Gosford campus: University of Newcastle attracts federal funding commitment
EXCLUSIVE: Federal funding has been secured to roll out stage one of a Gosford campus of the University of Newcastle.
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An initial $18 million investment to secure a University of Newcastle campus at Gosford has been committed by the federal government.
Health Minister Greg Hunt announced funding for stage one of “a new world class health and medical innovation and education campus” as part of the 2019 Federal Budget this afternoon.
The announcement comes just a fortnight after the Express Advocate exclusively revealed the university’s intention of setting up a larger presence on the Central Coast.
The proposed campus, according to Mr Hunt, would offer degrees in community health, digital communication and health informatics.
He said the precinct, to be located near the existing site of the Central Coast Medical School and Research Institute, would support health-related start-ups, drawing on the University of Newcastle’s “strong record in delivering world-leading entrepreneurial courses”.
“The stage one investment will support health and medical students, researchers, and visiting experts, and is part of a $250 million, multi-campus university project,” he said.
Mr Hunt said health services were the largest and fastest growing area of the workforce on the Central Coast.
The campus would offer three new degrees options — the Bachelor of Community Health, Bachelor of Digital Communication and Bachelor of Health Informatics, along with Diploma-level programs in business, innovation and entrepreneurship, information technology and science, partnering with TAFE.
Postgraduate programs that will be unique to the Gosford campus include a Master of Medical Imaging, Master of Professional Prescribing, and a Master of Project Management.
There would be a state-of-the-art virtual reality health and education lab, along with simulated care environments to test equipment and devices and experiment with artificial intelligence, virtual health options and wearable monitors.
Robertson federal Liberal MP Lucy Wicks said she had been working with the University of Newcastle on making the campus in Gosford a reality.
“This project will not only create a centre of excellence in healthcare, research and education right here on the Central Coast, but will also prove to be a huge economic boon for the region,” she said.
“We know that universities can transform local economies like the Central Coast and help drive future job growth and opportunities.”
“A project this big has a number of flow on effects for the region, including more local
jobs and investment back into our community and local businesses.
“I’m so excited that young people on the Central Coast will now have even more
opportunity to gain a world-class education close to home. What we want is for local
students to be able to see a university campus in Gosford and think, that’s where I’m going
when I finish high school.”
University of Newcastle’s vice chancellor professor Alex Zelinsky said the announcement was “just the beginning” for a university in Gosford and locks in stage one.
“This is an important day for the people of the Central Coast and shows strong support for a vibrant and growing city,” he said.
“The University looks forward to working with all our partners to realise our shared vision for a University for the Central Coast. A new Gosford CBD campus will complement our 30-year presence at our wonderful Ourimbah campus.”
The new Gosford CBD campus is a partnership between the Australian Government, the
University of Newcastle and the NSW Government, and will be realised in addition to the $85 million invested in the Central Coast Medical School and Research Institute, due to open later this year.
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