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We are Australia’s largest regional University strategically placed to lead world-class research and teaching in the sustainability of life on land. In particular, the University research profile focuses on biology, ecology, toxicology, biosecurity in the conservation of terrestrial, agriculture and marine and freshwater systems.
Expansion of mining and industry in the Central Queensland region and serious environmental concerns associated with the development of Gladstone harbour and salinity in Australia’s second-largest river system (the Fitzroy and related tributaries) has resulted in a substantial increase in the demand for environmental research and training, for which we are a key service provider.
Some of the recent news stories that align with SDG15 Life on Land:
CQUniversity is passionate about providing community education and sharing its knowledge with local, national and global communities. The below programs are a sample of programs facilitated in 2023 that have supported our work towards the Sustainable Development Goal 15 - Life on Land.
School Engagement and Outreach
Industry Engagement and Outreach
Community Engagement and Outreach
Global Outreach Activities
Koala CQ- Our Koala Research group has been collaborating with communities and industries since 1994 to enhance koala conservation through research. The group’s focus is on aspects of koala ecology, biology, history and community engagement in Central Queensland and beyond.
Integrated Habitat Restoration- This project will see the removal of three unlawfully installed earthen causeways at the Rodd's Harbour Fish Habitat Area. The causeways obstruct aquatic bio passage and the fresh-marine continuum in this high-value coastal wetland system.
Capricorn Yellow chat- The Capricorn yellow chat is listed as Endangered under Queensland Nature Conservation Act 1992, and as Critically Endangered under the Commonwealth Environmental Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999. CQUniversity has conducted research and assessment of this sub species
Wildlife Trafficking- This research project is a partnership between CQUniversity and Education for Nature Vietnam (ENV) on wildlife trafficking and aims to protect the douc langur, a critically endangered genus of money.
Woorabinda- A community event held at Horseshoe Lagoon in Woorabinda included native tree-planting, water quality testing, birth watching, and learning about water life and creatures. This event was run in conjunction with the Woorabinda Rangers, Greening Australia, BMA, Darumbal Rangers, Birdlife CQ, and the Department of Environment and Science.
Bringing Nature Back to Frenchman's Creek- This project allows participants to study local flora and fauna, control exotic weeds and support bush regeneration by planting native plants. View more here
BROLGA- Designed for Indigenous students in years 5-12, the BROLGA program is a mix of on-campus and 'on country' learning experiences that incorporate elements of community, country, and culture. As part of this program, the cohort looks t problematic weeds and feral animals and how to manage them. For more information email brolga@cqu.edu.au
Precision Weeds Sprayer- This project uses drones, AI and image processing to develop technology to effectively manage weeds in farming crops.
Laser weed management- This project aims to investigate the use of laser irradiation to kill weeds precisely and study the feasibility of incorporating laser weed killing technology with farming autonomous platforms such as farming robots or drones.
Toads to Tadpole Baits- The Environmental Science team source toads that are collected routinely by community toad ‘busts’, where people rally to collect toads and euthanise them humanely. 80 tads were used by students during residential schools and the rest were processed by technical staff. All specimens had the paratoid glands removed. The glands were then sent to Watergum in Brisbane where they will be used to make cane toad tadpole baits to help in the ongoing cane toad eradication programs.
Precision Horticulture- CQUniversity’s Precision Horticulture team is focused on improving the productivity and profitability of Queensland’s major horticultural commodities. Specialist research skills within the team include pest physiology, drone-based crop sensing for early detection of pests and diseases, plant parasitic nematode management in vegetable crops and automated pest insect monitoring systems.
The Drain Buddies project, led by Dr Angela Capper at our Coastal Marine Ecosystems Research Centre (CMERC), will modify and install microplastic traps across Rockhampton and Livingstone shires, with monitoring to determine where the littering is occurring.
CQUniversity is a Platinum Business Supporter of Clean Up Australia Day with events held across our campuses. Each year our staff and students step up and collect up to one ton of rubbish at simultaneous Clean Up Australia Day events across all mainland states. The 13 campus locations that participate in the annual event include Adelaide, Brisbane, Bundaberg, Cairns, Gladstone, Mackay Ooralea and City, Melbourne, Noosa, Perth, Rockhampton, Sydney, and Townsville.
