Season’s Greetings
It was the year of all things new in 2022. As we enter the festive season, we take a look back at Southern Cross University’s top 12 moments from the year that was: new course offerings, a new frog species, new facilities and a new way to see research. Here are some of our highlights. Happy scrolling!
A better way to learn
The Southern Cross Model is living up to expectations, delivering improved student performance, retention and satisfaction. When compared to pre-COVID figures of 2019, results from Southern Cross Model units up to Term 3, 2022 showed completion rates have increased by 16 per cent. Average GPA also increased as did teaching satisfaction. Roll on 2023 and a better way to learn at university!
Engineering success at the Gold Coast campus
We announced a major expansion of our leading engineering program at the Gold Coast, with a suite of undergraduate and postgraduate courses available to study from February 2023. It was a year for engineering celebrations – we also ranked number one nationally in four of six key categories for Engineering in the 2023 Good Universities Guide.
We received (hemp) seeds of funding
From developing hempseed of high nutritional quality to using cutting edge geochemical imaging of fossil teeth to discover the behaviour of ancestors, our researchers embarked on fascinating projects thanks to more than $2 million in funding from the Australian Research Council.
A Primary Health precinct established at Lismore
Lismore campus was a hub for the region’s recovery in the wake of the devastating floods at the beginning of the year. Ensuring health services were functional and accessible was a priority, leading to the establishment of the Lismore Primary Health Precinct at our on-campus health clinic.
SCU College blew out 10 candles
We celebrated 10 years of SCU College, which was established in 2012 to increase access and participation in higher education. The College has expanded to offer a suite of Diplomas, undergraduate certificates, and preparation programs as well as English language courses for thousands of students over the years.
We discovered a new species
Researchers identified a new species of mountain frog in the rainforests of northern NSW and southeast Queensland. The new species was declared following 16 years of DNA sampling. The frog has been named Philoria knowlesi but is commonly known as the Mount Ballow Mountain Frog
We threw our caps in the air!
Graduation ceremonies returned in 2022 for the first time in three years for the Gold Coast, Lismore, Coffs Harbour, Sydney and Melbourne due to the pandemic. We celebrated record numbers of graduates at our ceremonies at the Gold Coast and Sydney with thousands of attendees across the various ceremonies.
Top marks in national and international rankings
Southern Cross performed exceptionally well in this year’s round of rankings, receiving 5-star rankings for diverse disciplines in the 2023 Good Universities Guide. The University also ranked in the top 10 nationally for undergraduate employment rates in the Graduate Outcomes Survey and achieved our best ever result in the QS World University Rankings.
We got down to business
Business is back at Lismore! There was plenty of buzz about the Bachelor of Business and Enterprise launching at our Northern Rivers campus in 2023. In the meantime, we teamed up with Northern Rivers Food to launch a new podcast to sink your teeth into called Business Bites.
Strength in clusters
We launched two research clusters – Harvest to Health and Zero Waste – encompassing a number of key research projects aimed at improving our lives and environment. The launch of the clusters was accompanied by a new website, bringing together stories, video and even podcasts with some of the University’s key researchers.
Researchers discovered an ancient amputation
Researchers analysed remains of a young hunter-gatherer whose lower left leg was amputated by a skilled prehistoric surgeon 31,000 years ago. The fossil is thought to be the earliest known evidence for a complex medical act.
Exploring the pleasure principle
One of our researchers conducted a national pleasure audit to find out where people find pleasure, how much of it they find, how often and how strongly they experience it. The study aimed to examine the link between wellbeing and experiencing pleasure.
We are transforming tomorrow
Southern Cross launched its new video series, Transforming Tomorrow, which highlights success stories within our University community. The series involved more than 36 hours of filming, 170 hours of postproduction and 140 people. Fun fact: every person featured in the campaign is a current student, staff member or alumnus.
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