Swinburne welcomes Opposition's commitment to Lilydale
In Summary
Swinburne University of Technology today welcomed the State Opposition’s commitment to invest $100 million in rebuilding facilities and reopening Victorian TAFE campuses, including a $10 million commitment towards Swinburne’s former Lilydale campus.
“Today’s funding commitment by the Opposition is a first step towards the reopening of Lilydale for tertiary education,” Swinburne’s Vice-Chancellor, Professor Linda Kristjanson said.
“While Swinburne itself will not be reopening at Lilydale, we will work closely with any incoming government – whether a re-elected Napthine Government or a newly elected Andrews Government – to implement their policies for the future use of the site.
“The university remains committed to creating a positive future for our former Lilydale campus.”
Once the outcome of the election is known, the university would be in a position to commence early discussions on transfer of the site in accordance with the processes laid down by the Victorian Government Land Monitor and the Valuer-General.
Since closing the campus, the university has maintained the facilities at Lilydale in ‘stand by’ mode. Once identified, a new educational provider would be capable of re-opening the site for educational use within 1-2 months of acquisition of the site being agreed.
In September this year, Swinburne reached agreement with Melba Support Services, a not-for-profit organisation supporting people with disabilities, to relocate some of its facilities to the Lilydale campus.
Swinburne’s former Lilydale campus closed on 1 July 2013 and former Lilydale staff and students relocated to the university’s other Melbourne-based campuses at Hawthorn, Croydon and Wantirna.