A group of retired educators, current teachers and business people have joined forces to advocate for a dedicated campus, which they say will benefit more than just the local education system – but also the economy as well.

Tamworth businessman Mitchel Hanlon said there had been a behind-the-scenes push for some years to establish a tertiary facility in the city.

“I was a member of the now defunct Tamworth Regional Development corporation (and) we tried to get a university presence established in Tamworth but it failed for various reasons, including the lack of engagement from levels of the community,” Mr Hanlon said.

“Recently a group of us got together, just to consider what we could do to attract a university to Tamworth.”

Mr Hanlon believed the city could support a university campus of up to 500 students.

“One issue is, we have a lot of kids who can’t go to university,” he said. 

“Obviously there is one up the road in Armidale, but there are access issues with that and there are a lot of kids who don’t consider university because they can’t afford to travel.

“Students could be studying two types of courses (in Tamworth) - teaching and nursing and possibly business studies.

“They would be the low-cost courses to deliver.

“My personal preference would be to see a hybrid model, with TAFE providing a pathway for this.”

The support for a university campus in Tamworth was echoed by Tamworth Business Chamber president Lia Mahony, who said she would be keen to see a facility established in the thriving regional city.

“I would love to see an active local campus in Tamworth,” she said.

“I know UNE (University of New England) do serve our area, and they serve it well.

“From a business perspective, there are many opportunities that a university would bring, from varieties in employment options, innovation and technical opportunities.

”Just having those flow on effects is very positive for our community.”