Last Friday I announced that the ACT Government will initiate a collaborative venture between the Canberra Institute of Technology and the University of Canberra.
This collaborative venture will be known as UCIT or the University of Canberra Institute of Technology. It will be jointly owned by the two institutions and supported by the ACT Government.
UCIT will be an exciting new educational entity offering innovative programs in professional vocational education. This will expand the ACT tertiary education market and better cater to the ACT population to promote upskilling and workforce development.
A UCIT specialising in diplomas, advanced diplomas and associate degrees will be appealing to students who want either a stepping stone onto a University degree or those seeking a professionally focused qualification which can be completed in one or two years. Many people are daunted by the prospect of three or four years of full time study to achieve a qualification. This will be an alternative.
The UCIT brand can be clearly marketed into this niche opportunity which is currently under exploited within the Australian educational market.
Both CIT and UC support this new venture and I look forward to UCIT’s commencing operations in 2013.
Canberra is already the Learning Capital, the Clever Capital and the Education Capital. The new venture that I am announcing today will position us for the 21st Century.
I congratulate all those who have worked so hard to ensure Canberra’s education future will be one of innovation, challenge and enterprise.
I thank Emeritus Professor Denise Bradley, Professor Stephen Parker and Mr Adrian Marron for all the work that they have put into achieving this outcome. I also acknowledge the work of my predecessor, Andrew Barr, and thank him for his encouragement during the final decisions.