Multi-campus partnerships and interactions in PBL courses

Central Queensland University (CQU) is a young multi-campus regional university based in Rockhampton, Central Queensland, Australia. The engineering undergraduate program consists of a combination of Project-based Learning, cooperative education and professional practice. The first two years of the engineering undergraduate program at CQU can be studied at any one of three campuses; Rockhampton, Gladstone or Mackay. Gladstone and Mackay campuses are separated by one hour and three hours travel by road respectively from the Rockhampton campus. During their first two years of study, students will have the opportunity to reside in their home city or region enabling a smoother transition from secondary to tertiary education. A significant component of the first year program is delivered using the Project Based Learning (PBL) paradigm, utilising a range of delivery modes including face-to-face workshops, synchronous video-conferencing of lectures, print-based materials, and web-based learning management. As a significant component of the PBL delivery, first year students undertake team projects which are supplied and supervised by industry personnel. In this paper, the authors examine the strategies and techniques associated with managing partnerships and interactions associated with first year PBL engineering courses, studied simultaneously at several campuses. Qualitative and Quantitative evidence supports that successful strategies for multi-campus management are being achieved to ensure equitable learning opportunities for all students.