Queensland’s local authorities are to receive improved waste management advice
following Griffith University’s appointment as the Australia and New Zealand sub-regional
secretariat of a United Nations global partnership on waste management.
Launched during the UN Commission of Sustainable Development in New York in May,
the International Partnership for Expanding Waste Management Services to Local
Authorities (IPLA) aims to develop public-private partnerships to tackle community waste
problems.
Project leader Dr Sunil Herat from the Griffith School of Engineering, said the appointment will bring together key stakeholders including local authorities and the private sector.
“This is great international recognition of Griffith’s work in the waste management area”
he said.
“Managing waste has emerged as one of the biggest challenges facing cities and urban
areas. The daunting nature of such challenges has prompted an extensive collaboration
among stakeholders.
“We are now able to facilitate knowledge sharing in the waste management area and
provide expert advice to local authorities and any other approved members of the UN
network, regarding their concerns,” Dr Herat said.
“For example, if a local authority has any issues with managing a particular waste stream,
they will be able to receive support from the IPLA through its extensive network.
“As well, if they have already adopted best practice in waste management, they can
promote it through IPLA to the wider global market.
“The IPLA has an objective to facilitate various partnership options, in terms of
technologies, and experience sharing and networking, as well as access to various
financial mechanisms for sustainable waste management.
“Griffith will play a key role in bringing Australia and New Zealand’s successful models of
technology and expertise to local authorities around the world,” Dr Herat said.
As a UN advisor to Asian governments on electronic waste, Dr Herat said he believes
Griffith was selected for the UN role as a result of its strong waste management
credentials and high level of expertise in developing policy and strategy.
“Not only has Griffith been identified as a major research institution in areas such as
electronic waste, but we are the only institution to offer an externally delivered graduate certificate in waste management.”
Why study the Griffith University Program?
Griffith University’s Graduate Certificate in Waste Management is the only program of its
kind in Australia.
- The program is offered by the Griffith School of Engineering which employs a
multidisciplinary team to cover a wide variety of environmental engineering expertise. This allows students to gain the understanding required to solve complex environmental problems with a multidisciplinary approach. The School’s study programs integrate all aspects of environmental sciences — natural, political,
social and economic — with traditional and modern innovative engineering principles.
- The program is designed for people with engineering and nonâ€engineering
backgrounds. For example, someone who only holds a certificate level qualification but with several years of work experience in the waste area, could enrol in the program.
- The entire program is offered externally using innovative teaching and
assessment methods.
- After completing the Graduate Certificate program, students can move onto the
Master of Engineering program offered by the School.
- The Graduate Certificate in Waste Management is fully supported by the Waste
Management Association of Australia: http://www.wmaa.asn.au/
- For further information, please visit:
http://www.griffith.edu.au/engineeringâ€informationâ€technology/griffithâ€schoolâ€engin
eering or http://www.griffith.edu.au/ewaste