Introducing UniSQ’s five new Schools

The University of Southern Queensland (UniSQ) has transitioned to a new academic structure, moving to five Schools designed to strengthen collaboration, enhance innovation, and better align teaching and research with the needs of students, industry, and communities.

The new structure encourages interdisciplinary thinking and supports the delivery of transformative education and cutting-edge research.

By consolidating expertise and fostering closer connections across fields, UniSQ is well positioned to respond more effectively to emerging societal, technological, and workforce challenges.

Each of the five Schools is led by a Head of School and Dean who brings deep disciplinary expertise and a clear vision for the future. Together, they will guide the development of inclusive, high-impact academic communities that support excellence in learning, teaching and research, while preparing future-ready graduates.

Below, each Head of School and Dean shares their vision for their School and the opportunities it presents for students, staff, and communities.

Professor Fabrizio Carmignani (Business, Law, Humanities and Pathways)

The School of Business, Law, Humanities and Pathways aspires to be a leading hub of inclusive education, impactful research, and thought leadership that shapes a sustainable, just, and prosperous future for our communities.

Drawing on expertise across business, law and justice, humanities, communication, pathways education, enabling pedagogy, STEM foundations, and student success, the School empowers learners to thrive in a rapidly changing world through high-quality, flexible programs that support lifelong learning, upskilling, and reskilling.

The School equips graduates with strong theoretical foundations, practical capability, and transferable skills that enable diverse career pathways and meaningful professional contributions.

Through its Pathways offerings, the School is committed to widening participation and ensuring equitable access to higher education for domestic and international students, including those from non-traditional and non-English speaking backgrounds.

The School advances collaborative, interdisciplinary research with a strong focus on societal impact, working closely with the University’s Institutes and Research Centres to address regional and global challenges and deliver solutions to complex social, economic, and educational issues.

Associate Professor Peter Cook (Education and Creative Arts)

The School of Education and Creative Arts represents an unprecedented opportunity to harness the power of practice-based disciplines.

Education and creative arts are fundamentally grounded in doing – reflecting on and refining our understanding of the practices that shape our work, professions, and sectors.

This shared commitment positions our students as reflective practitioners who understand theory through application and generate knowledge through action.

For staff, the School offers rich collaborative possibilities across practice-based research, exploring arts-based methodologies, practice-led inquiry, and community-engaged scholarship.

Our school strengthens transdisciplinary research capacity while our culture of practice sparks innovation in how we understand, document, and share professional knowledge across disciplines.

For communities, the School becomes a dynamic partner by addressing educational challenges through evidence-informed practice, enriching cultural life through sustained creative engagement, and building regional capacity across both sectors.

Collectively, we amplify impact, ensuring our practice-based scholarship and creative outputs generate meaningful change. The School embodies the University's commitment to access, excellence, and transformation through the distinctive power of practice.

Professor Prasad Yarlagadda (Science, Engineering and Digital Technologies)

The School of Science, Engineering and Digital Technologies has a clear vision to support regional Queensland’s workforce and industries, while delivering the critical skills and innovation required for major infrastructure and technology programs, including the Brisbane 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games.

This vision positions the School as a strategic partner to government and industry, with a strong focus on skills development, applied research, and global talent attraction.

Regional Queensland will play a central role in delivering the infrastructure, transport, energy, security, and digital systems needed for Brisbane 2032 and beyond, and our role is to work closely with government and industry to build local capability, attract global talent, and deliver job-ready graduates where they are needed most.

The School will deliver industry-embedded education and research aligned with Queensland’s priority sectors, including renewable energy and decarbonisation, resources and advanced manufacturing, smart infrastructure, digital technologies, data science and cybersecurity, and environmental, agricultural and health technologies.

To address immediate workforce demand linked to Brisbane 2032, the School will launch a suite of flagship associate degree, graduate certificate, and postgraduate programs co-designed with industry and government.

These will include Construction Management and Major Infrastructure Delivery; Machine Learning and Artificial Intelligence; Cyber Security and Critical Infrastructure Protection; Electric Vehicles, Batteries and Sustainable Transport Systems; and Agricultural and Environmental Technologies.

These programs will attract both domestic and international students, strengthening Queensland’s global talent pipeline while supporting skills growth across regional and metropolitan areas.

A strong focus on work-integrated learning will connect students directly with employers through regional industry projects, placements and capstone programs, while flexible and blended delivery models will enable participation by regional, remote, First Nations, and working learners.

Professor Elizabeth Cardell (Health, Psychological and Medical Sciences)

The School of Health, Psychological and Medical Sciences is excited to offer a contemporary and comprehensive suite of health programs designed to meet current and future workforce needs.

Our programs inspire student engagement and critical thinking through active learning, practical application in state-of-the-art teaching facilities, and diverse professional placement experiences.

Our programs emphasise interprofessional collaborative practice, digital health, First Nations health, rural and remote health, and community engagement.

With disciplines spanning psychology, counselling, social work, occupational therapy, physiotherapy, speech pathology, public health, biomedical sciences, including a medical pathway, medical laboratory science, paramedicine, and sport and exercise science, and clinical exercise physiology, the School prepares graduates to make a meaningful impact across health and social settings.

Together with the Institute for Health, our innovative, interdisciplinary research drives real-world change to improve the health and wellbeing of individuals and communities under the themes of preventative and population health, chronic disease management, mental health and wellbeing, health and ageing, health equity, technological innovations, and sport and human performance.

Through strong community partnerships and a commitment to innovation and excellence in education and research, the School is transforming the future of health care in Australia and beyond.

Professor Leah East (Nursing and Midwifery)

As the School of Nursing and Midwifery enters 2026, we are excited to develop a new Bachelor of Nursing program and implement our Graduate Diploma of Midwifery.

Our new programs are underpinned by robust pedagogy and enhanced simulated technology to foster practice‑ready, contemporary graduates.

We are strengthening our research alignment with practice, community and global priorities to advance evidence‑informed solutions that improve health outcomes.

Through our partnered approach to education and research, the School is cultivating a workforce and knowledge base that integrates research, practice, and innovation to improve health outcomes.