The University of New England has officially opened a new wing of state-of-the-art clinical nursing laboratories at its Armidale campus, marking a major expansion of its capacity to train nurses in regional NSW.
The purpose-built facility was unveiled on Wednesday and is designed to provide nursing students with realistic, hands-on clinical experience in a simulated healthcare environment.
The new laboratories were fast-tracked to support strong demand for UNE’s reintroduced Master of Nursing Practice (Preregistration) program, which has attracted a significant cohort of both local and international students.
UNE Vice-Chancellor and CEO Professor Chris Moran said the investment reflected the university’s long-term commitment to strengthening the regional healthcare workforce.
“This expansion of our facilities in Armidale signals confidence in our discipline and commitment to our students,” Professor Moran said.
“UNE has a responsibility to play a role in easing the systemic pressures in rural communities, and that starts with building the capacity to train more nurses right here in the regions.”
Professor Moran said the facilities would ensure students graduate with practical experience and confidence alongside their academic qualifications.
“These labs ensure UNE remains at the cutting edge. We are delivering a modern nursing education, ensuring our graduates enter the workforce not just with a degree, but with the practical confidence required for contemporary nursing practice,” he said.
UNE Chancellor Dr Sarah Pearson said the project also addressed a broader issue of healthcare equity in regional and rural Australia.
She pointed to global forecasts predicting a shortage of 7.6 million nurses by 2030, warning regional communities often feel the impact most heavily.
“Rural and remote Australia constitutes a vital frontline, yet we continue to struggle to attract and retain healthcare professionals. This isn’t just a workforce problem; it’s a social equity issue,” Dr Pearson said.
“When a student from Tamworth, Moree, or Glen Innes enters these labs, they can visualise themselves as a nurse with a future in their own region. These facilities signal that we value their service and are invested in their success.”
Professor in Nursing Rikki Jones said the expanded facilities would allow UNE to continue modernising its nursing curriculum while giving students more exposure to simulated real-world clinical settings.
“The new spaces ensure we are able to deliver modern nursing education in a simulated real-life environment,” Professor Jones said.
“These additional labs will give us the flexibility to be more innovative in what we deliver in a simulated clinical real-life setting.”
Professor Jones said regional training pathways remained critical to addressing workforce shortages outside metropolitan centres.
“We know that students who train rurally are more likely to remain and work in the regions. Many of our international students also go on to spend some of their working lives in a regional area,” she said.
She also acknowledged the extensive work undertaken by UNE staff to bring the project to completion.
“Our nursing discipline academics, lab managers and clinicians, together with the Work Integrated Learning team and professional staff supporting the Nursing Discipline, have worked tirelessly to ensure these spaces met our accreditation bodies’ standards and were shaped by what our staff and students need,” Professor Jones said.
“This was a massive team accomplishment that goes beyond just the build of the labs.”
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