Science will be high on the agenda at the University of the Sunshine Coast tomorrow (Thursday 3 September) when the University hosts both the Australian and Queensland Science Ministers at two separate events.

Federal Minister for Industry and Science Ian Macfarlane will meet with USC’s executive staff and engineering and science academics for a roundtable discussion about the government’s scientific and industrial objectives.

The afternoon meeting has been arranged to help align USC’s study programs with national and regional imperatives.

Mr Macfarlane also will inspect USC’s innovative $37.2 million Engineering Learning Hub, which is to be officially opened soon.

This building is an initiative of the Australian Government’s Education Investment Fund and USC and contains state-of-the-art immersive visualisation equipment that is being used for learning and teaching.

Meanwhile, Queensland’s Minister for Science and Innovation Leeanne Enoch will visit USC’s Innovation Centre for the Sunshine Coast launch of Advance Queensland.

The event from 1pm will outline the State Government initiative aimed at encouraging industry, business, research organisations and government to transform great ideas into investment-ready proposals.

The Minister will address the gathering and will welcome questions and ideas from the audience.

Department of Science, Information Technology and Innovation representatives will also attend to answer questions on the Advance Queensland suite of programs.

Prior to this event, the Minister will receive her inaugural tour of the Innovation Centre and will meet the owners of some of the start-up businesses based at the facility.

Media are invited to attend the tour from 12.30pm and will have an opportunity to interview the Minister ahead of the official launch at 1pm.

— Terry Walsh