Gough Whitlam’s vision for the establishment of UWS
A new paper by historian Dr Mark Hutchinson, published by the Whitlam Institute within the University of Western Sydney, examines the substantial influence Gough Whitlam had on the establishment of the University.
When Gough Whitlam first entered parliament in 1952 as the MP for the south-western Sydney seat of Werriwa, there was not a single high school in his electorate. Despite the summer heat there were few public swimming pools, and significantly, much of Western Sydney (west of Woodville Road) was not connected to the sewer.
The concept of a University in the West was repeatedly shelved in order to cater for booming populations closer to the east. University participation rates in the western suburbs were the lowest in the country, limiting generations of people from many of the benefits most Australians took for granted.
Professor Janice Reid AM, Vice-Chancellor of the University of Western Sydney says that the development of the university has been a radical force for change in the West, something that is worth reflecting on as the university moves towards the celebration of its 25th anniversary.
“The University of Western Sydney began modestly on 1 January 1989, and now has over 40 000 students spread across 6 campuses and over 2500 staff,” says Professor Reid.
