Dr Howard Walmsley from CQU’s Faculty of Education and Creative Arts has been appointed to head up Outward Bound’s Research Centre at its national base near Canberra.

Outward Bound Australia (OBA) is Australia's leading experiential education provider. It is a registered 'school' with in excess of 90 full-time staff implementing programs across Australia. OBA has been a strong advocate of research and historically a research coordinator has been an identified position at the school. The person in this research role has conducted or coordinated research that has informed OBA staff, and others, about the schools' programs and practices.

Dr Walmsley will coordinate and implement research on a number of fronts with the purpose of adding to knowledge and understandings about experential education. Current projects include: 1. An evaluation of the outcomes achieved by the participants of OBA courses.

2. An investigation into the effectiveness of OBA’s staff training program. 3. An investigation into the use of OBA’s Medical Data Base. 4. A comparative analysis of OBA’s short and long term corporate courses. 5. An investigation into the effectiveness of the OBA Pilot Training Orientation program, and 6. Investigation into the participants’ perception of adventure.

In addition to specific projects, the OBA Research Centre will also focus on developing research methods and research tools that might be used in experential education research. Dr Walmsley indicated that the OBA Research Centre was being set-up along the same lines as a university research centre. According to Dr Walmsley, this will provide opportunities for those outside of OBA to be involved in OBA’s research interests in addition to promoting opportunities for OBA staff. Dr Walmsley indicated that OBA would be hosting a “Research Retreat” in May. Further information on research at OBA is available on OBA’s website at www.outwardbound.com.au or by contacting Dr Walmsley by email at howardw@outwardbound.com.au