An updated business case for a university in Tamworth is expected to be ready in six weeks, as the reference group continues to plan for a local campus.
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Tamworth University Reference Group members have decided on which courses they believe should be run at the city's proposed campus - but the ideas are still being discussed with the University of New England (UNE).
The group revealed they believe education, nursing, business, agriculture and music and fine arts should be key courses initially.
Tamworth's dominant economies and community feedback helped shape the list.
"In terms of the local economy and local need - what are our strength and what are our needs?" Tamworth University Reference Group chairman Mitch Hanlon said.
Mr Hanlon said agriculture and food processing are essential industries in Tamworth, while allied health and education training were popular suggestions among social media users.
He said people need to break free of the mindset that music is "playing a guitar in Peel Street during country music" and think of it as a business.
"Those groups will be an anchor ... and from that we'll gain momentum."
Once the university has an established base of "a few hundred students", courses can be built upon, he said.
The reference group said stage two of development should reflect Tamworth's manufacturing and industrial sectors - courses could be added in aviation, sports science, Indigenous studies, engineering, astronomy and senior health care.
"We have facilities we should be leveraging ... industry needs to enhance their knowledge capacity to remain sustainable and move forward," he said.
"There's no point doing the same things we did 50 years ago ... we need to be improving everything we do."
UNE is helping build the business case and Vice Chancellor Professor Brigid Heywood said the uni looks to Tamworth for guidance on what kind of education the city needs.
"We envisage a truly regional partnership, in which the community supports the university and the university supports the community.
"We continue to develop a business case and are working closely with the Tamworth community and industry as the process evolves, and other relevant parties given the significance of the proposed expansion project."
Police and crime reporter at the Newcastle Herald. Email: afalkenmire@austcommunitymedia.com.au
Police and crime reporter at the Newcastle Herald. Email: afalkenmire@austcommunitymedia.com.au
