Wollongong a major winner for new government-funded university places

1 September 2001

The Federal Government today announced that the University of Wollongong will receive 35 funded places annually to establish an Education Access Centre in Moss Vale and 25 additional places annually in Bega to cater for the demand for nursing training. The University will also be funded for 100 places allowing it to establish a presence at Oatley in southern Sydney.

The first intake of students at Moss Vale, Bega and southern Sydney will, if possible, begin from 2002.

"I am especially thrilled to see the opportunity it will provide rural communities such as the Highlands and Bega," the Vice-Chancellor, Professor Gerard Sutton said.

"Bega has a district hospital and this will allow the University to respond to community demand for nursing with the hospital providing practicum facilities," the Vice-Chancellor said.

In the Southern Highlands, the University will co-locate with TAFE on the site of the current Illawarra Institute of Technology (TAFE) in Kirkham Street, Moss Vale. Programs to be offered at Moss Vale will be bachelor degree programs in computer science and information and communication technology and the Bachelor of Business Administration.

Under a regional allocation fund, UOW had sought funding for places at Moss Vale and for Batemans Bay and Bega. Separately, the University sought places under the Federal Government's Innovation Action Plan, Backing Australia's Ability, and it was through this plan that UOW received funding for its southern Sydney enterprise.

The University of Wollongong plans to start an innovative new program at the existing Oatley campus in St George focused on secondary teaching in the areas of mathematics, science and IT. These are areas of national shortage in the education system.
Professor Sutton said the flexibility afforded the University with these additional growth places would allow the University to meet any additional demand at its Batemans Bay Education Access Centre.