Graduate learning spaces opened today

Innovation Minister Senator Kim Carr opened three new graduate learning spaces at the University of Melbourne today.

L to R, Vice-Chancellor Professor Glyn Davis, Associate Professor Peter Jamieson, Innovation Minister Senator Kim Carr, Dean of the Melbourne Graduate School of Education Professor Field Rickards, Dean of Science Professor Robert Saint and Dean of the Melbourne School of Land and Environment Professor Rick Roush.

Innovation Minister Senator Kim Carr opened three new graduate learning spaces at the University of Melbourne today.

The Melbourne Graduate Schools of Education, Science and Land and Environment are the first of seven new spaces to be opened progressively in the next year.

The new spaces enable the university to extend its expertise in learning-environment design.

Vice-Chancellor Professor Glyn Davis said: "It’s not every day we see three spaces opened in such a short space of time".

"We are indeed proud of all that’s been done to lend new life to the learning experience here at Melbourne, through the great work of Professor Peter Jamieson in collaboration with Property and Campus Services and all who’ve worked with them," he said.

"We are deeply grateful to the Commonwealth Government for the commitment and the financial support we have received under Minister Carr’s watch, through the Government’s Education Investment Fund (EIF)."

Minister Carr said the investment helped to build a strong and vibrant tertiary education sector with modern education and research facilities.

"The over $16.2 million EIF funding for Graduate Learning Spaces has enabled the University of Melbourne to fast track a major capital works program to turn more than 13,000 m2 of traditional facilities into an integrated suite of contemporary teaching and learning spaces," Minister Carr said.

The University of Melbourne has received funding for several projects under the EIF, including $90 million for the Peter Doherty Institute for Immunity and Infection and $17.515 million for the Centre for Neural Engineering.