Not all our young Macarthur region residents who seek tertiary education attend Western Sydney University. Many choose Wollongong University, but have to put up with inadequate bus services to get there and back. However the opening of a Wollongong University campus up the road at Liverpool may change the picture on this front as Labor MP CHRIS HAYES told federal parliament last week:
Recently, I had the opportunity of attending the official opening of the University of Wollongong’s South Western Sydney campus, in Liverpool.
The University of Wollongong currently provides undergraduate courses in arts, business, business information systems, computer science and information technology. The University also offers postgraduate courses in health leadership and management and a college to host university access programs and diplomas in business, information technology and legal services.
It has recently announced an expansion of its course offerings in 2018, to include double degrees in arts/law and business/law.
The Bachelor of Nursing is also set to be offered in 2020 in connection with the new Western Sydney Nursing Education and Research Centre. This will have a very significant role in the training of the next generation of nurses and encourage nurses to stay, train and work within the local area.
The University of Wollongong currently operates over two floors in the Moore Street facility in Liverpool, providing access to employment opportunities, public transport and surrounding facilities.
The South Western Sydney campus is, however, scheduled to relocate to a purpose-built building by 2020, where it is expected to cater for over 7,000 students by the 2030.
This means that current and prospective students will have the opportunity to access university education without having to leave their local support networks and without the burden of lengthy travel.
The University of Wollongong is also committed to strengthening the health research and education facilities within Greater Western Sydney, working to foster partnerships with: a number of medical institutions, including, particularly, Liverpool Hospital; a multinational manufacturing company, Daikin; as well as the Ingham Institute for Applied Medical Research.
These will work to produce many highly qualified graduates who will, in turn, make enormous contributions to our community.
