VU & Western United inspiring future generations of Melbourne’s west

Victoria University (VU) has boosted its Premier Partnership agreement with football (soccer) club Western United, renewing for a further two A-League seasons.

A foundation partner of the Club, VU will take its support of Western United to a new level by introducing student work placements.

VU students will be able to apply for placement positions across marketing, football and matchday operations, commercial and consumer business. 

VU Vice-Chancellor Professor Adam Shoemaker was proud to announce the partnership at Western United’s home ground recently.

“Victoria University is a leader in sports education and research, and we are so pleased to continue our support of Western United – a club synonymous with Melbourne’s west,” Professor Shoemaker said.

Together, we are kicking off a new chapter of collaboration, fostering growth on and off the pitch for VU students and communities.”

Western United General Manager of Commercial Chris Speldewinde is delighted to strengthen ties with an integral partner in the west. 

“We are super excited to continue our wonderful partnership with Victoria University. VU have shown their support since our inception and as we have grown as a Club, they have been great partners and will continue this for at least another two seasons,” he said.

The opportunity to work with students within the Club has been rewarding for both parties. We truly value the opportunity to have the support from one of the great institutions in the west.

As well as work placement opportunities for VU students, WUFC and VU will continue to work together to bring to life the WUFC vision: ‘to unite and inspire the diverse communities of the west through football’. This includes opportunities for engagement for students, players, staff and the broader community. VU’s continued focus on community and supporting women in sport is a key focus for the ongoing partnership.

On pitch, the partnership also sees the VU branding continue to feature on the jersey sleeve across Western United’s Isuzu UTE A-League Men, Liberty A-League Women, Senior NPL Academy and futsal teams, while the logo will also feature on matchday signage across A-Leagues and NPL Academy games. 

In 2024 WUFC will start playing A-League home matches at their new home in Tarneit. The new facilities come as part of a major project undertaken by Western Melbourne Group to create Australia’s first sports and recreation-focused suburb, scheduled for completion over the coming 10 years. VU is enormously proud to support WUFC through this project.

VU have also pledged to show their support for the future of women’s football in the west of Victoria and will be a key partner of the Western United Cup in Ballarat.