Archive for June, 2012

Friday, June 29th, 2012

Happy Canada Day!

OzTREKK wants to wish each one of you a Happy Canada Day (weekend)!

Whether you’re in Manitoba or Melbourne, we hope you enjoy your time celebrating everything that makes Canada so special.

We’ve recently fallen in love with the CanadianProbz Twitter account, where they reveal ‘problems’ that most Canadians face at least one time in their lives. Here’s a sampling:

“Being unsure if we’re going to sing the National Anthem in just English or with a splash of French.”

“Taking off your boots and your socks also come off.”

“That crispy sound of accomplishment when you finally open the frozen shut car door.”

Aren’t these so true?! The CanadianProbz account also got the Twitter hashtag #WhyILoveCanada trending, and people outlined why they love the country. Tim Hortons was often the listed reason.

If you’re currently in Australia and feeling a little homesick for Canada, Google Canada Day events happening in your Australian city. There’s likely something going on to celebrate Canada Day. If not, then you proudly don your red and white flip flops, t-shirt and hat, promoting your patriotism! Or, just look for a place that offers poutine. Either way, you’ll get a good Canadian fix.

We at OzTREKK will also be celebrating Canada Day, which means we’ll be closed on Monday, July 2. We’ll resume operations first thing Tuesday, July 3.

Happy Canada Day!

Tags: OzTREKK, Study in Australia
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Thursday, June 28th, 2012

Australia’s definition of Cold

This week, Brisbane may face the longest cold stretch in weather since 1999. Meanwhile, the state of Victoria could experience its coldest winter in years.

So what exactly are the temperatures that are causing such a shudder throughout Australia during its winter season?

Ready for it?

If the mercury fails to hit 20 degrees this week, it will be the coldest stretch of days in Brisbane in more than a decade.

Weatherzone meteorologist Brett Dutschke said for the past four days it remained colder than 20 degrees and it was possible 100 millimetres of rain could fall on the city by the end of the week.

He expects today and tomorrow to be cold too which will make it the longest stretch of days colder than 20 degrees since 1999.

“Today may even be colder than yesterday due to cloudy skies and heavier rain,” he said. “The sun may not make an appearance on Thursday either, which will also struggle to be warmer than today. Lengthy, warming sunny breaks are not likely until Friday, after an offshore low moves further away.”

Meanwhile, in Victoria…

Victoria’s wintry blast is expected to continue well into this week, with a series of cold fronts keeping maximum temperatures hovering between 12C and 13C.

Bureau of Meteorology duty forecaster Chris Godfred predicted the chilly conditions to continue until well into next week.

“If a cold burst like this one happens more than twice, we’d mark this year down as one of the coldest winters we’ve had in a while,” he said.

Widespread frost is tipped to send the mercury spiralling to 3C across southern Victoria over the next few days and even dropping below 0C at times in the state’s north.

“The average minimum temperature for June is 6.9C, so it’s pretty chilly and certainly below average,” he said.

To be fair…

While we experience harsher winter conditions in Canada, Australia’s residential heating systems are not as commonly used.

So though the temps don’t drop as much, Aussies can be left to layer on the clothing while waiting for the mercury to rise. Mind you, Victoria is usually equipped with heat as the more South you go in Australia, the colder the winters.

If you want to experience a true Australian winter, head to James Cook University in Townsville, where you’re up north and will rarely experience a day below 25 degrees.

Learn more about James Cook University!

Tags: James Cook University, OzTREKK, Study in Australia
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Wednesday, June 27th, 2012

University of Newcastle serves up state-of-the-art food science laboratory

A $400,000 refurbishment of a food science laboratory at the University of Newcastle is complete, offering students a first-class training facility that mimics the professional environment of an industrial kitchen.

The purpose-built laboratory gives students from the University of Newcastle’s Bachelor of Nutrition and Dietetics program access to a professional space to hone their practical skills in food experimentation, preparation, and menu management.

