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Media Release

Over 2,300 new places to boost university entry

11 September 2007

The Minister for Education, Science and Training, the Hon Julie Bishop, today announced more than 2,300 new Commonwealth-supported places to help meet demand for higher education next year.

“Places have been allocated to areas of skills need and student demand, including 560 places for the training of engineers, 390 for science professionals, 395 for nurses, 375 for teachers and 210 for other health professionals,” Minister Bishop said.

“Other areas to benefit from the new places are accounting, social work, foreign languages, and higher education pathways for Indigenous students as well as South Australia’s first veterinary science school at the University of Adelaide.

“The majority of the new places have been provided to public universities, with private higher education providers receiving 260 places in the national priority areas of nursing and teaching.”

The Australian Government is providing new engineering places as part of the Skills for the Future package and other places as part of the Our Universities: Backing Australia’s Future package. The majority of these places will commence in 2008.

“These new places are in addition to the more than 4,600 new places the Government allocated in 2006. Around 50,000 new university places are being funded by the Australian Government by 2011,” Minister Bishop said.

“The number of eligible students missing out on a place is at historically low levels, with a record 92% of home-state Year 12 eligible applicants receiving an offer this year, up from 90% last year, which was the best result in more than two decades.

“The record funding increase for higher education announced in this year’s Budget will give providers increased capacity and flexibility to respond to student and employer demand. Greater flexibility in the management of places means there is potential for an additional 21,000 places nationally next year.”

A full list of the new places is attached.

Further information related to other states and territories can be found at:

• NSW – http://www.dest.gov.au/Ministers/Media/Bishop/2007/09/B003110907.asp
• VIC – http://www.dest.gov.au/Ministers/Media/Bishop/2007/09/B004110907.asp
• QLD – http://www.dest.gov.au/Ministers/Media/Bishop/2007/09/B005110907.asp
• WA – http://www.dest.gov.au/Ministers/Media/Bishop/2007/09/B006110907.asp
• NT – http://www.dest.gov.au/Ministers/Media/Bishop/2007/09/B007110907.asp
• SA – http://www.dest.gov.au/Ministers/Media/Bishop/2007/09/B008110907.asp
• TAS - http://www.dest.gov.au/Ministers/Media/Bishop/2007/09/B009110907.asp

Media Contacts:
Minister Bishop’s Office: Tory Vidler 0414 228 727

Dept of Education, Science & Training: Media Unit 02 6240 7300

Non-media queries 1300 363 079

Allocation of New Places for 2008 (Commencing in 2008 unless otherwise indicated)

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