UPDATE 6.45pm: Regional Tertiary Advisory Group co-chair Kylie Gaston said Deakin had made a commitment to working with the community into the future.

“Federation Uni has not worked out and we are moving on,” she said.

“For 2017 you can enrol in teaching, nursing, commerce, law, marine science and psychology. 

“Enrolments are open and open day is August 7.

“RTAG has made a commitment to work with industry and Deakin to help secure internships that can go hand-in-hand with degrees.” 

South West Coast MP Roma Britnell urged the university’s council to continue to support the campus.

She said it was vital the community worked together to help drive up enrollments. 

“I’ll also be asking the State Government to consider incentives to help attract prospective students to Warrnambool. The state Training and Skills Minister Steve Herbert has an important role to play in this,” Mrs Britnell said.

“We all have an important role to play to ensure tertiary education remains in the region.

“If you have ever considered a studying at university, now is the time to do it.”

UPDATE 6.25pm: The National Tertiary Education Union (NTEU) is disappointed negotiations to retain a university campus in Warrnambool did not gain a result.

Victorian division secretary Dr Colin Long said he spoke to Deakin’s Vice Chancellor Jane den Hollander before the staff briefing.

“We are very disappointed that Federation Uni had given all sorts of indications they were interested in the campus and then to withdraw now, especially after the federal election … is pretty disappointing,” he said.

“We are glad Deakin are making a commitment to stick a round for awhile and to increase student numbers.

“Our position hasn’t changed, in that Warrnambool needs a higher education campus there.”

He said staff were concerned about the uncertainty surrounding the campus’ long-term future.

“There will be people that are pleased committed to stay on for longer, but I’m not sure how long that is for,” Dr Long said.

UPDATE 5.10pm: It’s been four months and one day since Deakin University’s Vice Chancellor Jane den Hollander briefed staff on the Warrnambool campus’ future.

On that day, she said there were three options remaining for Deakin – finding a new provider, closure or attracting more students. 

After months of uncertainty and negotiations, she again briefed staff on Tuesday, telling them Federation University had discontinued talks of a campus takeover. 

But she assured staff and students Deakin would continue.  

“At the moment we are progressing,” she said.

“(20)17 and (20)18 are secure and by August 5 we will have a council meeting and if council say we proceed, then we proceed. At this stage no decision has made and the university continues in perpetuity. Staff were very surprised with the information about Federation University and them not choosing to come to Warrnambool.

“I think there had been acceptance that it was going to be Federation University. In deciding not to proceed with plans to take over the Warrnambool campus, Federation said no to a $100 million package supported by both the federal and state governments.” 

Professor den Hollander said there were no other parties interested in the Warrnambool campus.

“We know look at what we do to ensure that higher education is the priority for Warrnambool,” she said.

“When I have discussed this with the town, the town’s people have been very clear that what they want is higher education in Warrnambool, rather than just a campus.” 

Professor den Hollander said a decision to leave the south-west was in the hands of the university council.

“I have given staff assurances today that for the next two years there are no concerns at all and I would expect in August that my council, who would prefer to be here than not be here, will support that decision,” she said.

“At this stage it is a matter for council, not a matter for management. What we have done now is we have the attention of the community, who may have taken an excellent university for granted in their town. My message to the community is to enrol at Deakin.”

She questioned why students would leave Warrnambool to study, but said Deakin was a digital university.

“We bet our house on the digital frontier that we would be the best we can be in the world in digital,” she said.

“We need to have a stronger embrace of cloud learning. Students at other campuses use the cloud very successfully, in Warrnambool there has been some resistance to that.”

UPDATE 4.45pm: Federal Member for Wannon Dan Tehan said he felt incredibly positive about the future of Warrnambool's Deakin University campus after meeting with Deakin Vice Chancellor Jane den Hollander and members of the Regional Tertiary Advisory Group (RTAG) today.

Mr Tehan confirmed the $14 million that was offered by the Federal Government to broker a deal with Federation University would support an ongoing Deakin Warrnambool campus.

"Now that it's clear that Deakin will be remaining, we are arranging a meeting between ourselves and the newly appointed Higher Education Minister - we've got to wait to see who that is," he said.

"Then obviously we want to make sure that the $14 million which was put on the table will now be used to ensuring an ongoing presence of Deakin in Warrnambool."

Mr Tehan said Federation University had passed up a wonderful opportunity.

He also said it was important to increase enrollments at the Warrnambool campus.

"It is a fantastic university and if we are to make it a success here in the south-west we've got to get enrollments up," Mr Tehan said.

UPDATE 3.40pm: A statement from Federation University says t​he tertiary education provider's council had ​decided not to have a campus presence in Warrnambool at this time.

​Vice Chancellor Professor David  Battersby said there was already a significant number of students from Warrnambool and the south-west attending Federation University. 

“The university took this into account when making its decision,” ​he​  said.

“We have a long-standing involvement in the ​s​outh-west region, which will be maintained in the future.

“We thank Deakin University and all of the stakeholders involved in the discussions and appreciate the time we have spent with them, and note there continues to be a shared goal of ensuring higher education in the Warrnambool region.”

UPDATE 3.30pm: Watch a two-minute statement from Jane den Hollander to the media this afternoon.

UPDATE 2.35pm: Deakin University Vice-Chancellor Jane den Hollander has confirmed the Warrnambool campus would be secure for 2017-18.

Speaking to the media this afternoon, she said she could not comment on Federation University's reasons for not going ahead with a takeover.

Professor den Hollander urged the community to throw its support behind the campus by enrolling.

EARLIER: Deakin University Vice-Chancellor Professor Jane den Hollander today visited Warrnambool to update staff, students and the community on the future of the campus.

During a staff briefing, the Vice-Chancellor announced that Federation University had formally advised her of its decision not to proceed with an offer to acquire the Warrnambool Campus.

“I am disappointed to learn that Federation has decided against accepting what was a very strong offer,” Professor den Hollander said in a statement.

“In deciding not to proceed with plans to take over the Warrnambool Campus, Federation said no to a $100 million package supported by both the federal and state governments.

“When the Federal Ministry is sworn in, Deakin will begin discussions with the new Turnbull Government, followed by discussions with the State Government regarding how we might secure higher education for the Warrnambool community.”

The Vice-Chancellor also provided an update on the deliberations of the University Council.

“If the University Council agrees at its next meeting in August that we continue in Warrnambool, the education model will need to be different. We must find better ways to manage small enrolments across a range of disciplines because we must provide students with a Deakin experience consistent with our other campuses,” Professor den Hollander said.

The Vice-Chancellor reiterated that students studying at the Warrnambool Campus are unaffected by the discussions.

“I have made it very clear on a number of occasions that our wonderful students, both existing and those starting in trimester two this week, are unaffected by these discussions and will continue their studies in the normal way and will graduate from the Warrnambool campus,” Professor den Hollander said.

“I extended the trimester two enrolment deadline until yesterday – the first day of the second Trimester – and committed additional marketing funding to give the Warrnambool community as much time as possible to encourage more students to enrol. Many of you will have seen the additional advertisements or heard the radio promotional activity in the town and region.

“Despite our best efforts and those of the community, new enrolments for trimester two have not increased. We will continue to work with the community and remain hopeful for 2017 if we all work together in what is a shared goal of ensuring higher education in the Warrnambool region.”

The Vice-Chancellor confirmed that plans continued for the annual Open Day on the Warrnambool Campus on Sunday, August 7.

MORE TO COME.