UTS to open Australia’s first Indigenous residential college

The University of Technology Sydney (UTS) has revealed plans to build a $100 million residential college for Indigenous students on or near its Ultimo campus.

The first of its kind, architects will consult Indigenous designers before beginning the construction, which is anticipated to open its doors within four years. The building would be “an architect-designed landmark with contemporary interior design.

UTS said the facility would house 250 beds, the majority of which will be solely for Indigenous residents. The college is expected to be one of the most significant of its kind in the world.

“For the first time Indigenous people will be the hosts, not the guests in a place based around their traditions and identity,” said UTS’s pro vice-chancellor of Indigenous leadership and Wiradjuri man, Professor Michael McDaniel.

“At its very heart, is a simple proposal; to increase Indigenous student participation in higher education by breaking the back of one of the real barriers they face – the securing of accommodation, and the security to study without all the pressure of finances.

A third of $100 million – to cover land and construction – will be contributed by UTS. The NSW government will provide $10 million, and federal Labor has pledged $20 million if it wins government next year. The rest will be raised from donations.