NEW UNSW LANGUAGE BUILDING PROMISES ENLIGHTENED LEARINING

The many Qantas Airways staff whose language skills are acquired at the University of New South Wales Institute of Languages will be tackling their subjects in superior surroundings from now on.

A striking new building incorporating state-of-the-art teaching facilities will provide UNSW's many international and Australian language students with one of the most sophisticated and exciting learning environments in the world.

The new Institute of Languages centre, on the Randwick campus of UNSW, was designed by architect Damian Barker of the Sydney firm, Jackson Teece Chesterman Willis. The company was commissioned by the University in response to the innovative Campus Development Strategy, ongoing since 1991, which has seen UNSW take its place as one of Australia's best-greened and most striking tertiary institutions.

Built over three storeys, the new IOL centre contains 26 classrooms and several seminar areas with associated amenities. Each of these spaces is acoustically isolated and equipped with an individual climate-control system incorporating both passive and air-conditioned elements.

But as students and staff are already discovering, every class and seminar room is also a triumph of natural ventilation and light, the result of external floor-to-ceiling glass, either doors or windows, and a massive central skylight that floods daylight down through each level.

Currently, UNSW's Institute of Languages has around 700 students enrolled in a variety of programs. Most international students are there to learn English for academic or business communication purposes, but the Institute also has courses for interpreters, translators and language teachers, and offers a language-testing service.

As well, languages other than English, such as French, German, Italian, Japanese, Spanish and Mandarin are taught for professional use (eg. hospitality staff) or to people with a recreational interest. Since 1982, the IOL has been assessing the language proficiency of Qantas Airways staff, with current activity at an all-time high due to the Australia-wide recruitment drive the airline is conducting for Flight Attendants who speak a second language.

UNSW has the largest campus enrolment of international students of any university in the world. This is reflected in the recently announced NSW Export Award for Education Services to UNSW for its anticipated 65.2% share of all income from overseas students
in the 1998-99 year. Enrolments represent more than 95 foreign countries, including those in Scandinavia, Europe, Africa, South America and the Far East, as well as the UK and USA. Students from Hong Kong and Indonesia contribute almost equally in numbers, followed by Singapore and then the rest of China, including Taiwan.

Redeveloped campus provides world-class facilities

From humble beginnings in ex-army sheds on the barren marshlands and sand dunes of Kensington circa 1949, UNSW has marked its 50th Anniversary this year with the fruits of a long-term campus redevelopment program. Of the four new buildings recently opened -- all designed by leading Australian architects - three have been integrated into the main Kensington campus.

The Scientia, containing a new ceremonial hall, state-of-the-art cinema and several world-class function and seminar venues, was designed by MGT Architects, best known for Canberra's new Parliament House. Though opened only in September this year, The Scientia has already hosted several graduations and major University and outside dinners and exhibitions, and students are making the amphitheatre lawn and other green spaces which surround the building their own.

If The Scientia is the impressive focus of the newly landscaped Mall, stretching from the main Anzac Parade entrance to UNSW, the Red Centre makes an equally interesting boundary line. Also designed by MGT Architects, using advanced passive climate-control features the Red Centre houses the new International Student Centre, the Faulty of the Built Environment and the School of Mathematics.

The Rupert Myers building, located on the lower campus, was designed by architects Denton Corker Marshall, and has all the contemporary hallmarks of this high-profile company. UNSW's new School of Optometry will reside there, as well as specialist optometry research facilities and a public testing service.

Extensive landscaping has created many gardens and green spaces throughout UNSW, reflecting a unique Australian character. More than 1500 tress have been planted on the campus, providing a shaded and relaxing work environment for students and staff.

The University of New South Wales was the only University nominated in the recent Price Waterhouse Coopers survey, the Most Admired Companies in Australia, in the Government/Education/Health industry sector.

As UNSW heads towards it first century, the scene is well and truly set for its continuing success as a wholly international centre of learning.

CONTACT: UNSW Public Affairs & Development, (02) 9385 2864.

154/99 Date issued: October 28 1999