| Institution Name | University of Southern Queensland |
| Contact details | Toowoomba Qld 4350 Australia |
| Website/URL | www.usq.edu.au/ |
| Brief Overview | The University of Southern Queensland (USQ) has forged a reputation as one of Australia's leading providers of on-campus and
distance education programs in Australia. With more than 75% of students studying via distance or online, USQ is at the cutting
edge of flexible delivery of resources and technology. USQ has a diverse student population, and welcomes international students
from more than 100 countries each year. The dynamic nature of USQ allows it to remain relevant to global trends. From Arts, Business and Education to Sciences, Engineering and Surveying, the University continues to develop programs and courses that reflect the changing needs of society. The University is also home to a number of leading Australian research centres including the Australian Centre for Sustainable Catchments (ACSC), the National Centre for Engineering in Agriculture (NCEA) and the Centre of Excellence in Engineered Fibre Composites (CEEFC). USQ’s Australian Digital Futures Institute (ADFI) researches digital literacies that transform the knowledge & skills of society. Its mission is to innovate, research & collaborate to explore and influence digital literacies that impact societal change. ADFI’s research focuses on digital identity, digital inclusion, digital economy and digital society. |
| Distance Education History | On 2 February 1967, the Queensland Institute of Technology (Darling Downs) opened in Toowoomba with 140 foundation students,
a Principal, eight full-time and five part-time academics, and five support staff. It later became the:
The DDIAE underwent enormous growth. In the two decades between 1970 and 1990 the student body grew from 1000 EFTSL (full-time student equivalents) to 8000 EFTSL and the physical campus grew immensely. The Institute's student body included a high proportion of people from regional areas and people from socioeconomically disadvantaged backgrounds, and included a high proportion of adults studying part-time at a distance while employed. The Institute thus served to broaden opportunities for Australians to access higher education. The Institute's distance education program also enabled its early entry into international education. The DDIAE actually boasted no less than three-quarters of Australia's off-shore international student enrolments in 1986-7. The institution gained full university status in 1992, becoming the University of Southern Queensland (USQ). The success of the Institution's development as a major regional university was recognised by USQ being named Australian University of the Year 2000-2001 for ‘developing the e-University’. |