Tamworth university campus: council leases sports dome to University of New England for industry-led classes

The University of New England (UNE) made an application to lease a space on the ground floor for the next five years while it waits for federal government investment in a physical campus.

A further application to rent a space at the Australian Equine and Livestock Events Centre (AELEC) is expected for the university to teach its sports equine management course, mayor Col Murray said.

"I think this is something we really need to have in Tamworth, there's a lot of excitement and confidence in the way UNE is engaging with our different business sectors to provide targeted training that actually works for the industries we have here," he said.

"Next year, the lease of the sports dome provides the first dolly steps into the great benefit that we'll see from higher education into the future."

The state government has made a $26.7 million commitment to the project in this year's budget, but the physical campus still waits on $10 million from the federal government.

Enrollments have already opened for the six tailored courses that will start in March 2021.

Those include business studies; community welfare and wellbeing; creative industries; event management; sports equine management and sports science which all come under an Undergraduate Certificate in Professional Development.

The council hasn't ruled out an industry-led partnership either, Cr Murray said.

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"Council is very much engaged with the university now about how we might be one of those partners in specific types of education into the future with some of our aspiring managers," he said.

"One of the fundamentals about UNE Tamworth is this opportunity to create something different where there will be education hubs around the city front and centre in those industries.

"This is one of the very strong elements of our Blueprint 100 and it's one of the things council has identified, our highest single priority is to get our water security in place and right up there is to have a university campus in the city."

The university has also formed a new partnership with Tamworth Conservatorium of Music to offer tutoring with experienced musicians.