Planning course to address skills shortage

Graham Robinson

11August 2008: The University of Canberra’s new Bachelor of Urban and Regional Planning will give graduates the skills to balance social, environmental and economic issues as Australia plans its future development.

The four-year degree is designed to address the current shortage of planners. Experts predict this shortage will be exacerbated as Federal Government funding is allocated to major infrastructure projects.

Launched today by ACT Minister for Education and Training and Minister for Planning Andrew Barr, the degree is supported by $800,000 in ACT Government funding over the next four years.

“I have learnt a great deal about planning issues that face Canberra in my 18 months in this portfolio and I believe this degree will be a wonderful opportunity to develop professional planners for the cities future,” Mr Barr said. 

ACT Minister for Education and Training and Minister for Planning Andrew Barr, launching the Bachelor of Urban and Regional Planning at the University of Canberra.

 The new course will draw upon the University of Canberra’s strengths in governance, policy, planning and applied economics to give graduates the broad base of skills they need to understand complex planning issues, which bring together the competing demands of the law, the environment, business and social issues.

Director Centre for Developing Cities, Associate Professor Kath Wellman.

“Today’s planners have to understand how the market works and how to work with business in an accountable equitable and consistent manner.  A grounding in economics and governance will give them an advantage in their careers,” Associate Professor Kath Wellman said.

“Urban and regional planning shape the fundamental nature of the environment in which we live. At a time when the world faces an unprecedented situation, confronted with the emerging impacts of climate change, diminishing natural resources, urbanisation and population change, it is the role of planners to shape the coordinated solutions to the future’s most pressing challenges.

“Planning is about ensuring a sustainable future for all Australians. You have to balance the marketplace and public intervention to ensure the community as a whole benefits and you maximise the quality in our environments.

“Without planning you’d just have the marketplace. Planners look at the big picture, to take advantage of efficiencies and quality that can be gained by co-ordinating individual actions and for dealing with where the market fails. They stand up for those who might not otherwise have a voice – the disadvantaged, our heritage and the environment.

“Planning is a diverse and exciting career – a complex game played on a moving board. Planning professionals are in demand in both the public and private sectors.”
The new course will begin in semester one next year.

A master’s level degree is also being explored.

Potential students can find out more at the University of Canberra open day