New use for Old Canberra House

The Master of Business Administration program begins a new academic year next month with a new, temporary, location for administration and teaching at Old Canberra House, the former University Staff Centre.

The program's director, Professor Mark Dodgson, is confident that the heritage building, with its gardens and views to the lake, will allow the program to continue to attract high-calibre students from Australia and overseas while a new permanent site is built across the road.

The original part of Old Canberra House, known as The Residency and erected in 1913 at the cost of £6,356, was occupied by the Administrator of the Federal Territory until 1916. Between 1932 and 1953 the building was occupied by successive British High Commissioners. Over the years, various modifications and additions have been made to the building, but it retains its special place in the early history of Canberra.

To accommodate the MBA Program, the interior of Old Canberra House will be extensively refurbished, including upgrading of the heating, electrical, and data services.

This is seen as a long-term investment in the continued use of the House by the University after the MBA Program moves out.

A less permanent addition to the house will be the relocation of the transportable building, formerly sited at the Chancelry, to a site adjacent to the tennis court. It will be used until the MBA Program moves into the new building, at which time the temporary addition will go off campus.

While the MBA Program occupies Old Canberra House, Chris Burgess, Pro Vice-Chancellor (Finance and Development), has announced that planning has commenced for the new Graduate Management Programs Facility building.

The new building will accommodate the teaching and administration areas of the MBA Program and the Public Policy Program (currently relocated to the Old Asian Studies building off Fellows Road), and is scheduled for completion by early 1999.

The cost of the new building will be shared between the programs (through corporate sponsorship) and the University.

Chris Coughlan

F&S Planning Officer