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The University of Ballarat is one of Australia's newest and most progressive universities, with a history of providing tertiary education and training reaching back more than 130 years. It is pre-eminently a regional institution, with two major campuses in Ballarat and one each in Horsham, Stawell and Ararat, and with more than 18,000 students enrolled. It also has a national and international focus and is actively building extensive partnerships and strategic alliances.
With an expanding, highly productive, research capability, the University has established strong links with business, industry and the community. Last year, the University's dedication to further develop research that is relevant to its region was rewarded with a significant increase in research funding, gaining 11 ARC industry-linked SPIRT grants, the highest ratio of grants to staff of any university in Australia.
Each of the nine schools in the Higher Education Division of the University specialises in research with a particular focus upon economic and social benefit to the region.
The School of Business has a distinguished history of scholarship, relevant programs and work with industry. The School has a strong involvement in action learning, and in 2000 it hosted the 5th World Congress on Action Learning and Research. Its strong masters and doctoral programs are also evidence of a growing international research reputation.
A major strand in the School’s research is concerned with business, employment and competitiveness in regional and rural Australia. The School intends to make a significant contribution in this important area as it serves its region and undertakes research of international significance. A central component of this research field is the study of regional tourism.
The University of Ballarat is one of the few tertiary institutions in Australia that has offered tourism programs since 1989. Its particular strength in tourism research is in its strong links with regional tourism bodies and local government, and in projects which have a clear focus on providing benefit for the Western region of Victoria.
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