Cumberland College of Health Sciences (CCHS)

NSW Government Gazette 27 April 1973:

"It is hereby notified that in terms of section 17(1) of the Higher Education Act, 1969, the New South Wales College of Paramedical Studies is declared a college of advanced education within the Ministry of Education as from 1st July, 1973." It was proclaimed "a corporate College of Advanced Education" on 1st October, 1974. The College was renamed Cumberland College of Health Sciences (CCHS) on 6 June 1975.

On 1 July 1973, the New South Wales College of Paramedical Studies formally assumed responsibility for the educational programmes previously conducted by the New South Wales College of Nursing, New South Wales College of Occupational Therapy, New South Wales School of Orthoptics, New South Wales School of Physiotherapy and the New South Wales Speech Therapy Training School. It was given the task of conducting three year full-time courses in occupational therapy, physiotherapy and speech therapy, and a two year full-time course in orthoptics. Post-registration nursing courses previously conducted by the New South Wales College of Nursing were included from 1975.

The primary role of the College was that of teaching and research within the broad field of the health professions. Thus the development of sound programmes of study, designed to equip the graduates of the college with the skills and understanding to to meet community needs within their specialist areas, became the major educational objective.

After operating in rented premises in five inner city campuses in its early years, the College's permanent site at Lidcombe was completed by July 1978. The College was officially opened by His Excellency Sir Zelman Cowen AK GCMG KStJ QC, the then Governor General of Australia, on 26 October 1979.

As part of the the reorganisation of higher education in the late 1980s, the Cumberland College of Health Sciences became a college of the University of Sydney under s. 42(1) of the University and University Colleges (Amendment) Act 1989. It was amalgamated with the University, and on 1 January 1990 became an academic college of the University under s.27 of the University of Sydney Act 1989 which repealed the earlier Act.