Asian Correspondent Asia News

Scholastic excellence, industry networks and cutting-edge research are hallmarks of Deakin University. This Australian university – with four campuses across Victoria in Melbourne, Geelong and Warrnambool – provides internationally-recognised education designed to create job-ready graduates.

Of the many undergraduate and postgraduate fields of study on offer at this university, its School of Engineering – part of Deakin’s Faculty of Science and Technology – is a significant leader in both teaching and learning and applied research. The School is proud of offering what it describes as a boutique style of education delivery that brings together small class sizes, tailored programs with industry exposure and up-to-date facilities.

Pic: Deakin University School of Engineering.

Based at Deakin’s Geelong Waurn Ponds Campus, the School of Engineering offers programs that are not simply research informed, but research led. Deakin is a significant leader in a number of engineering-focussed research areas, most notably in materials engineering, advanced manufacturing and intelligent systems.

Academics
The School of Engineering is recognised for its flexibility in course delivery, providing high-quality programs that are designed for aspiring engineers. The School’s strong industry networks, including collaborations with large international corporations as well as local companies, help develop industry-ready graduates.

The School is also popular for its ability to produce students ready for employment – this translates into students efficient at multi-skilling, broadly focussed and with a multidisciplinary technical competence. Students are trained to execute a systems approach to design and operational performance, and can also boast of strong communication skills, solid teamwork skills and a deeper understanding of their field and the industry. Below is a brief overview of the undergraduate and postgraduate programs offered by Deakin’s School of Engineering:

Bachelor of Engineering – Deakin’s Bachelor of Engineering program places great emphasis on the practical application of engineering and scientific principles to produce graduates who are immediately employable and also capable of adapting to an ever-changing future in this dynamic industry. Students study common subjects in their first year, providing them with a broad knowledge base of the field, before choosing to specialize in Civil, Electrical and Electronics, Mechanical, or Mechatronics and Robotics engineering. Deakin’s Bachelor of Engineering is accredited by the professional engineering body Engineers Australia, which means a graduate could take their career almost anywhere in the world.

Master of Engineering - Deakin’s postgraduate Engineering program has been designed to strengthen, build on and extend students’ understanding of the engineering principles that are required to build successful engineering careers in Australia and overseas. Students gain technical skills and a positive approach to problem solving, crucial factors to a successful career in this competitive industry. Students can choose to specialize in Mechanical Engineering, Electronics Engineering or Civil Engineering.

The postgraduate engineering programs at Deakin University have enabled international engineering graduates to gain valuable advanced engineering knowledge and skills to work as professional engineers both in Australia and overseas.

The demand for trained engineers is ever on the rise, and Deakin’s School of Engineering is committed to producing engineers who are lifelong learners, capable of building their careers upon a solid foundation of knowledge.

Pic: Deakin University School of Engineering.

Research at Deakin Engineering
The School of Engineering is committed to the generation of fundamental knowledge, high quality research training and assisting the industry by helping create advances in technology to maintain a competitive edge.

The School hosts two faculty research clusters – Sustainable Infrastructure and Sensing, Control and Diagnostics for a Sustainable Future. It is also recognised for being the foundation for Automotive Innovation, a multidisciplinary research theme that includes the Centre for Material and Fibre Innovation (CMFI) – a large multidisciplinary research group working on a range of materials – and the Centre for Intelligent Systems Research (CISR).

Both CMFI and CISR are part of Deakin’s Institute for Technology Research and Innovation (ITRI), a multidisciplinary research institute created in 2008 to play a key role in the University’s cutting edge research activities. Located on Deakin’s 360 hectare Geelong Waurn Ponds Campus, ITRI combines fundamental research with solutions-led research. Research at ITRI focuses on advanced materials, biosciences and intelligent systems and the creation of new technologies which address real world problems. That means working in partnership with the community at the local, national and international level. A significant amount of engineering research is carried out at ITRI.

The 2011 national report on the Excellence in Research for Australia (ERA) ranks Deakin Engineering on a band 4 and, in particular, materials research at the highest on a band of 5, an accomplishment well above world standard!

Deakin Engineering is home to over 100 PhD researchers working on fundamental and applied research projects.

Studying at Deakin
Deakin University is located in Victoria, Australia. With more than 4 million people from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds, Victoria is a place of great contrasts. Ocean beaches and mountain ranges, deserts and forests, volcanic plains and vast sheep and wheat farms come together to form a picturesque locale that is sure to provide plenty of exciting and adventurous opportunities for students studying here.

Deakin’s School of Engineering is located at the University’s Geelong Waurn Ponds Campus. Geelong is Victoria’s second largest city with a population of 212000 people. It is a thriving coastal city, situated on the beautiful Corio Bay, and is about one hour from the centre of Melbourne city by car or train. Geelong is known as the gateway to the popular tourist attraction the Great Ocean Road, a 263 km stretch of magnificent coastline, and is close to Torquay, home to one of the most famous surf beaches in the world, Bells Beach. Geelong offers a fun, healthy and relaxed environment to live and study in.

Victoria’s capital city of Melbourne is a unique hub of an international flavour. Characterised by its architectural elegance and its laneway precincts, great food and events, the city provides a memorable cultural experience for international students. Asian students, especially, will find an internationally diverse community, yet the familiarity of home that forms the fabric of this multi-cultural city.

Deakin University School of Engineering graduate Komal Dalal is now a project manager with Barwon Region Water Corporation.

Deakin alumni, Komal Dalal, is now a project manager with Barwon Region Water Corporation, Victoria’s largest regional urban water corporation. She chose to complete her postgraduate studies at Deakin because it was the only Victorian regional university that offered the Master of Engineering program with a specialization in water environment. Importantly, it also offered her solid, practical experience: “Deakin has an energetic group of professors and industrial partners committed to delivering excellence in postgraduate learning. The University’s association with various industries provides students with hands-on experience creating professional engineers who have a full package of workplace skills.”

Working as a research assistant on various industrial projects during her time at Deakin helped her gain insight into the operations of the water industry: “The perfect blend of academic studies and professional experience with various industrial projects played a significant part in making me work-ready before I graduated.”

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