The most significant expansion to the University of Newcastle’s Central Coast campus since its construction 15 years ago will be unveiled on Wednesday 16 November.
Federal Member for Robertson, Deborah O’Neill, will officially open the new Education and Nursing Building and the Exercise and Sport Science and Psychology Building. Both buildings are part of a $20 million capital expenditure program that has been underway for two years.
University of Newcastle Vice-Chancellor, Professor Caroline McMillen, said the facilities would serve the growing campus and deliver significant benefits for staff and students.
“Enrolments at our Central Coast campus have increased by 40 per cent over the past five years, reaching 4,290 students in 2011. These significant additions to the campus will provide state-of-the-art teaching and learning spaces, and help to accommodate the growing demand for programs at the campus,” Professor McMillen said.
The Education and Nursing building will provide model classrooms for education, specialist information technology teaching spaces, a simulation laboratory for nursing and general purpose classrooms. The $4.8 million ‘smart building’ will save energy through a computerised management system to reduce the amount of power used for cooling and heating.
The $7.7 million Exercise and Sport Science building will provide specialist facilities for two of the campus’ newest programs, Exercise and Sport Science and Psychology.
It will contain three specialist teaching spaces and laboratories for the Exercise and Sport Science program, specialist spaces for the Psychology program to support research and group work, three general purpose classrooms and a gym for use by staff and students.
University of Newcastle Pro Vice-Chancellor Central Coast campus, Professor Stephen Crump said the extensive capital works program showed the University’s commitment to providing state-of-the-art education facilities for the growing region.
“Our blended learning environment of discipline education and professional training produces graduates who are career-ready, with appropriate knowledge, skills and attitudes. These facilities will be vital in training those students and attracting more leading researchers and academics to the Central Coast,” Professor Crump said.
The projects were supported by the Federal Government’s Universities Renewal Funding and Capital Development Pool schemes. The University contributed additional funds.
The Education and Nursing Building and the Exercise and Sport Science and Psychology Building will be opened by Federal Member for Robertson, Deborah O’Neill, on Wednesday 16 November at 11am and 11.50am respectively at the University of Newcastle Central Coast campus, 10 Chittaway Rd Ourimbah.