Program convenor, Dr. Lesley MacDonald-Wicks, said the laboratory’s substantial refit and technology update allowed students to develop their skills by learning in a practical environment.

“We have tried to mimic as best we can an industrial kitchen to improve the student experience and train competent, work-ready graduates,” Dr. MacDonald-Wicks said.

“Students build up their awareness of foods and their nutritional components, including ways to combine foods effectively when preparing menus. Through practical exposure and guided activities, students are encouraged to experiment with menu management and gain an understanding of the importance of recipe modification for people with special dietary requirements.”

The University of Newcastle funded the laboratory upgrade. The teaching space will also be used by the Bachelor of Secondary Teaching (Technology) students who will learn skills including food demonstration, classroom management and food safety.

“Students in both fields are encouraged to develop a cultural appreciation of food and the role of food in the social and cultural contexts of our lives,” Dr. MacDonald-Wicks said.

About the University of Newcastle Bachelor of Food Science and Human Nutrition Program

The University of Newcastle Bachelor of Food Science and Human Nutrition gives students the opportunity to learn about what is happening at the leading edge of scientific endeavour in the field of food science and human nutrition, and become familiar with the latest areas such as molecular nutrition, nutritional genetics and functional foods. The degree develops specialist knowledge and skills that are highly valued and required in industry and the broader community.

This three-year degree provides a strong background in the principles underlying the sciences of food technology and human nutrition, including the basic sciences, the chemistry and biology of nutrients, and the attributes of foods, including food commodities and functional foods. The structure of the degree means students will study a series of core courses, which is combined with directed and elective courses based on your career interests. Core courses you will study include Chemistry, Food and nutrition, Biomedical science, Macronutrients, Micronutrients, Plant and animal food products, Food product development, Nutrition in health and disease, Food analysis and Functional foods and health claims.

The University of Newcastle continues to invest money in its programs and facilities, giving us another reason to be proud partners!

Find out more about University of Newcastle Undergraduate Science Degrees.

Learn more about the University of Newcastle.

Tags: OzTREKK, Study in Australia, University of Newcastle, University of Newcastle Undergraduate Science Degrees
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Tuesday, June 26th, 2012

Monash University: Does the world judge Australia based on its films?

A Monash University expert will uncover whether Australia’s seriousness and the way ‘Australianness’ circulates at an international level could be traced back to the movies made in Australia.

Skippy is just one of the Australian film and television series to be discussed at an upcoming symposium that will explore the need for new historical and critical frameworks for analyzing how the rest of the world views Australia through the film lens.

Convened by Monash University’s Research Unit in Film Culture and Theory and the National Centre for Australian Studies, ‘Offshore Processes: International Perspectives on Australian Film and Television’ will see an array of experts descend upon Monash University’s Prato Centre.
They’ll look at television shows and movies created by Australians, including Baz Lurhman’s Australia.

Head of the Research Unit in Film Culture and conference co-convener, Dr. Therese Davis will be addressing the symposium discussing Australian Indigenous mainstream filmmaking.

“Hollywood has been a particular kind of fantasy cinema in Australian Indigenous cultural life since at least the 1920s. I will be discussing how the paradigms of Australian national cinema have limited our understandings of Indigenous spectatorship,” Dr. Davis said. “I will continue to discuss how these paradigms have shaped non-Indigenous reception and understandings of Indigenous film and the global reach of Indigenous filmmakers’ ambitions.”

The symposium also features a mini-film-festival that opens with Baz Lurhman’s Australia, the subject of a keynote address by leading international scholar Professor Meaghan Morris from the University of Sydney/Lingnan HK.

This symposium has us think back to the scene from Dumb and Dumber, when Jim Carrey asks the beautiful woman where she’s from. When she responds, Austrian, Carrey replies, in his best Australian accent, “G’day Mate! Let’s put another shrimp on the Barbie!” It’s so funny we couldn’t resist not posting the clip.

