Senior representatives from Charles Sturt University (CSU) and GOTAFE will meet in Wangaratta on Tuesday 20 November to sign an agreement between the institutions to take higher learning in North East Victoria into the 21^st century.

 

The Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) will see building extensions to GOTAFE Rural Industries Campus in Wangaratta to establish a CSU Study Centre as part of an $8 million project funded by the federal government. The project involves collaboration between CSU and GOTAFE to build, establish, develop, maintain and deliver higher education programs in Wangaratta.

 

In 2013, CSU will offer its Bachelor of Agricultural Business Management and Bachelor of Agriculture degrees to GOTAFE students who have completed Diplomas or Advanced Diplomas in Agriculture or related fields, which provides an effective pathway into the CSU programs. The CSU agriculture degrees in Wangaratta will be offered via supported distance education.

 

Planning has been extended to enable CSU to offer its Bachelor of Nursing in Wangaratta in 2014 with entry through GOTAFE’s Diploma of Nursing.

 

CSU’s new Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academic), Professor Garry Marchant, said the new Centre will aim to improve higher education outcomes in Wangaratta and regional Australia.

 

“The Hume region has a low tertiary education participation rate, even for regional Australia, so Charles Sturt University and GOTAFE are collaborating to improve higher education participation and attainment by improving access to world class tertiary education infrastructure and teaching approaches,” Professor Marchant said.

 

GOTAFE’s CEO Mr Paul Culpan also sees the great potential of this development.

 

“The development of educational pathways for regional students is fundamental to supporting our local communities and industry. The MoU and the development on the Rural Industries Campus in Wangaratta consolidates both our organisations’ commitment to improving skills and learning, and provides a real opportunity for our region to flourish.”

 

Construction of the new CSU Centre is expected to start in 2013. CSU will use GOTAFE facilities at the Rural Industries Campus in Wangaratta until the new centre is completed.

 

Academic collaboration and partnerships between CSU and GOTAFE, including the National Centre for Dairy Education Australia (NCDEA) has developed in recent years, aligned to the strengths of both institutions in rural industries and regional education.