About Us
Welcome from the Head of School
The School of Environmental and Rural Science (ERS) is a world leader in multidisciplinary teaching and research. Our team of lecturers, scientists and professional technicians span the agricultural, earth and environment sciences and work together to tackle the big challenges that face our planet today.
Whether you’re passionate about the natural world, seek to be at the cutting edge of agriculture or want to tackle the critical issue of sustaining our planet for future generations, ERS is the place for you. You will be supported by world class lecturers and researchers in labs, research facilities, museums and field stations that represent the best Australia can offer. Students in ERS learn in small class sizes with a focus on diversity and inclusion. You’ll be supported by academic mentors and peer-to-peer mentoring from other students, with your learning underpinned by unrivalled online support.
You can choose from a broad range of courses , that will see you graduate with world-leading skills and knowledge. In many of our degrees, students experience travel abroad whilst gaining credit within their degrees on international field expeditions to places like Mongolia, Namibia and the Himalayas. Moreover, ERS has unrivalled collaborations with industries across Agriculture and Environmental Science providing a gateway to a diverse range of career opportunities in industry, government and research.
We research across three interconnected research themes spanning the breath of agricultural and environmental science, applying foundational science to ensure a better future for next generations. An active higher degree research student program supports early career researchers from Australia and around the world .
To learn more about our vibrant School, please explore our website and reach out if you have any questions.
Professor Karl Vernes
Head of School, ERS
The School of Environmental and Rural Science (ERS) is a large and dynamic school spanning the disciplines of Agronomy, Animal Science, Botany, Earth Sciences, Ecosystem Management, Genetics, Soil Science and Zoology that focus on solving the big challenges that face our planet. In ERS, our mission – 'Save the Planet, Feed the World' – is backed up by world-class teachers and researchers, alongside state of the art infrastructure for teaching and research. our School is the place where your curiosity can thrive. and we are equipped with top-tier teachers, researchers, and facilities to support you in this endeavour. Here you can explore innovative solutions for global food security and environmental sustainability, delve into the mysteries of our planet’s past, present, and future, or investigate the intricacies of plant growth, genetic behaviour, and ecosystem dynamics. Our small class sizes guarantee great support from academic mentors, supported by an academic environment that has elevated UNE as the only Australian public university awarded 5 stars for Overall Experience, 18 years in a row. You can choose from a broad range of courses linking in with the Schools of Law, Business, and Science & Technology, providing an excellent framework to develop your skills. Moreover, ERS has unrivalled links with industries across Agribusiness, Environmental Science and Engineering providing an easy gateway to employers. In many of our degrees, students get to experience travel abroad, with recent expeditions to the eastern Himalayas, New Zealand, Namibia and Cambodia that can be counted towards your course credit. Understanding the science of the natural world is key to developing our futures. We look forward to welcoming you to this School, which aims to ensure that you have serious fun at university, supported up by the best staff and facilities on offer anywhere in Australia.