Learn more about Monash University

Tags: Monash University, OzTREKK, Study in Australia, University of Sydney
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Monday, June 25th, 2012

University of Queensland Medical School Leader to assess Australian Medical Schools

A University of Queensland Medical School leader will assess Australian Medical Schools, after receiving a $250,000 fellowship from the Australian federal government.

University of Queensland Medical School Head, David Wilkinson, applied for and received the grant, which will allow him to study global models of sector-wide collaborative assessment of medical students and develop a shared assessment framework for Australia.

This fellowship and impending research demonstrates the University of Queensland Medical School’s strive to be one of the top Australian Medical Schools in the country.

University of Queensland Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academic) Professor Mick McManus thanked the federal government for supporting the promotion of excellence in learning and teaching in higher education.

Professor McManus congratulated the winners and said the award of these grants was “a fitting acknowledgement of their innovative thinking in different aspects of teaching and how we can enhance the student learning experience.

“In particular, the awarding of one of only four National Senior Teaching Fellowships to Professor David Wilkinson is a rare accomplishment and very well-deserved.”

The University of Queensland was awarded $936,000 in total funding through the Australian Government’s Office for Learning and Teaching 2012 round.

Another University of Queensland Medical School initiative that received funding from this initiative is a $220,000 work-based assessment of teamwork: an inter-professional approach, which will be led by the University of Queensland Medical School Professor Jill Thistlethwaite. They will partner with five other universities, including the University of Sydney Medical School and the University of British Columbia medical school!

Learn more about the University of Queensland Medical School.

Find out how to apply to Australian Medical Schools!

Tags: Australian Medical Schools, OzTREKK, Study in Australia, University of Queensland, University of Queensland Medical School, University of Sydney Medical School
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Friday, June 22nd, 2012

OzTREKK’s Four for Friday

OzTREKK’s Four For Friday

If you live in most parts of Ontario, you’ll know exactly what we mean when we say, ‘warm, eh?’. If you don’t live in most parts of Ontario, then all we can say is: “we are jealous”. Many parts of Ontario have been hit with a brutal heat wave. So for this edition of OzTREKK’s Four for Friday, we thought we’d touch on a few notes related to heat. Or water. Or simply dreaming up ways to cool off.

Savvy students solution could cut cost of power bills

Consumers could save on power bills thanks to an energy saving solution devised by two savvy University of Sydney PhD students from the Faculty of Engineering and Information Technologies.

The ‘MyPower Energy Platform’ has been designed to monitor the power use of individual appliances and to help consumers decide how and when to use or replace them. The system allows for continuous monitoring of major household appliances such as washing machines, clothes dryers, microwaves, electrical water heaters and refrigerators via a smart plug with an embedded GSM unit.

“The plugs sense actual power usage and transmit the information via SMS reports to a cloud-based data warehouse every 30 minutes,” says Waiho Wong, who developed the technology with Mahboobeh Mogaddham. “The householder can then access their electricity consumption data and drill down to individual appliances’ cost based on peak, shoulder and off-peak rates, through the MyPower website.”

“Access to this data will allow users to optimise their appliance usage and take advantage of lower electricity rates by remotely scheduling or switching off the appliance via the smart plug,” adds Moghaddam. “We are excited because this platform can provide a technically and economically feasible solution for households to reduce their electricity consumption by up to 10 percent – a significant cost reduction over the life of their appliances.”

We wonder if Air Conditioning units count. We’ll decrease its usage in the winter. Promise.

What’s the temperature in Townsville?

In case you didn’t know, it’s winter time in Townsville, Queensland, home to our friends at James Cook University. Remember, we said it is winter. The Townsville temperature forecast for today? 25 degree Celsius. Warm, eh?

