CQUniversity Australia has made another giant leap towards finalising its half-billion-dollar merger with CQ TAFE, with the Federal Government today announcing it would ‘unlock' $73.8 million to support the project...

Vice-Chancellor and President Professor Scott Bowman said the much sought-after funding would help to transform post-school education and training across Central Queensland.

After confirming the merger funding. VC Scott Bowman and Member for Capricornia Kirsten Livermore chat with CQUniversity staff member Ray Kearney in an Engineering workshop

LINK to details on the campus network

"I sincerely thank the Commonwealth Government for unlocking these crucial funds, which are absolutely essential to a successful merger with CQ TAFE," Professor Bowman said.

"With this funding in place, I am confident that we can now finalise discussions with the Queensland Government and take the last few steps towards making our dual sector vision a reality.

"We are not home and hosed with the proposed merger just yet, but the finishing line is now definitely in sight.

"At the end of this process, we will have transformed the landscape of post-school education and training in Central Queensland and equipped the region's future workforce for all the opportunities that lay ahead."

Professor Bowman said plans for the merger - which represents around half a billion dollars in assets and government financial support - would not have advanced so far if not for the support of the wider university and TAFE communities.

VC Scott Bowman gives media an update on the merger

"I would like to thank staff, students and stakeholders of both CQ TAFE and CQUniversity, who have been so patient and supportive in awaiting this announcement from Canberra. I'm really looking forward to working with all of you in the months and years ahead.

"I'd also like to thank all community members, regional development organisations and others who have thrown their support behind the proposed merger to date. Your ongoing commitment to the project is truly appreciated."

Once negotiations with the Queensland Government are finalised, major projects that will soon get underway include a major overhaul of the flagship Mackay TAFE campus ($12m), a new state-of-the-art engineering hub in Mackay ($16m), stage two of the public-access CQUniversity Health Clinic in Rockhampton ($16m), and a unification of teaching technology across the entire University and TAFE networks .

CQUniversity estimates that these projects will create up to 500 new construction jobs, and that the resulting dual sector university will create around 120 additional jobs over its first five years.

At a glance - CQUniversity dual sector statistics

 At a glance - Major dual sector infrastructure projects soon to be underway