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$2.57 million grant for UNE wireless network

December 19, 2005

Rich.thumb.JPGStudents at The University of New England (UNE), Armidale, will benefit from a $2.57 million grant from the Australian Government's Strategic Information Infrastructure Fund to develop a wireless network infrastructure. The announcement came directly from the Federal Minister for Education, Dr Brendan Nelson.

The initiative will place the University at the forefront of student service provision and has significant flow-on benefits that will improve the cost-effectiveness and quality of educational delivery. The grant will allow continued development of the University's information and communications technology (ICT) infrastructure and support innovative approaches to teaching and research.

"As more students request on-line access to the full range of the University's administrative and support services, the provision of a reliable, responsive and secure ICT network has become critical to the effective operation of the University," said UNE's Pro Vice-Chancellor (Teaching and Learning), Professor David Rich (pictured here).

The grant will fund an upgrade of UNE's internal data network and a wireless network accessible to students and staff throughout the Armidale campuses of UNE, including the eight residences and the Newling and Heritage Centre locations. There are also plans to implement a standards-based identity and access management system to ensure the security of the University's corporate systems and data in a wireless environment.

Professor Rich said the grant would provide students and staff with contemporary best-practice access to the University's systems using the full range of electronic devices - including laptop computers, PDAs and other mobile devices - in a secure environment. He said wireless access would enable students to work both collaboratively and individually in many parts of UNE.

Benefits would also be enjoyed by students who provide their own personal devices for study at residential schools, summer schools and short courses, he said. "Network access will improve the quality of information available to these students and the cost-effectiveness of their attendance at the residential schools."

Professor Rich said an additional significant benefit would be improved capacity of researchers to participate in e-research on a national and international basis.


Media contact: John Kauter, Public Relations Manager, UNE (02) 6773 2779.

Posted by Jim Scanlan at December 19, 2005 03:39 PM