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About Rangelands Australia

Who are we? | Objectives | How RA courses are different
Why is there a need? | The Process of program/development | Priorities | Achievements | Awards
Publications & Presentations | People | Supporters | Contact

Who are we?

Rangelands Australia (RA) is an Australia-wide initiative, committed to building capacity for a strong future for Australia's rangelands, and involving:

We work in partnership with people in the rangelands to provide relevant and practical learning opportunities for the people who will be using and managing our rangelands, and those who will be supporting them such as advisors, facilitators, consultants, etc.

Rangelands Australia (RA) is a small Centre in the School of Integrative Systems (formerly known as the the School of Natural and Rural Systems Management) at the University of Queensland 's Gatton Campus. RA was established as a strategic response, by Meat and Livestock Australia and The University of Queensland (UQ), to a national need identified in a Meat Research Corporation-funded study of “Education and training to support sustainable management of Australia's pastoral industries” (AgTrans Research 1998). This report identified that, despite the importance of the rangelands, there were no offerings specifically in rangeland management, and that the offerings available at the time were perceived by a wide range of stakeholders to have the following deficiencies:

This report also recommended the establishment of a Rangeland Management Centre and Network "attuned to the real needs of the stakeholders in the rangelands" (AgTrans Research 1998).

In response to stakeholder-expressed needs, Rangelands Australia has developed 6 short courses, 12 postgraduate courses and 3 postgraduate coursework programs, available through the University of Queensland.

The Australian Government's Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry (DAFF) has sponsored the development of particular short courses through the national FarmBis program, and through the National Landcare Programme, has supported the development of further rangeland-specific postgraduate-level courses and a network of support for remote learners.

CSIRO Sustainable Ecosystems, which has a strong presence in the rangelands, has provided a number of postgraduate scholarships and support for the Director and Professor of Rangeland Management.

The Queensland Government is supporting the office of the Director of Rangelands Australia and Professor of Rangeland Management, through Queensland Primary Industries and Fisheries and, the Department of Environment and Resource Management.

Meat and Livestock Australia is supporting the promotion and marketing of Rangelands Australia-developed courses and programs.

The Foundation for Rural and Regional Renewal (FRRR) is supporting delivery of the 'Getting into Further Study' short course in remote and very remote areas of Australia.

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Objectives

Our educational products are designed to enhance capacity for success in the rangelands, based on the "triple bottom line" of business and community success, involving:

Rangelands Australia aims to:

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How RA courses are different

Rangelands Australia-developed educational programs and courses have five points of difference:

  1. We've consulted with rangeland managers and other stakeholders.
    Rangelands Australia listened to over 450 people with an interest in the future of the rangelands to prioritise the skills, knowledge and qualities necessary for individual and enterprise success in 5-10 years time.

    RA has then used local know-how and expert knowledge (over 250 experienced managers, advisors, scientists, etc)  to develop industry and community relevant courses and programs that meet these expressed needs.
  2. Content addresses current and future issues.
    All of our courses have been designed with industry and community input (250 people to date!) to meet the future challenges of people living and working in the rangelands. As a result, course content is highly relevant to work, business and a future in the rangelands.
  3. The only rangeland-specific programs available.
    The postgraduate coursework programs developed by Rangelands Australia are Australia's only education and training programs specifically in rangeland management.
  4. They tackle the 'triple bottom line'.
    The RA designed courses and programs are unique in addressing the economic, social and environmental factors that constitute the 'triple bottom line' of business and community success.

    Other postgraduate programs available have more of a "production" or an "environmental" focus. The rangeland management programs address both, and are also strong in the social or people aspects of business and community success.
  5. Offered in a supportive learning environment
    RA understands the difficulties of studying while you work, and especially of balancing work, family, study and other priorities. There is now a national network of Rangeland Champions who understand these issues, have experience of tertiary study by distance, and are available for 'after hours' support and encouragement.

Rangeland Champions

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Why is there a need for new, rangeland specific courses?

There are four main reasons for building knowledge and skills in ways that are more accessible and tailored to the needs of our rangelands managers and those who would support them:

  1. Better skills ensure future success and sustainability
    Education can improve enterprise 'bottom line'. Further education, including short courses, may provide the following individual and enterprise benefits:

    • Qualifications that are valued and respected by stakeholders, and which can lead to a better job, higher wages and earnings
    • Increased opportunities for self-employment, career advancement and career changes
    • Greater self-confidence, influence and personal satisfaction
    • Improved productivity, lower costs and improved profitability
    • Enhanced land condition, biodiversity and water quality through improved management
    • Wider, deeper and new perspectives on the critical issues facing enterprises and regions
    • Better planning, decision-making and risk management
    • Greater capacity for innovation and managing change
    • Greater capacity to represent rangeland interests and to advocate for a better deal for enterprises and regions
  2. More relevant courses are needed
    There is a widely expressed need for comprehensive programs in rangeland management more aligned with the education and training needs of the people who will be managing the future of our rangelands. More recently, the need to build the capacity of NRM regional bodies and institutions has also been recognised.

