10 December 1992 International Perspectives a Boost for New Transport Degree

A visit to universities and training institutes in Britain, the United States and Canada will be a big help in the fine tuning of Lincoln University's new degree in Transport Studies, says course co-ordinator Dr Chris Kissling.

As New Zealand Vice-Chairman of the Chartered Institute of Transport, Dr Kissling will attend the institute's International Council meeting in Dublin in the New Year and while abroad he will visit institutions running similar programmes to the one planned by Lincoln.

Lincoln University's Bachelor of Commerce (Transport) degree aims to provide tertiary level management training for the transport sector and as such is breaking new ground in New Zealand. The degree will be offered from 1993.

"In the United States at the University of California I will be looking at the possibility of future exchange programmes for students doing transport courses. And in Britain I will visit several places which offer specialist transport courses.

"The transport industry has global dimensions and it is vital for us to pitch our programme at a level which will allow graduates to operate as comfortably on the world scene as at the domestic level. That's why international contact is very important to us as we fine-tune our plans, says Dr Kissling.

"At Northwestern University, Illinois, near Chicago, I will be investigating what access might be possible to their world renowned transport library. Computerised access links between libraries offer all sorts of possibilities.

"And in Canada, at the University of British Columbia, Vancouver, they have a B.Com. (Transport) similar to ours, so I will be touching base with them too."

Dr Kissling is familiar with many of the universities he will be visiting. He was a Visiting Professor at Northwestern University's Transportation Centre in the early 1970s and has also been a Visiting Professor at the University of British Columbia.

Lincoln University's transport degree has been developed with active support from the industry.

"The versatility of the degree is a key point," says Dr Kissling.

"It will provide for job flexibility across all the sectors of the transport industry, offering the basis for management positions in land, sea and air transport, also transport terminal management and transport policy and planning positions in Government, industry and consultancies."

Completion of the B.Com. (Transport) also meets the academic requirements for membership of the Chartered Institute of Transport (MCIT) and it is possible through the appropriate selection of elective subjects to obtain the New Zealand Society of Accountants' ACA qualification as well, in three years.

Ultimately Lincoln plans to establish a professorial chair in Transport Studies.

Ian Collins, Journalist, Lincoln University, Canterbury, New Zealand.