Royal Institute of Deaf and Blind Children to relocate to Macquarie Uni, offer preschool

The Royal Institute of Deaf and Blind Children (RIDBC) centre of excellence will relocate from its current home, in North Rocks, New South Wales, to Macquarie University. As part of the move, the Institute will add a new preschool and primary school, as well an expansive health consulting services centre.

A planning submission supporting the proposal indicates that the development includes accommodation for up to 80 preschool children and up to 120 schoolchildren in a single storey pavilion alongside Culloden Rd, with the main RIDBC building expected to cater for approximately 260 staff and include a series of classrooms, a business hub and medical facilities.

A memorandum of understanding was signed between the Institute and the University earlier in the year, capitalising on an existing mutually beneficial relationship. The partnership involves RIDCC’s cochlear implant and early intervention programs in the Australian Hearing Hub, founded by Macquarie, the affiliation of the RIDBC Renwick Centre’s education activities, and collaborative research projects.

The shared purpose will enable better research on sensory disability, support development of an effective and coordinated health and services model, promote best-practice inclusive and accessible education and world-class clinical evaluation, testing and diagnosis from industry-leading clinicians.

The Institute’s headquarters will relocate in 2023, offering services related to diagnostics, therapy, early intervention, and education into an exemplar facility on campus at the University, deepening the exploration by both parties of shared advocacy interests around sensory disability, such as a united voice to government on public health policy and practice in sensory disability, as well as standards of care and funding of best practice models of healthcare. 

Together, Macquarie and RIDBC intend to expand international networks and collaborations that support the adoption of leading health practices in hearing and vision.

Once the move is complete, the University intends for the space to be a hearing precinct where academia, practitioners and industry partners, such as Cochlear Ltd can collaborate and provide global leadership in hearing healthcare. 

The State Significant Development is up for public consultation through NSW Major Projects at the Planning Department until December 16 2020, and may be accessed here.