With the recent announcement of a new Canberra Institute of Technology (CIT) campus in Tuggeranong this will mean the closure of the Woden CIT campus. Most courses from Woden will be transferred to Tuggeranong in 2016 with the remaining course(s) being relocated out of Woden by 2017.
The Woden Valley Community Council (WVCC) has sent a letter to Ms Joy Burch asking ‘what is the future of higher education in Woden’. Given its location close to the Canberra Hospital, health related courses should remain or be relocated to a Woden CIT campus.
“It really isn’t the time to start removing more ACT Government services out of Woden when there have been federal public service cuts and federal and local government agencies relocating to other areas “says WVCC president Mr Martin Miller.
“The WVCC is concerned that there is a real lack of vision for the Woden town centre area and one district shouldn’t be continually ‘cannibalised’ in terms of services for another district”.
“The CIT has had a campus in Woden for around thirty years which should continue. Given that Woden is home to the Canberra hospital it makes perfect sense to have a CIT campus that has health related courses so that students can have adequate on the job experience”.
“There most certainly should be a CIT campus in Tuggeranong, but not at the expense of the closing the Woden CIT Campus”.
Also listen to Phil Clark interview with Martin Miller Woden Valley Community Council President and Dr Nicole Stenlake, Executive Director, CIT People & Organisational Governance at Canberra Institute of Technology.