University of Canberra signs on to Poplars innovation precinct

Students at the University of Canberra will soon be able to access further research opportunities following a new partnership with a future innovation hub slated to be built in Jerrabomberra.

The university has become the first educational institution to sign on to the upcoming Poplars development, which is set to begin construction in mid-2022.

It’s hoped the hub – which is set to attract defence, cyber security and space-based businesses to the region – will provide educational partnerships for university students.

The new partnership comes following an agreement signed between the university, Poplars developers and Queanbeyan council.

The university’s deputy vice-chancellor Professor Leigh Sullivan said the new partnership was a way to expand the tertiary institution’s reach beyond the ACT.

“What we can contribute to this is research and innovation opportunities and we’re looking forward to linking up with businesses and the high school here, and there are a lot of things that are possible,” Prof Sullivan said.

“We’re hoping to act as a catalyst, and we have an opportunity to be on site and help contribute to [the development’s] success.”

Talks had been under way between the three parties on the educational partnership for more than a year.

Further opportunities for the university will include student mentoring, internships and research opportunities in areas of study.

Poplars co-owner David Maxwell said it was hoped the development would lead to further partnerships between universities and burgeoning industries.

“This is bringing together all of the strong links, and is about jobs, training and education,” he said.

“This isn’t about competing against Canberra or NSW, it’s the broader region competing with Sydney or Adelaide, and we’re trying to work together to bring defence and cyber industries to the region.”

While the first businesses have yet to sign on to the development, development applications for subdivisions of the site in Jerrabomberra are set to be finalised in coming months.

The development’s co-owners have said the Poplars aimed at building an area similar to developments near Canberra Airport or the Carriageworks precinct in Sydney.

The 40-hectare site will be a mix of an innovation precinct along with retail areas.

“There are dozens of projects that we could do with the university,” fellow co-owner David Larcombe said.

Queanbeyan Palerang Regional Council mayor Tim Overall said the university partnership was also set to provide a jobs boost for the area.

“This is about offering employment opportunities and is going to provide a focus on defence, space and information and technology industries, and that’s going to be a huge plus,” he said.

“It’s significant because South Jerrabomberra has been identified as one of four regional jobs precincts by the NSW government.

“As a regional jobs precinct, specialist planners will be assigned to work with council to help refine processes to fast-track the ability to collaborate with different parts of government to create new jobs and enable industries to expand in the region.”

The university partnership comes as the University of Canberra announced last week it would establish a new campus in Sydney.

The campus in Sydney’s north-west would be used for nursing degrees and is set to open to students from 2022.

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