Deakin University will build a Centre for Advanced Design in Engineering Training (CADET) after receiving funding from the Federal Government.
Th University will receive $21.5 million for the CADET project under the Regional Priorities Round of the Federal Government's Education Investment Fund (EIF).
The project includes new facilities to host advanced modelling, simulation and prototyping equipment, including virtual reality and digital manufacturing laboratories.
The government believes its investment will give students in regional Australia access to better quality education and training opportunities and help meet the skills needs of regional communities.
The CADET project will provide hands-on, engineering education for school, TAFE and university students throughout the region. A key priority is to encourage more women into engineering careers.
The investment will help Deakin University build new facilities at its Waurn Ponds campus with specialised equipment needed to teach students from the high school to postgraduate level.
It will emphasise design, virtual modelling and prototyping. Through collaboration with industry, this design-focused approach is expected to make engineering courses more effective, as well as more attractive to students.
Deakin University has received $37 million in previous rounds of EIF.