Engineering lab opens at ECU

Interest has been strong in Edith Cowan University's engineering course, which begins in Bunbury next year, according to South West campus dean Lyn Farrell.

While enrolment numbers will not be confirmed until after Year 12 exam results are finalised, Ms Farrell said eight students had already chosen engineering in Bunbury as their first university preference with 60 applications overall.

"I'm pleased with that - it will change depending on what people choose once they get their results but it's a good start," she said.

The university's $100,000 engineering lab is now operational and includes some equipment that will only be made available in the university's Joondalup campus simultaneously next year.

ECU's engineering industry engagement officer Tim Morris said he had a wishlist of $75,000 worth of equipment, which was met after receiving internal funding, plus "a few extra bits" to total around $100,000.

Mr Morris said offering engineering in Bunbury would allow homegrown students to have homegrown jobs with South West companies after they finished their course.

He said there had been strong industry engagement since the idea was proposed and believed it would benefit the South West.

"The original plan was that we would do teaching in Bunbury and the labs in Perth," he said.

"Now students don't have to go up to Joondalup until late in their first year.

"We will also bring Joondalup students here and make them aware of South West industries."

Only the first year of engineering will be offered in Bunbury, with the remainder at Joondalup, and Ms Farrell said this was a model that could be expanded to help South West students.

"We hope it's a model that could be followed for other subjects that, because of infrastructure, are hard to offer for the whole course, but could give students one extra year at home," she said.

"It's been a real investment of both funding and effort from the university in Perth to support us having these facilities and we're really appreciative."