English language and vocational education provider, Navitas, has consolidated several of its Sydney-based locations to open a new A$70m campus in the city’s CBD.
The Hyde Park Sydney campus, which will accommodate over 2,000 learners, will host students of the provider’s Sydney Institute of Business and Technology, the Australian College of Applied Psychology, Navitas Professional and Navitas English, as well as students in the Western Sydney University and La Trobe University partnership colleges.
“I am proud that this new campus brings together learners from colleges and institutions from across all parts of our organisation,” Navitas chief executive Rod Jones said.
“The student experience has always been at the heart of everything we do at Navitas and this new facility will provide the best environment and the best technology for our learners to get the most from their education.”
The move to a central location also appears to be a continuation of comments made by Jones in August that the company had “significantly simplified and streamlined the company’s global operating structures”, after 2016/17 FY figures showed a dip in group revenue.
During the campus’ opening, Jennifer Westacott, chief executive of the Business Council of Australia, praised the new campus and highlighted the importance of education to Australia’s workforce.
“This new facility will provide the best environment and the best technology for our learners”
“Collaboration between business and the education sector is essential in helping Australians transition to new ways of learning and working,” she said.
Navitas chairman Tracey Horton agreed, saying the sector would help to drive Australia’s future prosperity.
“As our economy continues to transition away from resources and other heavy industries toward more knowledge-intensive, service-related sectors linked with the continued development of economies in Asia, there will be an acute need for reskilling and lifelong learning that will prepare Australians for the jobs of the future,” Horton said.
2017 has been a significant year for Navitas, after signing its eighth US university partnership arrangement in January and leading a consortium of Australian edtech developers on a mission to the US mid-year.