    RA has consulted with a variety of people with an interest in the future of the rangelands to determine the needs for individual and enterprise success in the rangelands.

    In addition, our review of the postgraduate programs hitherto available in Australia has revealed a very poor match between what has been on offer and the needs expressed by people with an interest in the rangelands.

    Other postgraduate programs reviewed tend to have either a production or environmental focus, rather than holistically addressing the economic, environmental and social dimensions of the "triple bottom line" of business sucess.

  3. Learning access and participation is limited
    Despite the significance of the rangelands, access to learning opportunities is limited, and participation rates in TAFE and university courses are very low compared with metropolitan Australia.

    RA has overcome the issue of access through flexible delivery of short courses and postgraduate coursework programs. This includes face-to-face delivery to groups of people in the rangelands (intensive mode), and distance mode for individuals in remote areas.
  4. Land management is becoming increasingly complex
    Rangeland communities are under increasing market, environmental and economic pressures that challenge aspects of traditional livestock production. These include:

    • Sustainability
    • Climate variability
    • Climate change
    • Animal welfare
    • Salinity
    • Land ownership
    • Carbon emissions, storage and trading
    • Biodiversity
    • Tourism
    • Water resources and supply
    • Land use conflict: agriculture vs mining

    Balancing these will require new ways of thinking and operating, fostered through education and training.

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The process of program/course development

The development of our educational programs places rangeland stakeholders at the centre of the process (ie demand-driven and student centred).

We began by asking people with an interest in the future of the rangelands three important questions:

  1. What will the rangelands be like in five to ten years?
  2. What personal qualities will our rangeland managers need to be effective individuals and successful in this future scenario?
  3. Which skills and knowledge will rangeland managers need to achieve a sustainable enterprise and be more responsive to the challenges and change foreshadowed?

To determine the answer to these questions and the priorities for course development, we engaged over 450 representatives from a broad range of industries, and including a significant proportion of women and youth:

Following this consultation with stakeholders, we developed options for education at both the post-graduate and higher VET levels. These were focused on the knowledge and skills identified by stakeholders as being vitally important in rangeland management, both now and in the future.

The next step in the process was to scope the courses, which we did by further consultation with experts in the relevant fields. We held ‘scoping workshops' for each proposed course, which drew upon the knowledge and experience of teams of key figures in industry and the academic, professional, regulatory and community organisations relevant to the course focus. From these workshops, an experienced and qualified educational designer developed the structure, content, learning activities, assessment processes and recommended resources for each course. The course development process ensured that the learning activities relate to current and emerging issues in the rangelands, and that they nurture personal qualities critical to individual success. The content for the courses was then written by experts with rangeland experience, and has been reviewed externally prior to being made available. Over 250 people have been involved in scoping, writing and reviewing the courses to date.

Members of the rangeland community have expressed appreciation of the opportunity to participate in the development of these rangeland-focused courses and learning materials. Their reflections on the process have included:

“the opportunity to participate … has been a highly rewarding, creative and reflective experience”

“being engaged in such an extensive and robust process of scoping, development and writing … has been a profound privilege. It was illuminating and I am in awe at the passion and expertise engaged”

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The priorities

So that we could develop courses in order of need, RA consulted with stakeholders to determine their priorities.

In addition, we've carefully reviewed short courses, and VET, undergraduate and postgraduate programs currently available in Australia so that RA-developed programs and courses do not replicate, but rather add value to what's already on offer.

This review of the postgraduate programs available elsewhere has revealed a very poor match of almost all undergraduate and postgraduate programs with the needs expressed by rangeland people during our consultation.

From our stakeholder consultation, we know that for success in the future, rangeland managers will need a combination of educational qualifications and certain key personal attributes.

Some of the key personal attributes (in declining order of importance) include:

Strategies to nurture and promote these qualities are specifically included in all RA-developed courses (short and postgraduate) and, where this is feasible, used as criteria in assessment items.

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Achievements

First graduates from the Postgraduate programs
The first postgraduate students began their studies in late 2004, and the very first graduate completed her chosen program (Grad Certificate in Rangeland Management) in late 2005.

Students of the Rangeland Management coursework program are all mature-aged (range 23-65 years), and almost everyone has a day job! They range from people without a formal qualification (who have gained entry through RPL) to a University honors graduate and medalist.

The majority of students are either land managers (both private and corporate), or staff of Landcare or NRM/regional groups, with the remainder in other occupations (eg. regional NRM groups/board, education, consultant).

The suite of courses developed by Rangelands Australia have received high praise from students for their relevance to learner's needs and their accessibility.

