archival photographs.

Current and former staff and Council members will be invited to a reunion at the Roseworthy Campus, while Natural Resources graduates (1976-1980) will get together at the Adelaide Oval Pavilion on Saturday 1 November.

The following day, on Sunday 2 November, the Roseworthy Campus will hold a special Open Day, featuring the theme, "The Science Behind the Product".

Campus Director Professor Phil Hynd said the day would showcase Roseworthy's future while celebrating its history, and would focus on agricultural systems, animal production and veterinary science.

"Over its 125 year history, Roseworthy has developed an international reputation for excellence in research and teaching in dryland agriculture, natural resources management, winemaking and animal production," Professor Hynd said.

"A new vision has been developed for the campus into the 21st century. We aim to combine internal expertise and external resources to make the campus a hub for information transfer, commercialisation, education and research to service the agricultural industries for the next 125 years."

Professor Hynd said research and teaching excellence were critical in achieving these goals.

"Already the campus is home to the State Government's Constellation in Animal Science, a 10-year vision for science, technology and innovation in South Australia.

"Roseworthy is also a major player in five cooperative research centres - pork, poultry, sheep, beef and bioremediation - and a participant in overseas development aid programs in India, China and Tibet."

This year Roseworthy is also celebrating the launch of the State's first veterinary science school, accepting 50 students in the inaugural 2008 intake.

To ensure research and teaching are conducted in a real-world context, commercial partners are encouraged to make Roseworthy their home base.

These include Australian Grain Technologies Pty Ltd, the largest cereal breeding company in Australia, which has made Roseworthy the centre of its national operations.

The last link in the chain is to develop a seamless transition of education from secondary school to TAFE, and to University.

"Secondary school students are already spending time on the campus using the `field classroom' to bring science to life," Professor Hynd said. "It is envisaged that a permanent secondary school presence will ultimately be established at Roseworthy with an emphasis on science and agriculture."

The Roseworthy Open Day on 2 November will be held from 11am-5pm and include exhibits, talks, food, entertainment and family activities. ■

For more information, nominations for Roseworthy Humanitarian awards, or to register to attend any of the 125th anniversary events, please contact Rebecca Pym, Events Officer on +61 8 8303 3317 or email: roseworthy125@adelaide.edu.au