A high school in Newcastle, New South Wales, has opened a direct pathway to university research, advanced facilities and careers in science, technology, engineering, mathematics and medicine (STEMM).
Callaghan College and the University of Newcastle launched the Hunter STEMM Academy of Excellence on 18 August 2026.
The launch took place at the College’s annual Inspire Awards on Awabakal country. The partnership spans the full arc of student development – from early learning through to higher education and industry entry.
The addition of medicine to the traditional STEM framework marks a broadening of scope rare in Australian secondary schools.
What the academy offers Hunter students
The Academy is already operational. Year 8 Technology students are designing and producing projects using the University’s Advanced Prototyping Facility. Year 11 and 12 Physics students are conducting laboratory work alongside PhD researchers.
The structure places high school students inside tertiary research environments, not simulations of them.
College Principal Dr Kylee Owen, who leads Callaghan College in New South Wales, said the model was built on direct engagement, not classroom instruction alone.
“This partnership ensures our students don’t simply learn about STEMM – they experience it,” Dr Owen said.
“By working alongside researchers, academics and industry experts from an early age, our students will develop the confidence, skills and aspirations to become the innovators, problem-solvers and leaders our region needs.”
A regional model for school-university collaboration
The Academy was announced by University of Newcastle Vice-Chancellor and President Professor Alex Zelinsky AO and Executive Director, Public Schools, Regional North, Tim McCallum.
Professor Zelinsky framed the initiative as a regional equity measure as much as an academic one.
“The University of Newcastle is proud to partner with Callaghan College to create opportunities that inspire young people to pursue STEMM education and careers,” he said.
“Together we are building pathways that benefit students, encourage participation in STEMM, and create a pipeline for our region’s next generation of scientists, engineers, and mathematicians.”
McCallum said the partnership was proof of what cross-sector cooperation could achieve.
“This partnership transforms STEMM education into a journey of discovery – from a child’s first spark of curiosity through to higher education and careers that will shape the future of our region,” he said.
The broader push for STEMM access in NSW
The Hunter launch follows growing investment in STEMM infrastructure across New South Wales.
In 2023, the NSW Government directed $45 million toward a new STEM Centre of Education Excellence at the Australian Catholic University in Strathfield, targeting students from pre-school through to senior secondary years.
The Callaghan College model differs in embedding students inside an existing research university. For principals considering similar arrangements, that distinction matters. Access to authentic university environments has been identified as the key factor in how school-university STEMM partnerships deliver measurable results.
Educators across Australia are also rethinking how STEMM is taught at a system level. There is a growing shift toward embedding STEM capabilities across curricula rather than limiting them to selective subjects. This is the design principle that Hunter STEMM Academy puts into practice from Year 8 onwards.