Our Charles Sturt University and TAFE NSW campuses at Thurgoona do more than just provide fantastic educational opportunities – they also offer a vibrant precinct with great facilities to the general public and we’re working together to assess how much the community knows about those services.
As part of a partnerships between Council and the two institutions, we’re hosting a survey and drop-in sessions to learn more about public use of the campuses, and also what our community might like to see developed at the Thurgoona educational precinct in the future.
For example, many people may not know that TAFE NSW has an organic farm shop at its Thurgoona campus that sells tasty and sustainable produce to visitors, or that Charles Sturt University offers childcare services from its campus. There are also publicly-available cycling and walking tracks in the precinct as well as medical and dental services within the university.
These are great examples of how our educational institutions are adding to the social, environmental and economic fabric of our city. By taking the five minute survey or by attending either of the drop-in sessions on 28 and 29 February, you can help the university and TAFE assess the strengths of the precinct’s facilities, and also contribute to determining what new services might be offered in the years ahead.
This work is part of council’s partnership with Charles Sturt University and TAFE NSW to develop a master plan that will guide the future of the education precinct as Thurgoona continues to grow towards a projected population of 50,000 people within fifty years.
The foundations of this partnership were cemented by the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between Council and the two educational institutions in July last year.
This landmark agreement aims to develop a framework to build upon Albury’s strong position as a leading provider of education and learning. By growing this crucial sector, we aim to attract more residents, develop new educational opportunities and embrace smart technology.
The idea is to enhance the economic, social and environmental fabric of our community with the benefits to flow throughout the city and to the wider region.
So, as we work together to develop our knowledge economy, we urge our residents to help shape the future of the sector by taking the survey and providing important feedback to help define not only the growth area of Thurgoona-Wirlinga but the wider community in general.
Thank you to those who’ve already taken the time to have their say and we look forward to reporting back to you as our partnership with our educators continues to deliver a smarter, more vibrant community for us all.