Liverpool City Council has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the University of New South Wales (UNSW) to foster a close working relationship between the two organisations.
Mayor Ned Mannoun was joined by UNSW’s Dean of Arts, Design & Architecture, Professor Claire Annesley, at a ceremony at Council’s chambers recently, where the agreement was formally signed (pictured).
The agreement will result in Council and UNSW partnering on various projects and exchanging information.
Mayor Mannoun said UNSW had been a strong, established presence in the south-west for more than 35 years.
“Over the last 15 years we have been working to make Liverpool into a University City and now we can finally say we have,” he said in a statement.
“With the signing of our MOU with UNSW, Liverpool has cemented itself as the home of education and research. When you add the Universities to Liverpool Hospital and the Ingham Institute, our community now has all the right ingredients that will ensure the current and future residents of Liverpool have the best opportunities possible.
“This will lead to more jobs in Liverpool and that means more opportunities for you and less traveling everyday.
“It’s important our city has a purpose and is known for the right things,” he said.
The two organisations aim to collaborate and co-operate to drive positive socio-economic development and community well-being through collaborative research, education and locally based initiatives.
UNSW is a member of the Liverpool Innovation Precinct, anchored around the NSW Government’s $790 million expansion of Liverpool Hospital.
“We now aim to be leaders in the fields of health and education. This won’t happen overnight and that’s why we need to not only deliver for our community today, but also plant the seeds and chart the course that future generations will benefit from,” said Mayor Mannoun.
The Mayor said Liverpool was fast becoming the destination of choice for a University education with the student population expected to increase from the current population of 9,000 in 2024 to 50,000 by 2050.
Figures show between 2011 and 2021, university attendance among Liverpool residents surged by 70%, from 6,616 to 11,253.
In 2021, 20.1% of the Liverpool LGA’s population (36,588 people) held a bachelor’s degree, compared to 15.7% (24,888) in 2016.
“We are fortunate to have Western Sydney University (WSU) and the University of Wollongong (UOW) within walking distance of each other and both are close to the major transport hubs,” he said.
“UNSW, University of Wollongong, and Western Sydney University are now part of Liverpool’s present and future.
