There must be a massive expansion in university campus construction in the outer suburban regions of all Australian metropolises if the nation is to meet the huge enrolment increases set by the Bradley Review, a pivotal report by Bob Birrell published today by the Australian Universities Review has claimed.
Building an extra 20 campuses is vital to “nation building”, the report claims as it urges the government to fund the immense infrastructure expansion.
The report replies to the dramatic terms of the 2008 Bradley Review, which advocated that the Australian government aim for a “massive increase” in the share of Australians aged 25-34 with degree qualifications from 29 per cent in 2006 to 40 per cent in 2020.
To do this, Birrell claims, “massive infrastructure investment” in higher education is needed. An enrolment boost of 280,000 would require an extra 20 full-scale university campuses, which, the report recommends, should be new campuses in the outer suburbs rather than extensions of existing metropolitan universities.
The fast-tracking of funds from the Education Investment Fund was “feasible” Universities Australia CE said. Universities’ own projects could be implemented quickly, support construction jobs and knowledge sector jobs and improve to skills, he said.
Two projects by Melbourne-based practice Lyons are tipped for that potential extra financing. The Menzies Research Institute and Health Sciences building in Hobart is seeking $45 million in federal capital to forge on with a $90-million phase-two expansion. The contractors are already on site, finishing phase one, and starting immediately on the secondary phase would reportedly save $10 million for the institute.
At RMIT, the construction of the $220-million Swanston Academic Building, also by Lyons, could start within three months if it were to receive funding.
Lyons were unavailable for comment at the time of publication.
