The university claims its network of campuses across the region is the basis of a strategy to bring about the multiple benefits possible through the establishment of the $5.3b airport.
“No other organisation has the depth, range and intensity of connections across every major Western Sydney centre,” said Professor Barney Glover, vice-chancellor of the university.
“No other entity can attract, enliven and engage industry, government and community connections in the way the university can.”
Professor Glover made these comment in his introduction to “Flight Path”, a document describing the strategy developed by the university commitment to the future of Western Sydney.
“Flight Path is a comprehensive strategy that details Western Sydney University’s long-term commitment to maximising the social, cultural and economic benefits of the Western Sydney Airport for our region,” he said.
Professor Glover said the document was “unequivocally” concerned with ensuring Western Sydney, the nation’s third largest economy and fastest growing region, determined its own future.
“Why us? WSU is embedded in the West. We understand it. We know its challenges, its achievements and its potential,” he said.
The 31-page document said WSU had commenced preparing for the airport prior to the its go-ahead announcement in April 2104 with its “Innovation Corridor” spanning the Hawkesbury, Penrith and Campbelltown network of Outer Western Sydney campuses.
“The Innovation Corridor strategy was a precursor to the Greater Sydney Commission’s designation of Outer Western Sydney as the Western Parklands [City},” the document said.
“In many respects it set the agenda for government’s re-orientation of planning and policy development frameworks to support increased activity and growth on Sydney’s urban fringe.”
The aerotropolis at Badgerys Creek would be a central beneficiary of the university’s “Western Growth” infrastructure strategy.
An example is the redevelopment of its Werrington campuses which will cluster business, industry and workers around world-leading education and knowledge job infrastructure.
The campus would be the anchor of a ‘knowledge network’ linked with other campuses and a “gateway” to the aerotropolis.
WSU has campuses at Bankstown, Campbelltown, Hawkesbury, Liverpool, Nirimba, Parramatta, Penrith, Sydney Olympic Park and Sydney CBD.