Student evaluations reveal a high degree of satisfaction with individual postgraduate courses. For example, students completing courses delivered in 2006-2008 - were asked to evaluate the perceived relevance, practicality and quality of the course and its delivery (ie. on a 1-5 scale, with 1=strongly disagree and 5=strongly agree). Across the five PG courses evaluated by students to date, the mean (and range) of average ratings recorded against the following key evaluation criteria were:

Learning objectives were clear and relevant: 4.6 (4.5 - 4.9)
The Learning Guide and Reader were useful resources: 4.7 (4.8 - 5.0)
Learning facilitator provided useful guidance and support: 4.6 (4.5 - 4.7)
I am satisfied with the amount of contact with the Learning facilitator: 4.5 (4.3 - 4.7)
I am satisfied with the content of the course: 4.5 (4.3 - 4.8)
Learning and assessment activities challenged me to think: 4.7 (4.3 - 5.0)
Course is well structured and learning activities well integrated: 4.5 (4.3 - 4.7)
I gained new skills and knowledge: 4.8 (4.3 - 5.0)
Course has met my needs: 4.6 (4.3 - 4.7)
Course is relevant to my workplace/business: 4.9 (4.6 - 5.0)
Course is relevant to my future in the rangelands: 4.8 (4.6 - 5.0)
Overall, I'm satisfied with this course: 4.7 (4.5 - 4.8)

These are relatively high scores, and all the more impressive when one considers that they are from mature-aged people, the majority of whom live and work in the rangelands.

Students have said that they 'really liked' the following aspects of the RA-developed courses:

According to our mature-aged students, the things that distinguish the RA-developed courses from their other education and training experiences include: practicality, relevance, flexibility and quality of teaching. For example, student feedback on what set the RA-development courses apart from other courses has included:

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Awards

2009 WINNER, Australian Rural Education Award read more

2008 Finalist, FarmBis Awards: i) Distance Learning / eLearning, and ii) People management

2007 Finalist, WFI Education Award, part of the 2007 Rabobank Red Meat Innovation Awards

 

Popular publications & presentations

Supporters

Funding
The University of Queensland and Meat and Livestock Australia are the founding partners of the Rangelands Australia initiative.

UQ Logo MLA logo

The Australian Government's Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry - (DAFF) has sponsored the development of particular short courses, and under another agreement has funded the development of further postgraduate courses and the establishment of a network of Rangeland Champions to encourage, support and mentor remote learners.

DAFF

CSIRO Sustainable Ecosystems has provided a number of scholarships for Rangeland Management students and supplied publications free to postgraduate students, and is providing support for the Director and Professor of Rangeland Management.

The Queensland Government is supporting the office of the Director of Rangelands Australia and Professor of Rangeland Management, through Queensland Primary Industries and Fisheries, and the Department of Environment and Resource Management.

Use these links to access our supporters' web sites:

A number of organisations have provided valuable publications free, or at a discounted rate, to postgraduate students. These organisations include the Australian Rangeland Society, CSIRO Sustainable Ecosystems, Land & Water Australia, Meat and Livestock Australia, Rural Industries R&D Corporation.

For investors or potential sponsors
There are still now opportunities for government agencies, corporations and individuals with a strong commitment to the future of the rangelands to become a supporter of Rangelands Australia.

For further information contact Rangelands Australia director, John Taylor on 0429 725 838 or email john.a.taylor@uq.edu.au.

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People

Meet some of the people who are part of the Rangelands Australia team:

Director - John A Taylor BAppSc(Hons); PhD; CertIV Assessment & Workplace Training; GAICD;
John has a long interest in the rangelands and its people, being a rangeland scientist by training, and an original member of the Australian Rangeland Society. He has wide and long experience in rangeland issues across Australia through senior roles in CSIRO, as a former director of the Land & Water Resources R&D Corporation and Deputy Chairman of the North Australia Beef Research Council.

John is also on the Board of the Desert Knowledge CRC, and the Remote Enterprise Centre's Ministerial Advisory Board.

John Taylors' CV (brief) - download pdf

Email: john.a.taylor@uq.edu.au

Educational Designer – Anne Lonie BMus; Grad Dip Ed; Dip Trg Dev; MEd; Cert IV Assessment and Workplace Training.
Anne has had more than 25 years in education, originally as a teacher and then in the fields of educational and training design, trainer development and training management. She has worked with learners of all ages and backgrounds, and has experience, qualifications and interest in the development of distance learning programs.

Learning Facilitator, 'Getting into Further Study' - Elizabeth Wallis BA; Dip Ed; BEd Stud; MEd.
Elizabeth has more than 25 years experience in teaching and learning within the university sector, working with both students and teaching staff. She has provided student learning assistance at both the undergraduate and postgraduate levels, developed and taught learning preparation courses in various fields, and provided learning support and educational counseling for students.

Email: e.wallis@uq.edu.au

PA/Receptionist - Alexandra Kennedy DipAppSc (Hort)

Alex has a keen interest in promoting sustainable practices in Australian agriculture. She has been heavily involved in grass-roots Landcare groups, endeavouring to assist landholders to achieve optimal production and environmental responsibility. Alex has provided technical and administrative assistance in a variety of roles with Education QLD, Biological Farmers of Australia and Landcare groups.

Email: alex.kennedy@uq.edu.au

Come and talk to us at these events in 2009 - download

Did you see us at any of these events in 2008? - download

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Contact

For more information please contact us:

Rangelands Australia
c/o School of Integrative Systems
University of Queensland - Gatton campus
Gatton QLD 4343
Telephone: (07) 5460 1660
Facsimile: (07) 5460 1661
Email: rangelands@uqg.uq.edu.au