The Minister for Education, Julia Gillard today visited the University of Western Sydney’s Campbelltown Campus to unveil a new $47.5 million School of Medicine Building.
The school will advance evidence-based medical training founded on a practical understanding of the people and communities in the Greater Western Sydney area.
It will not only provide opportunities for students in Western Sydney and the surrounding regions to study medicine, but also will enrich the local community by providing locally-based medical professionals.
The UWS School of Medicine is helping solve Australia’s critical medical workforce shortages by training extra doctors to work across Greater Western Sydney's hospitals, health services and general practices.
The School of Medicine had its first intake in 2007 with 100 Commonwealth supported medical places. This will grow to 500 places by 2011 as students continue their course.
Approximately two-thirds of the medical students are from Greater Western Sydney, including Campbelltown, Penrith, Liverpool, the Hills District, Fairfield and Blacktown.
UWS received $25 million through the Australian Government’s Capital Development Pool program for the school.
The Capital Development Pool program supports infrastructure projects at campuses in suburban growth corridors and regional centres.
The program also supports capital developments to establish or expand courses identified by the Government as discipline areas of national importance, and also projects that enhance communication and IT infrastructure.
The program was recently enhanced by the Rudd Government to allow eligible higher education providers to apply for grants to build or undertake major refurbishments of student amenities.
The Rudd Government is committed to building a modern, innovative and productive higher education system to meet the challenges of the future.