This initiative partners with Plastic Free CQ and encourages all staff and students to use reusable cups when purchasing coffee on campus in a step towards a plastic-free future. The on-campus café at Rockhampton North 'Cups and Muffs' offers discounts to customers who bring their own reusable cups and also offers a cup library to borrow and return.
The Ditch the Disposables campaign is an ongoing initiative that continues to educate staff and students throughout our national footprint about the harmful effects of single-use plastic and encourages them to ultimately ‘ditch the disposables’ because small changes will have a big impact. The University has embarked on a long-term sustainability journey focusing on key areas with the greatest impact demonstrating its commitment to the environment.
CQUniversity is guided by policies and procedures in relation to the Sustainable Development Goal 15: Life on Land. Our policies ensure that staff, researchers, students, contractors and all others involved with the university take responsibility on topics such as biosecurity, waste and sustainability.
As outlined in the Procurement and Policy and Procedure, CQUniversity is committed to protecting the environment and doing business with ethical and sustainably responsible suppliers during all stages of the procurement process. Buyers must plan, identify and integrate the practice of sustainability into the procurement of goods and/or services. Preference should be given to environmentally preferable goods and services that have a lower impact on the environment over the life cycle of the good or service when compared with competing goods or services serving the same purpose.
Refer to 4.6 Sustainable, social and Indigenous-focused procurement for more information.
This Sustainability Policy outlines the requirements of the executive, managers, employees and students in meeting the environmental sustainability objectives of the University. The Policy sets a clear turning point about the image it is portraying and various benchmarks the University is set for its teachers, students, employees, service providers and stakeholders about the sustainability of its activities.
Sustainability at the University is holistic through interconnecting elements to signify that one’s actions are connected to the larger picture and we are guided by our Sustainability Framework. Our sustainable development is focused on balancing social, economic and environmental needs and will be implemented through:
The Code of Conduct for Research establishes the framework for managing CQUniversity’s responsibilities to conduct research ethically, responsibly, with integrity, and in compliance with the Australian Code for the Responsible Conduct of Research. The Code of Conduct for Research outlines the importance of respect for the environment and the community.
The Contract Management Policy and Procedure policy outlines the necessary requirements all contractors need to abide by, including that local biodiversity is included in planning and development.
Clause 4.10 outlines the commitment to the Environmental Protection Act 1994 where both the contractor and the contract manager have certain responsibilities in relation to work health and safety and, depending on the type of project, environmental protection.
The Contractor Occupational Health and Safety Management Procedure has been developed to provide a safe system of work incorporating a risk management approach to ensure that potential risks to health, safety and the environment are identified, assessed and controlled, allowing contractors to work safely while on CQUniversity worksites.
Outlined in clause 3.5 - 3.12 is the environmental protection information which includes information on pollution, sustainable land management and procedures to prevent any potential incidents towards the environment.
The purpose of the Institutional Biosafety Committee (IBC) is to provide a forum for addressing biosafety issues across the University. It also has a duty to protect students and staff of the University, as well as the Australian people and environment, by establishing procedures to minimise risk due to the release of any harmful organism into the environment.
The (IBC) has the specific responsibility to consider and advise on the following types of activity within research and teaching programs:
The Research Higher Degree Integrity Policy and Procedure defines integrity as it applies to research higher degrees (RHDs). It sets out CQUniversity’s expectations of research candidates to act in a manner that upholds the highest standards of integrity. It also sets out CQUniversity’s responses to and processes for addressing alleged breaches of research integrity by RHD candidates, including those of research misconduct.
This policy and procedure outline actions required when there are potential breaches to the environment.
The Engaging and Communicating with Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander or First Nations People Protocol outlines the engagement practises to be followed with respect to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander or First Nations People and the acknowledgment and engagement required to work on cultural land.
The Research Involving Humans and or Animals for Ethical Clearance Policy and Procedure outlines the requirements of staff and students when working with animals for research purposes. All projects involving animal subjects shall be conducted in conformity with the NHMRC’s Australian Code for the Care and Use of Animals for Scientific Purposes. This code of conduct also includes information on alien species management.
