In recent months, staff and students on our Nathan campus have been witnessing the construction of our signature new building – the Sir Samuel Griffith Centre.
During October, I had the rare privilege of seeing this building from above – through the window (and floor) of a helicopter (the ride, I hasten to add, was at no expense to the University).
I can confirm that Sir Sam looks just as impressive from an aerial perspective – a truly striking addition to the Nathan landscape (some interesting views of the roof structure can be viewed here). A recent roof wetting ceremony brought home to me that the opening of this iconic building in 2013 is not that far away. This amazing facility will mark a new chapter in the history of the Nathan campus.
October also saw the turning of the first sod at the site of the new $35 million Business Building at our Gold Coast campus.
Gold Coast Mayor Tom Tate, who officiated at the ceremony, looked very much at home behind the controls of an earthmover as he broke ground on the site. The Business Building will host the Departments of Accounting, Finance and Economics; International Business and Asian Studies; Employment Relations and Human Resources; Marketing; and the newly-formed School of Government and International Relations.
This new state-of-the-art facility will enhance our capacity as a provider of comprehensive business education to the Gold Coast community and will be clearly visible from Parklands Drive. It will also be a showcase for collaboration with industry in key learning and teaching, and research activity areas. One of the innovative features of the building will be a simulated trading room.