Best Pool Games

Remember when you were a kid and all of your friends convened at someone’s house – whoever had the pool? You then spent the afternoon crafting games to play in the pool? We were just talking about those games here at the OzTREKK office (we said we were hot, what can we say?), and here are a handful we recalled: handstands contest, who could stay underwater the longest, best jump off the diving board, throw rings to the bottom of the pool and try to get as many as you can. Did we also mention that some of us are competitive? What pool games did you play as a kid? If you’re interested in studying at an Australian university, remember that most universities have an outdoor pool, including the University of Queensland and Bond University!

The Hottest Programs

In taking with our OzTREKK admissions officers, we know there are some hot programs out there. We don’t mean literally hot. Rather, there are some programs that Canadian students are continuously asking about. These include Australian Dental Schools, Australian Medical Schools and Australian Law Schools. If you want us to answer the question about which program would literally make you the hottest? We can’t currently answer that as we’re currently making lunch plans to Dairy Queen.

Tags: Australian Dental Schools, Australian Law Schools, Australian Medical Schools, Bond University, James Cook University, OzTREKK, Study in Australia, University of Queensland, University of Sydney
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Thursday, June 21st, 2012

Macquarie University Named Australia’s Top Youngest University!

Macquarie University has been named Australia’s highest-ranking university in two recently published reports. Both QS and Times Higher Education placed Macquarie University first among the country’s universities under 50 years of age.

Sometimes, younger is better!

Although the rankings use different methods to produce their results, both agreed that Macquarie University led the nation’s modern universities in areas including research, teaching, innovation, graduate employability and international outlook.

The QS Top 50 Under 50 ranked Macquarie University 16^th in the world, while the Times Higher Education 100 Under 50 rating placed Macquarie University at joint-33^rdglobally.

Macquarie University‘s global focus and commitment to internationalization was confirmed in the Times rankings, with Macquarie University ranked number two in the world for ‘international mix’ behind École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne.

Andrew Oswald, professor of economics at the University of Warwick and a visiting fellow at the IZA Institute in Bonn says the newly-released rankings are a good indicator of future world-leaders.

“They give us a glimpse of the likely future Harvards and Berkeleys,” he says. “Most empires eventually crumble and once upon a time both Harvard and Berkeley were derided as Nowheresville.”

Macquarie University‘s emergence as a university of international significance, despite a relatively short history, is partly due to investing in areas of research excellence. The success of this strategy has been confirmed by the Australian Government’s evaluations, with five research areas rated five out of five, indicating performance ‘well above world standard’.

In the past two years, Macquarie University has invested heavily in facilities and infrastructure, building the most technologically advanced hospital in the country; the Australian School of Advanced Medicine; a state-of-the-art library featuring the only robotic storage and retrieval system in the southern hemisphere; and the Australian Hearing Hub (due for completion at the end of the year) that will bring the nation’s hearing research and treatment agencies together on the campus.

Congratulations to Macquarie University! It makes OzTREKK even more proud (if that’s even possible!) to be a partner.

Learn more about Macquarie University

Find out why so many Canadians want to attend the Macquarie University Chiropractic School.

Tags: Macquarie University, Macquarie University Chiropractic School, OzTREKK, Study in Australia
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Wednesday, June 20th, 2012

Monash University: One-third of employees on Facebook at Work

A Monash University study has revealed that nearly one third of employees use Facebook at work but aren’t too worried about being tracked by their employers.

The study by Monash University’s Associate Professor Peter Holland and Dr Brian Cooper from the Department of Management looked at key issues associated with employee perception of and attitudes to electronic monitoring and surveillance at work.

“Most companies see the benefits of a digitally-connected workforce. However, the survey uncovered potential issues in the attitudes of employees regarding social media use, personal data and privacy,” Holland said.

One of the key findings highlighted blurred work and personal boundaries, with 31 per cent of those surveyed using social networking sites, primarily Facebook, at work. Only 14 per cent of these used social media for work-related activities while 42 per cent used it for personal activities.

That sounds about right to us! Fess up: How many of you have used Facebook while at work?

