Concrete plans for a multi million dollar Engineering Pavillion at Curtin
December 2007
Curtin University of Technology will take engineering education to a whole new level with its planned multi-million dollar Engineering Pavilion and Plaza that will enrich the university experience for its students.
Centrally located on campus and close to the main University facilities, the Pavilion and Plaza will be a vibrant student-focused centre that will be a focal-point for students, promoting both formal and informal interactions between engineering staff, students and the greater Curtin community.
The new facility will have the key function of enabling student learning and self-development, and will include a new interactive and engaging learning environment, a large open work area for practical design work, mini-conferences and student events, special break-out rooms for meetings and small group work, a relaxing and quiet study area, and most importantly, an industry career space to foster effective interaction for students with industry.
Over 2000 engineering students in Curtin’s Engineering degree programs will benefit from the innovative changes being offered in engineering education through this facility. Traditional teaching methods will increasingly give way to student-directed learning, project-based learning and problem-based learning that match the learning styles and educational needs of contemporary students. The increased focus on ‘learning by doing’ will provide graduates with the necessary life skills to embrace the technological changes they will experience through their working lives.
Dean of Engineering at Curtin, Professor Tony Lucey, explained the rationale behind this new facility.
“Our industry sponsored and Carrick Award winning First Year Engineering Studio, which features centralised learning and interaction areas, has been extremely successful since it was launched in 2004. It has helped to engender a strong sense of belonging and loyalty among our first-year students that has translated to significantly higher retention rates,” Professor Lucey said.
“We envision the new Engineering Pavilion and Plaza extending similar benefits to the larger engineering community - to encourage interaction, collegiate spirit and friendship networks for the future that will benefit our students during their study and later as alumni.
“The new facility is part of Curtin’s commitment to continually improve the learning experience for its students and to find ways to extend Curtin’s rich environment of scholarship and collaboration beyond graduation.”
Scheduled to be completed by 2010, the facility has been conceived as a free standing pavilion at the centre of a cluster of existing engineering buildings, with a plaza adjacent and integrated with a refurbished café outlet.
