AUSTRALIA: The first five graduates of the Queensland University of Technology’s Master of Railway Engineering (Infrastructure) completed the course on December 12.

QUT claims its course, launched in 2008, is the only online postgraduate railway engineering course which expressly targets professionals already working in the industry. Course Co-ordinator Mike Garrett says enrolment has increased rapidly in the past three years, and now comprises more than 80 students from eight countries. ‘Rail engineering is a niche field, but Australia is one of the world’s leading heavy haul nations, and our experts have designed courseware exclusively for those working with rail. [Our students] find the self-controlled learning is the best option for them’, Garrett explains. 

The syllabus included modules looking at flood reconstruction in Queensland, track maintenance on the Pilbara heavy haul network, double-tracking in Malaysia (RG 12.11 p39) and asset management in Canada.