Minister for Skills, TAFE and Tertiary Education, Tim Crakanthorp, today recognised NSW universities for delivering excellence through their cutting-edge research, high-quality teaching and nation-leading inclusive programs.
The Minister said the State’s 10 public universities employed more than 33,000 staff across 66 campuses, educating more than 416,000 students last year.
“NSW universities are critical partners to government in delivering outcomes that benefit our State, through research collaborations, partnerships with our schools and VET sector, investment in key place-based precincts,” said Mr Crakanthorp.
“I am excited to build on this progress when I work with the sector to relaunch the NSW Higher Education Strategy, a shared vision for government and universities to address the challenges and opportunities our state will face in the years to come.”
Minister Crakanthorp tabled the annual reports of the universities in the NSW Parliament, noting several important collaborations and initiatives underway:
- In Lismore, Southern Cross University (SCU) opened its doors to the local community, schools, and TAFE during and after the devastating 2022 floods. After the devastation, SCU worked with the NSW Government to bring about the Lismore Education Hub; a collaborative initiative with local schools and TAFE to foster better educational access and equity for the community.
- Charles Sturt University had launched a think tank to examine the future of Australia’s democracy and nation, centred around the Yindyamarra Pledge for Democracy introduced by the institute’s founding Director, Professor Stan Grant Jr.
- The University of New England’s Manna Institute, a collaboration across seven regional universities, aimed to deliver earlier identification and support for vulnerable people and those experiencing mental ill health in our regional communities.
- The University of New South Wales (UNSW) made a significant commitment to increasing equity amongst enrolment. Over the next five years, the University aims to increase the number of domestic undergraduate students coming from underrepresented groups to 25%.
- The University of Wollongong established the Cyber Academy, in partnership with Deloitte, TAFE NSW and Swinburne University of Technology, with seed funding from the NSW Government’s Collaboration and Innovation Fund to fast track 1200 careers in the rapidly growing cyber security sector.
- The University of Newcastle received $50 million in Australian Government funding for the Trailblazer for Recycling and Clean Energy (TRaCE) program, a partnership with UNSW.
- The University of Sydney hosted the inaugural Bradley Oration to hear Federal Minister Jason Clare outline details of the Australian University Accord.
- Macquarie University established the Macquarie Law School, joining forces with global law firm DLA Piper to launch Wallumatta Legal, a not-for-profit law firm providing affordable, low-fee legal services.
- The University of Technology Sydney invested in widening participation through mentoring of high school students of Pasifika background which was rolled out to 111 students from Greater Western Sydney, including a Pasifika Experience Day for tertiary students hosting 200 students for the annual Australian Universities Pacific Associations Conference.
- Western Sydney University launched the Ignite Indigenous Traineeship program to provide a platform for Indigenous people in Western Sydney to participate in on-the-job training alongside vocational education and training in a large higher education organisation.
