Australia’s first university residential college for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students, and non-Indigenous students is expected to be one of the largest and most significant colleges of its type in the world.
The site of the 250 bed college is yet to be determined but will be near the existing University of Technology Sydney (UTS) campus in Ultimo. The college will have Indigenous identity and culture at its core, and will include arts and community spaces; as well as scholarships to meet accommodation costs for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students.
Sydney Lord Mayor Clover Moore said higher education has huge flow-on benefits for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities and the broader Australian economy, but there is still a long way to go.
“For Aboriginal students wishing to study, the lack of affordable accommodation is a major barrier. This new Indigenous college will not only provide this accommodation, but celebrate our Indigenous heritage and create equal access to opportunities.”
UTS Vice-Chancellor, Professor Attila Brungs, said the college is a transformative, strengths-based initiative that will inspire more Indigenous people to enter higher education.
“Importantly, [it will] celebrate the richness of Indigenous heritage and culture and help forge a more inclusive society,” Professor Brungs said.
UTS Professor Michael McDaniel said the college will make it easier for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students to access higher education opportunities.
“The college will help remove barriers to education for Indigenous people by raising aspiration, maximising opportunities for entry to higher education and supporting the pursuit of quality employment, careers and contribution to society,” Professor McDaniel said.
The college is expected to be open to students by 2025.