Graduate Capabilities
Graduates will gain knowledge and understanding of plant biosecurity at the highest level of industry requirements.
We will develop your ability to analyse, evaluate and synthesise information from scientific and regulatory sources, and apply effective solutions to problems with changing contexts.
Every unit in the graduate program is taught by lecturers who are specialists in aspects of biosecurity. You can explore the qualifications and units offered below, read more about Plant Biosecurity, and enrol in the program by contacting a course coordinator.
Xylomelum pyriforme, Australia, 1778 by John Frederick Miller. From The Endeavour Botanical Illustrations
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Qualifications
Graduate Certificate
6 months full-time
Units - choose 2 of 3 units marked *
- 1. Biosecurity Plant Pests - Invertebrates *
- 2. Biosecurity Plant Pests - Pathogens *
- 3. Biosecurity Plant Pests - Weeds *
- 4. Detection and Diagnostics
- 5. Plant Biosecurity in Practice
1. Biosecurity Plant Pests: Invertebrates *
This unit will investigate invertebrate plant pests, their identification and classification, their life-cycle and their host relationships.
The largest focus of this unit will be insects, as they are the most numerous of the invertebrate plant pests; however, nematodes, snails and mites will also be covered.
Because of the complexity of invertebrate life-cycles, some of which occurs in the absence of the host, a biological understanding is essential for appropriate border inspection and post-border surveillance.
Basic management of invertebrate plant pests in the event of an incursion is also covered in this unit.
2. Biosecurity Plant Pests: Pathogens *
This unit will introduce the major groups of plant pathogens of concern to biosecurity.
Diagnostic methods and classification of pathogens into their major groups will be presented in the context of host symptoms, methods of detection and pathogen life-cycles.
We will also discuss environmental influences on the relationship between host and pathogen. The interaction between pathogens and their hosts will be presented in the context of plant immunity, plant resistance and plant susceptibility.
The options and limitations for prevention, eradication and control of pathogen invasions will complete this unit.
3. Biosecurity Plant Pests: Weeds *
Weeds are a typical invasive alien plant that can cause significant damage to agricultural and native ecosystems. We will approach weeds from a biosecurity perspective.
Topics included in this unit are: the ecology and invasion biology of weeds, including the potentially threatening sleeper weed; legislative approaches to weed management, such as weed risk assessment; weed identification and weed surveillance strategies; successful and unsuccessful weed eradication programs; weed management principles and weed control strategies for the eradication and containment of invasive weeds.
4. Detection and Diagnostics
This unit will introduce students to the tools and technologies required for effective detection and diagnosis of regulated pests. It includes an overview of surveillance and diagnostic methods, with particular emphasis in the following areas: sampling and survey methods; monitoring strategies; traditional (taxonomy and microscopy) and advanced (molecular and biochemical) diagnostics.
Certification requirements for diagnostic laboratories and diagnostic protocols, decision making tools and reporting networks and databases will also be covered.
5. Plant Biosecurity in Practice
This unit will introduce students to plant biosecurity within the broader context of human, veterinary and environmental regulatory issues.
This unit includes: an overview of the International Standards for Phytosanitary Measures, with particular emphasis on underlying theoretical principles; an introduction to the plant biosecurity continuum including pre-border, border and post-border activities and some of the drivers behind these activities.
Graduate Diploma
12 months full-time
Units
- 6. Invasion Biology:
Ecological foundations of biosecurity - 7. Risk Assessment
- 8. Community Engagement and Participation
- 9. Policy Framework Obligations
6. Invasion Biology: Ecological foundations of biosecurity
An understanding of invasion biology provides a foundation for the principles and practices of biosecurity.
This course will begin by presenting case studies of invertebrate, pathogens and weeds that have invaded ecosystems. This will lead us to the ecological theories applied to biological invasions: colonisation and propagule pressure, population growth, predator-prey and pathogen-host interactions, the Allee effect and population viability, the factors affecting the spread of invasive species, and the genetics and evolution of founding populations.
The biological and ecological factors that influence the impact of invasive species will then be evaluated.
7. Risk Assessment
The identification, analysis and management of risk are critical skills that ensure the effectiveness of plant biosecurity.
This unit will introduce the current and developing approaches to risk analysis and management.
In the past, risk analysis has been mostly qualitative, but now there is need to acknowledge the wide use of quantitative methodologies.
We will investigate the purpose of risk management in the context of plant biosecurity, and consider different models and methodologies for risk analysis.
8. Community Engagement and Participation
This unit will introduce the role of community in the management of plant biosecurity, where community may include: government, industry, public sectors and the international, national and regional scale of engagement.
We will cover the social aspects of biosecurity: public relations, communication, educational needs and cultural considerations.
Applying tools such as social mapping, you will analyze the role of social structures in augmenting (or impeding) action and understanding of biosecurity. Students will investigate a community’s perceptions of risk and the importance of consultation among community members for the development of effective policy.
The result of this unit will be knowledge of ethical practice for biosecurity professionals.
Though this unit was developed as part of a curriculum for biosecurity, it will also benefit students in other disciplines where social partnerships and community engagement are integral to effective professional practice.
This course will be broadly based on community engagement literature and activity.
9. Policy Framework Obligations
Outside of Australia and New Zealand, plant biosecurity is known as regulatory plant health. This alternative name places stress on the importance of regulatory framework.
All domestic and international trade is regulated and compliance to regulations is part of the core day-to-day activities of a plant biosecurity professional.
For most countries the over-arching regulatory framework are those operating under the International Plant Protection Convention (IPPC).
This international agreement impacts not only international trade and relations, but also domestic trade arrangements and internal quarantine.
By working through the operational principles of the IPPC, this unit provides an in-depth knowledge of the regulatory framework under which plant biosecurity professionals operate.
Students must have passed Plant Biosecurity in Practice or have permission from the Academic Chair and Unit Coordinator to enrol in this unit.
Masters
18 or 24 months full-time
Industry-based research project
Individual selection of assignment topics and research project by the student can allow for in-depth learning in areas of particular importance to themselves or their employer.