“Over 35 per cent of respondents indicated their company didn’t have a policy on internet use. If they did have a policy, very few had taken appropriate training around the use and intent of the policy,” Holland said. “Employers need to develop a policy with full awareness, support, understanding and training of their employees. Otherwise, if issues came up, there may not be sufficient grounds to protect the organization.”

The research also found employees supported some monitoring of the workplace, especially websites. However, there were concerns over the monitoring of emails, phone calls and video surveillance.

Another underlying issue was employee privacy, where 62 per cent of respondents indicated they were not concerned about how their employers used personal information gained through electronic monitoring and surveillance of their workplace. A further 20 per cent had only a little concern.

“These results are worrying. There is a lack of concern or awareness of the quantity of information the employer holds, and who can access it and what it is used for,” Holland said.

“Issues associated with developing policies on privacy at work do not appear to be as comprehensive or well-understood as might be expected.

“The results indicate this is a potential conflict area for employers and employees as the amount of information acquired on an employee increases.”

We love to kind of research that Monash University conducts. It is, after all, notorious for its research capabilities,and it’s always interesting to learn up on studies that relate to anyone who has ever worked in an office!

Learn more about Monash University and the Graduate Research Programs at Australian Universities.

Tags: Graduate Research Programs at Australian Universities, Monash University, OzTREKK, Study in Australia
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Tuesday, June 19th, 2012

James Cook University Graduates top 6,000 in Cairns

The 391 graduates who received degrees from James Cook University in late April took the number of degrees conferred in Cairns to 6,380 in the 25^th anniversary year of the campus.

Deputy Vice-Chancellor Stephen Weller said a growing student body and expanded offerings meant the Cairns conferrals were increasing rapidly.

“It might have taken two decades to produce our first 5,000 students, but our next 5,000 will take less than half that time and we have a very real goal of reaching 10,000 by 2025,” he said.

“The Cairns campus opened with just 117 students and eight first-year subjects in 1987.

“This year Cairns has 4,120 students, the professoriate has doubled in just three years with the opening of The Cairns Institute and the campus offers a huge range of courses from diplomas to doctoral programs as well as the new Dentistry and Sustainability degrees.”

The James Cook University degrees being conferred on Saturday are: 31 Science, 66 Medicine and Health, 152 Law and Business, 142 Arts and Education as well as seven PhDs.

Until the Cairns campus opened in 1987, Cairns was the largest urban centre in the country which did not have any form of tertiary education and now it has 4,120 students.

Have you seen the James Cook University Cairns campus?

A lot of our students love the James Cook University Cairns campus because it’s located outside of Cairns, with a rainforest backdrop. Meanwhile, there are so many beach communities nearby where students can access housing, they get the best of both worlds.

Cairns is a great place to live as it’s a tropical paradise that borders the Great Barrier Reef. Students benefit from the huge tourism industry, as they can access so many different adventures with a traveller’s budget in mind.

So what courses are offered at the James Cook University Cairns Campus?

Popular programs offered at the Cairns campus include the James Cook University Dental School, the James Cook University Nursing School program and the James Cook University Law School.

Tags: James Cook University, James Cook University Dental School, James Cook University Law School, James Cook University Nursing School, OzTREKK, Study in Australia
Posted in News Blog, University News | Comments Off

Monday, June 18th, 2012

Program of the Month: Australian Veterinary Schools

Australian Veterinary Schools are OzTREKK‘s Program of the Month feature for June!

Veterinarians play a major role in the health care of pets, livestock, zoo animals, and sporting and laboratory animals. Some veterinarians work in livestock production and in research, broadening the scope of fundamental theoretical and applied knowledge. Others use their skills to protect humans against diseases carried by animals and conduct clinical research into human and animal health problems.

In Australia, professional degrees can be undertaken either straight from high school at the undergraduate level, or after one has completed a university degree, at the graduate-entry level. For professional degrees that train students to become veterinarians, students can study veterinary medicine/veterinary science in Australia as either:

a Bachelor of Veterinary Science degree; or
a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree.

