In the closest thing to not bad news for a while at UNE

Tenders are called for “a purpose-built university campus” in Tamworth, the much bigger regional centre that neighbours UNE’s Armidale base.

This has been a long-time coming, depending on NSW state government funding, with more from the Commonwealth (CMM March 11 2019).  But Barnaby Joyce the federal member for the two towns issued a hurry-up last year, saying, “it’s not a matter of whether; it is going to be a matter of when—and we want the “when” to be as soon as possible (May 25 2021).

Not that university management thought there was a choice. If UNE did not do it, “another university would be now establishing its presence in that city – and UNE and Armidale would be poorer for it,” former vice chancellor Brigid Heywood warned (CMM April 21).

So what’s for the Uni New England community not to like? Perhaps there’s a clue in the university’s announcement. “The new campus will be connected to the broader UNE teaching, learning and research network but have a strong emphasis on community and local industry requirements. “