The governing councils of the University of Ballarat and Monash University have decided to proceed with the proposal for the Monash Gippsland campus to join with the University of Ballarat to form an expanded, regionally focused university.
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The universities will now seek State Government approval for changes to the University of Ballarat Act to reflect the enlarged scope of the university, including a new name for the university. The Victorian minister for higher education and skills, Peter Hall has already offered his in-principle support for the proposition, which he said would benefit students across the state, giving them access to a wider range of courses and to support services that are tailored to the needs of regional students.
Consent will also be required from the Commonwealth Government and from the Tertiary Education Quality Standards Agency (TEQSA).
While these approvals are being obtained, implementation planning will proceed with a view to the merger proceeding from 1 January 2014.
UB vice-chancellor David Battersby the new arrangements, once approved, will offer more students the opportunity to undertake their studies locally.
It holds great potential to develop new ways of delivering courses that better suit regional communities including better and closer connections with other regional education providers especially TAFE Institutes.
See
A new future for regional university education
Ballarat to take over Monash Churchill
