New Engineering Dean starts at USQ

The University of Southern Queensland (USQ) is pleased to welcome Professor Frank Bullen as the University's new Dean of Engineering and Surveying.

Professor Bullen comes to USQ from the University of Tasmania (UTAS), where he was the Head of School in the Faculty of Engineering.

'UTAS and USQ are vastly different universities. Here at USQ there is a much more open approach to the learning experience and there is a focus on flexible delivery, it is very much an online university,' Professor Bullen said.

'What is important is that the University and the Faculty of Engineering continue to lead in these areas as the rest of the pack can catch up.'

As well as keeping the Faculty of Engineering and Surveying ahead of other universities in these areas, Professor Bullen said that he was also facing many other challenges.

'I want to develop better relationships with industry and also expand our student and research base,' he said.

'The most important thing however is that we stay at the forefront in the area of flexible delivery.'

As well as working at UTAS, Professor Bullen has also held several other positions at various universities including the Queensland University of Technology (QUT), and the University of Newcastle and said that he had so far been impressed by USQ.

'The breadth of skills in the Faculty of Engineering and Surveying is impressive,' he said.

'It is also apparent that teachers and researchers are also a lot more involved with their students here, they are more personal managers.'

While it has been a big move from Tasmania to Toowoomba, Professor Bullen said that he knew he would enjoy living in the Garden City.

'I attended the annual Australasian Association of Engineering Education (AAEE) Conference at USQ in 2004 and my wife, Melanie, and I spent a week at the Conference and exploring the local area. We really liked Toowoomba.'

Media Contact: Josh Ada, USQ Media, +61 7 4631 1628, 0403 643 192