Uni to take 100 extra students in engineering

Thursday, 18 January 2007

The University of Adelaide is encouraging more school leavers to apply for engineering this year.

The University has decided to accept more than 100 extra students into engineering degrees for 2007, because of high demand and a strategic need for skilled engineers in South Australia.

There has been a 19.4% increase in the number of first preference applications from school leavers for engineering at Adelaide compared with the same time last year.

"The demand for engineering degrees is so strong, and the need for skilled engineers in this State so great, that we are prepared to take at least 100 additional students into engineering for 2007," says the University's Vice-Chancellor and President, Professor James McWha.

"This gives a clear message to school leavers: if you had hopes of studying engineering at the University of Adelaide this year but didn't think you would get in, think again."

The University of Adelaide will accept additional students into all of its undergraduate engineering programs except Aerospace Engineering, which has the highest demand of any engineering degree at Adelaide.

In order to encourage more students to apply for places, the University will set the TER (Tertiary Entrance Rank) cut-off scores to 80 for all undergraduate engineering programs except Aerospace Engineering.

"Cut-off scores are a result of supply and demand. By increasing the supply of places in engineering we can cater for the demand. The TER of 80 is a score that we think a student needs in order to be successful in engineering studies," Professor McWha says.

"School leavers who have earned a TER of 80 or more might have thought that the cut-off score for engineering would be too high for them, so many of them haven't bothered to apply. We want those students to reconsider their options and their possible career choices," he says.

Engineering programs at the University of Adelaide proving popular with school leavers include:

• Civil & Structural Engineering: 45% increase in the number of first preference applications from school leavers when compared with the same time last year;
• Electrical & Electronic Engineering: 35.3% increase in the number of first preference applications from school leavers;
• Mining Engineering: new degree program;
• Pharmaceutical Engineering: new degree program.

As well as the extra places being made available in engineering, additional places will also be made available to students in the areas of mathematical and computer sciences, with a new degree in Mathematical Science starting this year.

"Our new degrees in Engineering, Computer and Mathematical Sciences are important because they show that the University is able to respond to the needs of industry and the community," Professor McWha says.

"The skills shortage in the mining industry has been well covered in the media. Australia is producing just 40% of the mining engineers it needs. The University of Adelaide has been able to respond very quickly to this skills shortage, and our new degree in Mining Engineering is already showing strong interest from school leavers.

"We initially thought we might get about 30 students for that degree - we're now looking to take at least 50 students.

"The new Mining Engineering program joins our established program in Petroleum Engineering, which is attracting increased numbers of students from across Australia and overseas, and is addressing similar skills shortages in the oil and gas industry.

"There are great opportunities for engineering graduates of all kinds to apply their skills anywhere in the world, including right here in South Australia. This is a good time to study engineering," Professor McWha says.

Professor McWha says the additional places will be made available by balancing student load in other areas.

Students interested in studying engineering at the University of Adelaide - and who meet the TER cut-off score and other pre-requisites - should contact the University's Student Centre on 8303 5208 or freecall 1800 061 459 (for country and interstate callers).

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