Vision for growth
Plans for significant expansion by 2025 aim to create a multi-campus University of up to 35,000 students.
The proposal is part of Vice-Chancellor Paul Johnson’s Strategic Options paper endorsed in late September by the University Council. It also sees the University significantly upgrading the relevance of its curriculum – and the flexible delivery of its offerings, including distance education and nonsemester courses.
Much of the growth is expected to be from non-traditional students in line with government objectives to boost higher education rates.
To facilitate this, by 2011 La Trobe would offer non-standard entry pathways in the form of foundation studies through subdegree courses.
Major developments
‘Major developments such as the Centre for AgriBiosciences and the La Trobe Institute for Molecular Science will also give the University’s research a larger scale and scope than ever before.’ Professor Johnson said. He said policy initiatives announced earlier this year by the Labor government will transform the higher education landscape in Australia.
‘We can expect the government to look to universities like La Trobe to take a lead role in expanding the sector,’ he said.
‘Our open culture, commitment to learning for all, and geographic reach in northern Melbourne and regional Victoria will enable La Trobe to expand student participation across those regions.
‘We have an excellent track record in recruiting and graduating students from families new to higher education, which also sets us in good stead to expand access.’ Professor Johnson said: ‘Th ere will much jockeying for positional advantage within the higher education sector over the next few months, and universities which are unsure of their goals or direction will lose ground.
New modes of funding for teaching and research and new national targets for undergraduate education present La Trobe with enormous opportunities for growth and development.’
He said his Strategic Options paper was intended to lead discussion within the University about its future.
Northern suburbs industry and education advocacy group NORTH Link executive director Mick Butera said the expansion plans mirror a massive boom taking place in the northern suburbs. He said the outer north had become increasingly attractive to home owners.
While Melbourne’s north was traditionally home to industrial businesses, the socioeconomic and skills profile of the region was changing.