USQ has marked the 50th anniversary of its Engineering and Surveying department with a celebration event at USQ Toowoomba (September 28).
Engineering was a foundation discipline when USQ, then known as the Queensland Institute of Technology Darling Downs, commenced in 1967.
It has grown from a selection of diploma courses taught by a handful of staff to a discipline encompassing two schools with more than 4000 students enrolled.
The anniversary function brought together current and former staff including the university’s foundation Dean of Engineering, Professor Emeritus Tom Ledwidge, and incumbent heads of school Professor Kevin McDougall (Civil Engineering and Surveying) and Associate Professor Tony Ahfock (Mechanical and Electrical Engineering).
In 1967, the Engineering Departments of Mechanical, Agricultural, Electrical and Civil Engineering were based at the Technical College at the corner of Margaret and Hume streets. The professional degree program was recognised by the Institution of Engineers Australia in 1971 and the first graduates from the degree program graduated in 1975.
