No clear reasons have been given for the drastic measure. In response to questions from the Blacktown News a media unit spokesperson claimed the closure was in the context of WSU delivering “enhanced experiences for our students”. The university provided no details as to what those experiences are.
“As part of its ongoing commitment to delivering the highest-quality learning, teaching, and research environment for its students and staff, Western Sydney University plans to relocate programs and operations from its Nirimba campus,” the spokesperson said.
Blacktown State MP, Stephen Bali is outraged at the decision and expressed his views recently in NSW Parliament.
“WSU Nirimba campus has seen its fair share of controversy over the years. From the halcyon days of its opening in 1995 hailed by local politicians and community leaders for satisfying the thirst for knowledge for a comprehensive university education in Blacktown City to its slow demise with the closure of the degree program circa 2006 and now the College campus” Mr Bail said.
Since 2009, WSU College has been a social enterprise owned by WSU that assists students in gaining alternative entry into university through Academic Pathway Programs by offering diplomas that would provide access to university pathway courses.
WSU Nirimba campus has been plagued with rumours of its demise or sale which was first raised in 2007.
UWS College was successfully delivered huge profits to the University with reports in the media by staff and students that the College “shouldn’t be treated as cash-cows and milked to death.” This led to the first ever strike in the history of the College in 2022.
A Blacktown News Special Report in June 2022 raised fears of the sell off when Mr Bali MP raised persistent rumours of an impending sell-off of Nirimba campus to developers.
A WSU spokesperson at the time told Blacktown News: “Western Sydney University is committed to a strong educational presence in Blacktown – continuing to optimise its course offerings at Nirimba to ensure it best meets the current and future educational needs of the local western Sydney community.”
However, in the latest university backflip, the spokesperson said the university was “exploring the future of the campus” and adding the closure involves “transferring undergraduate preparation and diploma programs delivered by The College, the University’s pathway provider, at the Nirimba campus to other parts of the University’s network.”
Mr Bali was scathing in his criticism of WSU on its announcement of the closure of the campus, saying: “The University has lied to the people of Blacktown and, in less than three years [after reporting to Blacktown News that it won’t close], it is now shutting down the campus.
“Over the past 10 years WSU has spent $132M promoting itself to the people of western Sydney and paying over $20M on rebranding itself but is losing local students to other universities.
“WSU now has a minimal presence in The Hills Council and Blacktown Council areas, yet these two councils are the fastest growing in Western Sydney, which represents almost one in four Western Sydney residents; no longer have direct access to WSU.”
Mr Bali is calling on all elected representatives, Federal, State and Local, to call on WSU to reverse their decision to close the Nirimba campus by the end of this year and come to the negotiating table to discuss what a viable tertiary education site at Nirimba ought to consist of.
State Member for Riverstone, Warren Kirby said: “It's disappointing WSU has decided to move on and it’s definitely a blow to the students of the area who, ultimately, are the ones who will pay the price for their decision.
“But there is also opportunity. We need more schools, especially high schools. Within an hour of hearing about the decision I was meeting with the Minister for Education and the Minister for Skills, TAFE and Higher Education about what could be done to reimagine the Nirimba Precinct.
“Does this provide the opportunity to build a 7-10 campus to provide a pathway to Wyndham which, in turn, provides pathways into TAFE courses? What about a primary school too? Can we bolster TAFE on the site to provide even more opportunities for students?
“Should we replace WSU with another university, or should we make the whole precinct a public education campus? Ultimately commercial interests are rarely influenced by public good and WSU has made it clear it’s in their commercial interest to close the university and that is their right.
“As far as I’m concerned, we, as a government, should be looking at what can be done to turn the situation into public good.”
