New Sydney Olympic Park campus helping students on the pathway to success

 Mr Luke Foley MP, NSW Labor Leader and Member for Auburn, officially opened the Sydney Olympic Park campus. 

Western Sydney University has officially opened its Sydney Olympic Park campus – creating more opportunities for students from across the Western Sydney region to access higher education.

Opened by Mr Luke Foley MP, NSW Labor Leader and Member for Auburn, Sydney Olympic Park is the newest campus for Western Sydney University's College.

The College provides pathway programs across a number of campuses for students seeking alternative entry to Western Sydney University – particularly those from migrant, refugee and educationally-disrupted backgrounds.

The Sydney Olympic Park location is the only campus dedicated to English language programs, which are having a transformative effect on the lives of students.

A total of 500 international students from more than 30 different nationalities study at the campus each year, which also has 50 staff, many of them bilingual.

The campus operates across two floors, and features purpose-built facilities such as specialised rooms for both IELTS (International English Language Testing System) and the Pearson Test of English, as well as teaching spaces, quiet study zones, staff offices, and break-out recreational areas.

 Vice-Chancellor, Professor Barney Glover; Chancellor, Professor Peter Shergold; Mr Luke Foley MP, NSW Labor Leader and Member for Auburn; and Mr Andrew Dawkins, Chief Executive Officer of The College, officially open the Sydney Olympic Park campus.

The College is also helping those displaced by civil war and global unrest to rebuild their lives, by providing four Refugee Scholarships per year to study English at the Sydney Olympic Park campus.

These scholarships assist with the cost of study, giving newly-arrived students from refugee backgrounds an opportunity to improve their English language skills and help them on the path to a happy and productive life in Australia.

Western Sydney University Vice-Chancellor, Professor Barney Glover, says The College is one of the University's great success stories.

"Established in 2008, Western Sydney University College has since grown to more than 3500 students on four campuses located across Greater Western Sydney," says Professor Glover.

"The University is recognised as a national leader for higher education pathways programs and has significantly improved access to higher education for thousands of students.

"Expanding our College programs to accessible, central locations such as Sydney Olympic Park ensures the University is fulfilling its mission to improve educational outcomes for the people of Greater Western Sydney."

 College Refugee Scholarship recipients: Elizabeth Dibbs, Nancy Nounou, Margaret Miller, Muna Laloo, Nada Nounou, Chancellor Professor Peter Shergold, Marianne Chaffe.

Mr Andrew Dawkins, CEO of The College, says the English programs offered at the new campus are vital to international students who are keen to further their tertiary education. 

"Students completing these English programs have a high progression rate to Western Sydney University and perform strongly in their University studies," says Mr Dawkins.

"The College has a long and successful track record in helping those who might have had significantly disrupted backgrounds and preparing them academically for further study at Western Sydney University.

"These new, purpose-built facilities allow us to continue that work by providing smaller, more intensive classes, helping students to thrive and reach the levels of English proficiency needed for success at university and for their future careers."