Transforming Ballarat: Students at the heart of a thriving CBD
Federation University Australia is seeking an initial $10 million investment to start revitalising Ballarat’s CBD and transform it into a Co-operative Education and Skills Centre, bringing all student face to face learning into the heart of the Ballarat to make education more accessible and support retail businesses in a vibrant regional hub.
This project will cost $48 million in total to complete, co-funded through government and business, and is one element of Federation’s 2025 Election and Policy Priorities.
The investment will revitalise the Federation University SMB and Camp St campuses to create a vibrant, modern city centre for Ballarat’s community.
Federation plays a vital role in supporting the University Accord goal of significantly increasing tertiary education success in regional Australian where the population is 40 per cent less likely to hold a degree than those in metropolitan areas — this investment will bridge the gap and keep skilled graduates in Ballarat.
“We will not only have over 3,000 more students attending classes and easily accessing services in the Ballarat CBD”, said Federation University Vice-Chancellor and President Professor Bentley said, “but they are going to be working in Ballarat’s business under our Co-operative Education Model.”
“I am committed to starting this transformation right now - but without investment Federation is simply going to run out of space.”
Relocating students to the Ballarat CBD will strengthen the regional economy, attract further investment and create a dynamic cultural and social environment.
Ballarat is a hub for renewable energy, advanced manufacturing, and business innovation as demonstrated at our Mt Helen campus and technology parks.
Expanding investment in Mt Helen will support hands-on industry training, while the Ballarat CBD development will integrate education with industry placements, reinforcing job-readiness.
Federation also calls for further TAFE investment in automotive and electric vehicle (EV) training. Accenture’s role in jobs creation and partnerships with Federation highlight the need for industry collaboration to drive regional workforce growth.
Federation is Australia’s first full co-operative education university, where every student undertakes structured, paid industry placements.
“This investment isn’t just about education; it’s about revitalising Ballarat. Moving students into the CBD will stimulate local businesses, support economic sustainability, and create a thriving student-friendly city,” Professor Bentley said. “Ballarat’s CBD needs energy, investment and people.”
“I recognise every dollar of public money is precious – that’s why we’re asking government to back a partnership approach to make Ballarat the technology and skills hub of Western Victoria,”
“Ballarat is growing, but without targeted investment in education, we risk losing our future workforce to bigger cities. We call on the government to invest in Ballarat to create a skilled, job-ready population that will drive regional prosperity.”
"Free TAFE is an example of where government support been transformative, and our approach is putting in the same scaffolding it offers into regional higher education to ensure students have affordable pathways to jobs and further study,” Professor Bentley said
“I want to recognise the advocacy and support from local MPs, like Ms Catherine King, Ms Julianna Anderson MP and Ms Michaela Settle MP, who have been key in promoting education pathways for our Ballarat community,” Professor Bentley said.
Further background
Federation University has released its Election and Policy Priorities 2025–2028: Building education-to-jobs pathways across Ararat, Ballarat, Berwick, Horsham, and Gippsland.
Federation is seeking support to rapidly grow key programs by making post-secondary education more accessible and valuable to the local communities it serves while maintaining its core programs in education and health.
The Central Highlands region is evolving into a clean economy and technology hub, with Ballarat at its core. Despite a $7.7 billion Gross Regional Product (GRP) and strong industry investment, skills gaps persist in construction, engineering, IT, business, education, and health. By 2051, Ballarat will require 17,500 additional jobs driven by renewable energy, construction, and regional infrastructure projects.
Federation University Australia’s Election and Policy Priorities 2025–2028 paper is available at: https://www.federation.edu.au/siteassets/files/about/our-structure/governance/federation-election-and-policy-priorities-2025-to-20282.pdf