CQUniversity's Handling and Storage of Hazardous Chemicals and Dangerous Goods Procedure outlines the hazardous material handling requirements for all people bringing hazardous materials onto CQUniversity campuses.
Free Agricultural educational programs are available via CQUniversity's professional development platform - Be Different.
Listed below are some of the examples of free workshops available for students, teachers and community members to access to learn more about environmental ecosystems and technology and initiatives available to manage this sustainably.
Agri-tech Education is a collection of projects aimed to showcase the scientific and digital skills required in the agricultural industry to upskill the current agricultural workforce and attract the next generation to work in the food and fibre production sector.
The ‘Women in Agri-tech’ project will create and foster a strong network of female teachers who will become leaders in digital literacy, STEM and entrepreneurship in regional, rural and remote areas.
This online RACE - Gippsland resource includes three learning modules:
Prawn Farmers Digital Skills Hub
This online GPS Cow resource provides has been co-designed by the NSW Department of Education and CQUniversity Australia for the NSW Stage 5 Agriculture Syllabus. It incorporates content from the Agriculture and Food Technologies and the Digital Technologies contexts. The course investigates the use of GPS data to improve the management of animal welfare.
There are seven (7) modules in this resource:
CQUniversity is a partner of Future Learn. This program provides short courses from around the world for free or low cost. CQUniversity provides 18 courses via this platform, including A Beginner's Guide to Environmental Science: Wicked Problems and Possible Solutions. Students will be learning about the nature of environmental science, resources, the basis of the world’s ecosystem, and the concept of the triple bottom line for sustainability.
Bachelor of Agriculture - this degree will equip you with the agriculture knowledge, critical thinking and problem-solving skills required to play important professional roles in improving the productivity and sustainability of modern agriculture.
Bachelor of Science and Environmental - this degree will equip you to solve current and future medical, environmental, industrial and technological problems and launch your dynamic career in this field Enjoy the flexibility to tailor your degree to suit your interests and career goals with a choice of majors in Botany and Zoology, Chemistry, Earth and Climate Science or Environmental Management, and a range of minors available.
Integrated within these degrees are multiple avenues for students to learn and practice theory and skills in land and water ecosystems. This content includes term-long units of study such as Integrated Land and Water Management and Sustainable Landscapes and can cover focused elements within broader units of study. The Bachelor of Environmental Science degree includes a major in "Integrated land and water management", reflecting a strong focus on the interrelationship between land use and aquatic systems, and how best to manage them.
Each of the above-mentioned courses provides opportunities for students to complete Work Integrated Learning relevant to the field of study.
Graduate Certificate in Social Innovation Leadership- this course is a multi-disciplinary course that equips you with a strong foundational knowledge about social innovation, entrepreneurship, and leadership skills.
Graduate Certificate in Entrepreneurship, Innovation and Sustainability- this course allows you to acquire academically rigorous knowledge of contemporary sustainable management principles and practices. In addition, you will gain practical, transferable skills that support you in your entrepreneurship and innovation ambitions.
Graduate Certificate in Sustainable Development- this course is designed to equip professionals with the expertise to address complex environmental challenges, the course delves into the interconnected social, economic, and governance aspects of sustainability.
Graduate Diploma of Sustainable Development- this postgraduate sustainability degree offers a comprehensive exploration of sustainability principles and practices, equipping you to address complex environmental challenges and promote sustainable development across various sectors.
Master of Sustainable Development- In this postgraduate sustainability degree, you will delve into advanced topics, including sustainable resource management, policy analysis and corporate sustainability strategies. You will build and advance your understanding of sustainability in areas such as emergency and disaster management, community engagement and resource management, climate change, demography, business sustainability, public health and more. This extensive coverage will equip you with a robust and multi-faceted understanding of sustainable development.
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Postgraduate Units
Our world-leading agriculture research program
CQUniversity acknowledges Traditional Owners and Custodians and pays respect to the Elders of all First Nations peoples of Australia.CQUniversity Australia is a trading name of Central Queensland University
ABN: 39 181 103 288
RTO Code: 40939
CRICOS: 00219C
TEQSA: PRV12073
