16 May 2008

Victoria University Vice Chancellor Professor Elizabeth Harman and The University of Melbourne Vice Chancellor Professor Glyn Davis today signed a groundbreaking agreement at Victoria University's St Albans Campus.

The agreement is a formal recognition of the complementary roles that the two universities have played in the west of Melbourne for a century or more, and provides a platform for the universities joint work to deliver new benefits to the region in the future. Melbourne's west is now the fastest growing region in Melbourne and has strong demand for enhanced education, health and services to support wellbeing in a diverse community.

Professor Harman said: "Partnerships are a key to the future. None of us can do it alone. This agreement is about drawing on the complementary strengths of our two institutions to offer new pathways to education and the creation of new knowledge working especially with local schools and health providers."

Professor Davis said, "The University of Melbourne welcomes the signing of this MOU and the opportunities it provides for both universities, their students, their staff and the community of the west."

The initial focus of the agreement is on five areas:

      Nursing education and research;
      Exercise science/rehabilitation and physiotherapy;
      Health workforce;
      Teacher education; and
      Educational transitions between school, vocational, and higher education.

The agreement will offer new pathways for students into postgraduate education at both universities and will be supported by new scholarships offered by both universities.

The agreement has been two years in the making. It gathered momentum with the joint project to develop the Teaching, Training and Research Facility for the Sunshine Hospital for which both universities are committing $8 million each to a $51 million project announced earlier this year.

Professor Davis said, "This will be a productive partnership based on reciprocal arrangements with students in both universities benefiting from areas of expertise, specific to the other university."

Many students take advantage of VU's pathways between TAFE and higher education. The agreement will allow some of them to continue onto postgraduate courses at Melbourne, such as medicine and physiotherapy. One of the hopes is that such students will return to work in health services in the west of Melbourne once they complete their training.

Professor Harman said, "VU also offers strong postgraduate courses in our own areas of expertise, notably midwifery and sports and exercise science. We expect graduates from both universities to apply for VU scholarships in these areas. They will be able to take advantage of our $22 million investment in new exercise science research and teaching facilities at VU's Footscray Park Campus opening in 2010."

Professor Davis said, "The University of Melbourne has a long-standing relationship with the west through its Veterinary Science precinct at Werribee and through training of health professionals and research at the Western Hospital and now the Sunshine Hospital."

"This partnership with Victoria University significantly expands our capacity to contribute to a high-quality secondary school experience for students in the west and to training and retaining first-rate health professionals in the region."

"It offers students from both universities opportunities to enrich their learning with new experiences, and staff to make an important contribution to teaching and research relevant to the west," Professor Davis said.

The recently announced Wyndham Vale selective school which has a science focus, will also be a co-operative endeavour between The University of Melbourne and VU. Both institutions have facilities in the Werribee growth corridor.

Both universities will offer scholarships to support access by graduates of the other to postgraduate programs. The scholarships will be worth $5000 each with each University offering 5 in 2009 and 2010 rising the 10 in 2011. Over three years each University will provide scholarships worth $100,000.

A backgrounder with details of the major actions flowing from the MOU is available on request.
A copy of the MoU is available on request.
JPEG images of VU's new exercise science research and teaching facilities are available on request.

Media contacts:

Ms Christine White, Media Manager,
Marketing & Communications Department, Victoria University
Ph: (03) 9919 4322; mobile: 0434 602 884

Ms Lauren Sarti, Corporate Communications Officer
Corporate Affairs, The University of Melbourne
Phone: (03) 8344 7194; mobile: 0423 412 104