Just over a week back the university announced there would be no arts degree from 2023, due to lack of demand. But on Friday the university said arts would stay – there’s a reason for that

The decision followed vocal protests from the National Tertiary Education Union  and Australia Catholic U announcing it was looking at introducing an arts degree at its Ballarat campus, cross-town from Fed U’s homebase (CMM August 8 and 12).

And then there was a change of management mind at Fed U.  Perhaps the publicity was putting in peril the university’s Open Day unveil (yesterday) –  the cooperative education model, which it will launch in 2025.

Federation U says students will undertake accredited leaning in a workplace, with options for paid work, “or working on real projects on campus to deliver practical outcomes for industry.”

And so management announces arts will be part of the new model, “for regional students wanting a head start on a successful career and for regional employers wanting graduates primed for the workplace.”

Acting VC Liam Sloan says a group of employers, students, staff and “experts” will “redesign the BA so that it is contemporary, multidisciplinary and digitally driven to meet student and industry needs.”

Students starting arts next year will complete their degree in the new model.