Fundamental to building national preparedness for responding to biosecurity issues is the development of disease response capacity. This requires an appropriately skilled workforce that can implement industry-wide, farm-level and community-based measures to reduce the likelihood of the establishment and spread of emerging infectious diseases.
The Australian Biosecurity CRC partners are well positioned to implement a range of nationally coordinated education, training and community awareness initiatives in response to identified needs.
The principles underlying the development and implementation of education and training initiatives are:
Ø To build collaborative linkages and leverage resources across the AB-CRC’s partners and stakeholders to extend education and training opportunities and to avoid duplication;
Ø To maximize opportunities for knowledge and skills transfer across discipline areas and across the animal and public health domains;
Ø To target investment of the available resources in ways that are sustainable for the partners and which maximise the flow of benefits to AB-CRC participants and the national biosecurity system;
Ø To identify opportunities to deliver education and training initiatives in the Asia-Pacific region in partnership with the key stakeholders; and
Ø To use participatory planning methods to ensure initiatives deliver maximum benefits to the AB-CRC’s partners and stakeholders and are in accordance with identified needs.
Accordingly, the AB-CRC is focusing on:
1. Addressing a critical specialist skills shortage in Australia by producing research graduates with high-level experience in government and industry settings, both within Australia and overseas, in areas such as virology and applied epidemiology;
2. Up-skilling animal and public health professionals, including those working in remote and regional areas, by developing units of study for postgraduate Masters programs, and adapting units into multiple teaching and learning formats such as short courses, workshops and seminars for delivery both within Australia and offshore;
3. In partnership with stakeholders such as Animal Health Australia, and State and Commonwealth Government agencies, contributing to professional development and community awareness programs.
Students with the Australian Biosecurity CRC have many professional development opportunities. One such opportunity is to come together from all over the country once a year for a custom designed Student workshop, and attend the AB-CRC's Annual National Workshop.
Student Workshop 2007
Left to right, from front row:
L – R Top row: Odwell Muzari, Polly Cocks, MD Hoque, Sarah Palmer, Kirsty van Hennekeler, Sothyra Tum.
Second row: Peter Moore, Bernhard Klingseisen, Annette Dougall, Pebi Suseno, Celia Smuts, Claudia Thalmann, Ellie Virtue, Ben Madin.
Seated: Siti Ramanoon, Kate Hall, Kyaw Naing Oo, Jim Caro, Johanna Johnson, Nicole Schembri, Jay Nicholson.
On floor: Fiona Solomon (AIC), Peta Edwards, Lewis Atkinson (AIC), Elaine Llarena.