Posted on March 04, 2014
As Australia’s oldest university with a very strong reputation, the University of Sydney continues to be on the “I might want to go there” list for many Oxley students. A visit to the Charles Perkins Centre on 28th February allowed me to see what students can expect if they go on to research the problems of obesity, diabetes and cardiovascular disease.
The Centre is designed to support collaboration, new ways of thinking and to foster multidisciplinary research. What this means is that there are hardly any walls- workspaces are formed into clusters to encourage interaction, and surfaces are treated acoustically to minimise noise.
One of the teaching labs caters for 240 students – each with a computer, bench space, sink and lab equipment. This lab can be used by eight different classes, or one very large class. The teachers at one of the eight teaching stations can select which student benches will receive their commentary via directional speakers and screen images.
As students of a Visible Learning college, Oxley graduates would feel right at home with the teaching and learning philosophies at the University of Sydney in the Charles Perkins Centre.
