It will be available at ACU’s Ballarat campus from 2017, with up to 50 student places.

Students will have access to purpose-built on-campus facilities and access to laboratories, hospitals and health services in Ballarat and other regional centres.

ACU vice-chancellor Professor Greg Craven said the university’s reputation for strong academic leadership and world-class research, plus its partnerships with health providers, enabled it to deliver quality higher education for regional Victorian students.

“ACU has a long-established relationship with the Ballarat community and the organisations that work in the area to provide critical health services,” Professor Craven said.

“The new physiotherapy degree will add an important component to the breadth of our health courses in Victoria and nationally, which align with the growing research strengths for the university.”

St John of God Hospital chief executive officer Michael Krieg said the university had identified a significant services gap.

“As our population ages, we face increasing demand for services such as physiotherapy, and there is no other training provider in our region,” Mr Krieg said. “Until now, anyone wishing to study physiotherapy has had to travel to Geelong or Melbourne.

“We are delighted ACU has taken the initiative to train local students, and St John of God Hospital Ballarat is a proud partner of this venture.”