The University of Melbourne‘s Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (DVM) program is offered only to students who have already obtained an undergraduate science degree. Bachelor of Veterinary Science programs in Australia are suitable for students who wish to gain entry into a veterinary professional program directly from high school or after having completed undergraduate studies.

Canadian students have the option of applying to the Bachelor of Veterinary Science program directly from high school or after having completed Bachelor of Science courses or a degree. The following Australian Veterinary Schools offer veterinary medicine/veterinary science programs:

University: James Cook University Veterinary School
Course: Bachelor of Veterinary Science
Duration: 5 Years
Description: An important part of the James Cook University Veterinary School curriculum is the students’ exposure to a range of practical livestock production and veterinary practice experiences. The extramural practical work program exposes students to a broad variety of agriculture and animal production enterprises; enhances understanding of veterinary practice, animal health and welfare and disease control; integrates with and supports the academic program; and helps to prepare students for a range of employment opportunities available within the veterinary profession. In the first four years of the program, students complete three separate compulsory extramural practical work and veterinary clinical experience placements. The James Cook University Veterinary School program offers state-of-the-art teaching facilities in a new veterinary emergency and referral clinic on the Townsville campus and a specialist large animal treatment facility on the tablelands, which provide clinical experience and training for final-year students.

University: University of Melbourne Veterinary School
Course: Doctor of Veterinary Medicine
Duration: 4 Years
Description: The University of Melbourne Veterinary School four-year, graduate-entry DVM degree offers veterinary students the best possible preparation for twenty-first century careers in a rapidly changing and increasingly global workforce. Students can expect to learn the latest theory and practice, with plenty of practical hands-on experience, taught by a team of leading veterinarians. Through the University of Melbourne Veterinary School DVM, students will undertake integrated studies that encourage and facilitate learning. The first and second year of the DVM will be taught at Veterinary Pre-Clinical Campus on the university’s main Parkville campus in downtown Melbourne. The third and fourth years will be taught at the Werribee campus of the University of Melbourne and the university’s veterinary hospital, just outside Melbourne. The fourth year of the program will be devoted to workplace and experiential learning in the university’s busy veterinary hospital, in private practices and industry. There will also be the opportunity to undertake research during the final year

University: University of Queensland Veterinary School
Course: Bachelor of Veterinary Science
Duration: 5 Years
Description: The University of Queensland Veterinary School program is one of the most sought after in Australia, attracting the very best students and producing veterinarians who are in high demand, both domestically and internationally. The veterinary science program at the University of Queensland Veterinary School provides the broadest base in the biological sciences of any undergraduate course and provides a very wide range of career options as well as professional qualifications, enabling graduates to practise veterinary medicine and surgery. The Small Animal Clinic and Veterinary Teaching Hospital provide a learning environment for veterinary education. State-of-the-art medical and surgical services for the people of Queensland and for practicising veterinarians are provided through the University of Queensland Veterinary School’s clinic and hospital.

University: University of Sydney Veterinary School
Course: Bachelor of Veterinary Science
Duration: 5 Years
Description: The University of Sydney Veterinary School Bachelor of Veterinary Science program is an exciting and innovative course, which produces graduates who have the knowledge and practical skills to pursue many career options as veterinary scientists, participating in the care and welfare of animals. The University of Sydney Veterinary School‘s Faculty of Veterinary Science maintains teaching hospitals at Sydney and Camden, where students and veterinarians work together in a clinical teaching and learning environment. Referral and primary accession cases are seen at both sites, and the University Veterinary Teaching Hospital at Camden also provides veterinary services to farms in the region. A wide range of companion animals, farm animals, racing animals, exotic and native species are seen.

Learn more about Australian Veterinary Schools!

Find out about the:

Tags: Australian Veterinary Schools, James Cook University Veterinary School, OzTREKK, Study in Australia, University of Melbourne, University of Melbourne Veterinary School, University of Queensland Veterinary School, University of Sydney Veterinary School
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Happy Canada Day!