Murdoch University launches new city site ahead of plans to develop an entire campus in Perth's CBD.

Murdoch University launches new city site ahead of plans to develop an entire campus in Perth's CBD.Credit:Murdoch University

The announcement came just days after a meeting between state and federal ministers and Perth university representatives on ways to increase CBD activation.

Premier Mark McGowan and federal Cities Minister Alan Tudge met with Murdoch,UWA and ECU representatives on Monday with a focus on increasing Perth’s population density through relocating a university campus to the CBD.

The idea is nothing new,with the Property Council of Australia commissioning theBig (and small) Ideas for Perthreport two years ago that looked into the option of having a city-based uni campus to add"new energy"to the"great bones"of the CBD.

Murdoch University Vice Chancellor Eeva Leinonen said the CBD space,in partnership with Spacecubed,would draw postgraduate students,industry,business and alumni together in a range of learning and sharing spaces.

"Our decision to establish a dynamic presence in the city comes at an important time for the future development of Perth,"she said.

Professor Leinonen said the university was in the early planning stages of establishing an entirely new campus in the heart of the CBD.

"Universities are institutions which have a long history of successful collaboration with the communities they are part of and are able to bring their innovative thinking and creativity to unlock shared opportunities,"she said.

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"Bringing a university to the city – and we are keen for it to be Murdoch – will enable us to be part of the reactivation and revitalisation of the city."

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Member for Perth John Carey,who also attended Monday’s meeting,said having an undergraduate uni campus in the CBD would be a"game-changer",and something already seen in other Australian cities.

"An undergraduate campus could be so important and instrumental to changing the city because it ultimately brings people to Perth day and night,and that’s what we’re missing,"he said.

"We’ve had so many papers and research studies done about the city and its vision but we have never had an agreed approach.

"We all agreed at that round table meeting we need much greater population,that is critical,and we need a coherent masterplan for the city that includes identifying the best sights for a university campus,with an enormous potential around the Royal Perth Hospital precinct that will be redeveloped in the future."

An ECU spokeswoman confirmed it was exploring the possibility of a new creative industries-focused campus in the CBD as a"fantastic link"between the city’s commercial and cultural areas.

A UWA spokesman said the university was looking at developing a presence in the CBD as an"opportunity to play a larger economic,cultural and community role"within the city.

"We will be engaging in detailed discussions with government,our students (past and present),staff and potential partners,"he said.

Curtin has the biggest city-based presence of any of the WA universities,with post-graduate facilities on St Georges Terrace and two other locations on Murray Street.

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