b'CommentaryEducation mattersspecialised. Finding the optimal balancecourses. This raises questions about thewith net zero emissions ambitions between breadth and depth in educationrelevance of traditional universities,within the WA Climate Policy and is complex, particularly consideringparticularly those not at the top of globalGreenhouse Gas Emissions Policy. As constraints like limited funding.rankings. While universities are makingwell as introducing a framework for some e\x1forts to address these challenges,greenhouse gas storage and transport, Another major challenge in higherin my view, they are not doing thisthe exploration of naturally occurring education, especially in geosciences, isfast enough to compete in this rapidlyhydrogen will be accommodated for as the inadequacy of STEM education atchanging landscape. a regulated substance in the Bill. schools. Many students lack fundamental maths and physics skills necessary forUniversities also face competition fromDespite uncertainties, there is growing highly technical \x1eelds like geophysics.non-traditional education providersinterest and active involvement in CCS This de\x1ecit poses a signi\x1ecant hurdle forin emerging industries like tech. Yetprojects, with geoscientists already universities in recruiting students withanother challenge comes from theengaged in various initiatives. The the required foundational knowledge. rise of AI whose rami\x1ecations remainmomentum is not limited to Western uncertain. These challenges extendAustralia; projects are also underway Moreover, the nature of geoscienceway beyond energy transition butin the Cooper Basin and Timor Sea, tools has evolved, reducing the need formight be more acute in the areas ofamong other places. CCS projects need users to understand the inner workingsemerging technologies. Universities areto be substantial to make an impact, intimately. While this streamlinesalready feeling the squeeze from theseand there are already incentives for processes, it also introduces risks if userschallenges. They may survive longer thancompanies to invest in their own lack a broad understanding of the toolsexpected due to tradition, reputation,depleted \x1eelds and saline aquifers. The theyre employing. and the demand for employees withinterest from various sectors indicates In response to industry demands,university credentials. However, if theythat there are incentivesin place or on universities often face pressure tofail to adapt quickly enough, universitiesthe horizon. Additionally, hydrogen expand their curriculum to cover acould face a decline in demand foris emerging as a signi\x1ecant topic of wide array of topics. However, practicaltheirdegrees. discussion, with industry showing keen constraints make it challenging toSpeci\x1ecally concerning the transition tointerest. It is crucial to note that while meet all these demands e\x1fectively. Aclean energy, its evident that areas liketraditional geoscience skills are vital, new more collaborative approach betweenCCS and hydrogen will require a similarenergy projects will require additional, academia and industry could addressrange of expertise as traditional oil andspecialised skills. For instance, exploring these challenges more successfully. Bygas industries. Australia may be makingand monitoring wind farms necessitates fostering closer partnerships, universitiesa mistake by not adequately supportingexpertise in geoengineering and near-can better align their o\x1ferings witheducation in these areas. For instance, thesurface geophysics. Unfortunately, theres industry needs and ensure graduates aredecommissioning of o\x1fshore oil & gasa lack of awareness among prospective well-prepared for the workforce. wells will need many skilled professionalsstudents about these specialised skills, such as petroleum engineers. Failureoften overshadowed by perceptions of to produce enough local talent couldindustry volatility. The emerging industry result in skill shortages and reliance ontrends underscore the importance of By fostering closerrecruiting experts from overseas, posinginvesting in education and training to partnerships, universities caneconomic challenges. meet the demands of emerging sectors like clean energy. better align their o\x1feringsRecent trends show a signi\x1ecant rise withindustry needs. in industrys interest in CCS-related industries. Numerous CCS projects are in various stages of development,The emerging industry MP:What kind of education do we needalthough many are still in the planningtrends underscore the to ensure smooth and ecient transitionstages. Training students for theseimportance of investing in to clean energy? This is probably theprojects takes time, typically four to \x1eveeducation and training to meet main goal of many energy companiesyears. Despite being slightly behind countries like Canada, Australias interestthe demands of emerging right now and what we have to expectin CCS is rapidly growing. Recently,sectors like clean energy.in tertiary education to ensure this? there has been signi\x1ecant pressure on BG:Universities face a signi\x1ecant andthe Western Australian Parliament to rapid transformation. Unfortunately,enact legislation on CCS. In 2023 this many universities seem to ignore orresulted in introduction of a bill, which,MP:What role does digitalisation underestimate these changes. One majoraccording to a press release of the WAplay in the clean energy transition? challenge is the relatively slow responseGovernment (https://www.wa.gov.au/ What kind of education is required to of most universities to competition fromgovernment/media-statements/Cook- guarantee ecient digitalisation of online education. One can only look atLabor-Government/Cook-Government- the sector?the impact of the World Wide Web onintroduces-carbon-capture-and- BG:Energy transition demands various industries such as banking andstorage-bill-20231129): extensive work with vast amounts travel agencies. Universities could faceproposes to enable the transportof data. Its not just about the sheer similar challenges, especially with manyand storage of greenhouse gasesvolume of data, which presents its prestigious institutions o\x1fering onlinein Western Australia, which alignsown challenges, but also the diversity APRIL 2024PREVIEW 29'