AN Associate Degree in Agribusiness will be offered Muresk Institute from 2019.
The new course will provide flexible delivery modes including face to face teaching at Muresk and Curtin’s Bentley campus, augmented with relevant hands-on and practical experience.
Block teaching will also be considered as a means of addressing students’ seasonal work commitments associated with the farming sector.
Currently, 45 students are undertaking the Bachelor of Agricultural Business Management course (BABM) delivered by Charles Sturt University with nine students enrolled in the course at the beginning of 2017.
Current students in the BABM will have no change to their course.
In 2016, the previous government commissioned an independent evaluation of the BABM degree because it identified consistent risks with the financial viability of the course from the onset because of the over estimation of student numbers in its modelling and therefore unrealistic revenue targets.
Despite advice that those risks continued, even after an initial review, the previous government continued to fund a program that was not meeting targets and was financially unviable.
The Associate Degree in Agribusiness at Curtin University will be a two-year program and will be a pathway into the full Curtin University Bachelor of Agribusiness.
“Today’s announcement of an Associate Degree in Agribusiness at Muresk shows this Government’s commitment to growing the agricultural skills of our students," said Education and Training Minister Sue Ellery.
"The agricultural industry offers the State an opportunity to diversify the economy to create more jobs.
“There will be no change to the Bachelor of Agricultural Business Management course for current students and they will be fully supported to complete their course.”
Curtin University Vice Chancellor Deborah Terry said Curtin had a strong history and commitment to teaching and research in agriculture in WA and was focused on growing its agriculture research base, developing skills for the agriculture and food sectors and supporting growth within the sector.
"We see the delivery of the Associate Degree in Agribusiness as part of this commitment," Ms Terry said.
“To ensure this course meets contemporary industry needs, it is imperative it is developed in close consultation with industry.
“Agriculture has evolved into agribusiness and has become a vast and complex system that reaches far beyond the farm, to include all those who are involved in bringing food and fibre to consumers.”
