The stunning central atrium of the USC Moreton Bay foundation building at Petrie is starting to take shape.

This area, which has been named ‘The Rise’, will be a key focal point on the campus where students can meet, relax and study. It will also provide an impressive venue for university and community events.

USC Chief Operating Officer Dr Scott Snyder said The Rise, which ascends 12m from ground floor to the ceiling, will be able to accommodate a crowd of about 600 people.

“The work on it will take three months to complete and it looks set to become a wonderful place for students to gather or unwind between classes,” he said.

“It will be constructed from almost 20 tonnes of steel and purlins, with 2263 bolts and 200 anchors holding it together.”

The three-storey foundation building, which was designed by HASSELL Studio and is being constructed by Hansen Yuncken, will have more than 16,000 square metres of floor space when it opens for Semester 1, 2020.

It will feature a 460-seat lecture theatre, state-of-the-art learning technology, nursing simulation labs, engineering labs, library facilities and renewable energy initiatives. A virtual tour is available at www.usc.edu.au/usc-moreton-bay-tour

The USC Moreton Bay campus will offer world-class study opportunities for residents in the region, starting with places for up to 1,200 students next year and growing to an expected 10,000 by 2030.

Among almost 50 undergraduate degrees available are four new programs that USC will offer exclusively at USC Moreton Bay. They are a Bachelor of Business (Digital Futures), Bachelor of Computer Science, Bachelor of Engineering (Electrical and Electronic) (Honours), and a Bachelor of Engineering (Mechatronic) (Honours).

Applications to study at USC Moreton Bay are open via QTAC, with degree information at www.usc.edu.au/moretonbay and details on how to apply at www.usc.edu.au/learn.

Prospective students can also apply for scholarships, including Moreton Bay Regional Council Scholarships worth $8,000 per year, via www.usc.edu.au/scholarships-and-bursaries.