La Trobe University to partner with the AFL
MEDIA RELEASE
Thursday 20 September 2018
La Trobe University and Australian Football League announce new partnership.
La Trobe University is proud to announce its new partnership with the AFL, becoming the leagues official education partner.
In recognition of this new relationship, La Trobe Vice Chancellor John Dewar has invited AFL CEO Gillon McLachlan to the Bundoora campus for a tour of the facilities, and to hold a press conference.
The university would love to invite media members to attend. It will be held this Friday the 21st of September at the La Trobe campus in Bundoora out the front of the Thomas Cherry Building at 11am.
Please park your cars in-either car park 1 or the visitor’s car park, walk across the road past the bus stops and you will find the location.
La Trobe is thrilled to be the first university to partner with the AFL, and are excited for what this new three-year deal will be able to do for the university, the staff and students.
As a result of this new partnership, the number of post-graduate students studying at La Trobe is estimated to increase, students will receive more ‘real world’ work experience and those studying sport related courses would be able to take some of their classes at the AFL.
Students will also receive discounts offered by AFL sponsors, discounted game tickets as well as seeing a pre-season game staged at La Trobe, Bundoora in 2019.
Dewar believes these opportunities and assistance will greatly assist La Trobe staff and students, and will provide a great environment for their work and studies.
“We are excited to provide these chances for our staff and students, and can not wait to watch them excel through this partnership,” he said.
La Trobe is thrilled to also announce some of the exciting projects being developed as a result of this announcement.
The construction of a $75 million sports precinct has begun construction and there are preparations to open new campuses in Brisbane, Adelaide and Perth.
Dewar believes through a new partnership with the AFL and an existing relationship with the Carlton Football Club, La Trobe will continue to expand and grow.
“With our new and existing partners, we are excited to see what the future holds for La Trobe University and the improvements we will continue to make,” he said.
Dewar says it is fantastic to be able to partner with such large and well-known organizations in the community, helping La Trobe become number one in sport.
“We pride ourselves on excelling in many areas, and being number one in sport is one of them. We think we are working well towards that, which hopefully Gillon has seen on his tour today,” he said.
In a boost for both parties, AFL players will study at La Trobe, giving them a great education for life post football.
Current Collingwood player Brodie Grundy is a current student, and he praises the staff for their assistance in his journey through university and juggling it with an AFL career.
“I couldn’t be more impressed with how supportive the teaching staff have been in allowing me to balance my studies with my football career,” he said.
This partnership will coincide with the existing relationship with A-League club Melbourne City FC, who is based at La Trobe.
In La Trobe’s 51st year, these relationships are a great stepping-stone for what is to come as an organization, and will benefit the 40 000 strong student base for years to come.
In a bid to keep these partnerships strong and to invite future relationships with top organisations, La Trobe has appointed John Dewar for another five years as Vice Chancellor of the university.
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