Federation University’s Wimmera campus will not be accredited by the Australian Nursing and Midwifery Accreditation Council from 2016.

Students will need to be enrolled at the university’s Mt Helen campus in Ballarat.

University Wimmera campus head Geoff Lord said students would still be able to access the majority of the nursing curriculum in Horsham and could complete the course via online and blended learning through the Mt Helen campus.

‘‘The nursing suite is accredited every five years and there’s a significant investment required to maintain current use of that,’’ he said.

Mr Lord said it would take a $500,000 investment from the government or other sources to bring the campus up to accreditation standard.

‘‘At this stage, that is not forthcoming,’’ he said.

‘‘Our solution is to centralise the enrolment and we can still deliver the majority of the course on-site.’’

Mr Lord said it would be business as usual for nursing students this year. He said many courses, including in the education faculty, had components that were delivered through live video-links.

A letter from Federation University Nursing, Midwifery and Healthcare head Wendy Penny to students enrolled in nursing for this year detailed the move.

‘‘In 2016 the Horsham campus will not be an Australian Nursing and Midwifery Accreditation Council accredited teaching site,’’ she wrote

‘‘This will mean that from 2016 onwards you will be able to study flexibly online, and be required to enrol as a student of the Mt Helen campus.

‘‘At times you will be required to attend the Mt Helen campus in Ballarat for block classes in order to complete the program.’’

Mr Lord said three nursing lecturers would continue to be employed at the Wimmera campus and would deliver course material and consult with students.

He said it was common for students in other courses to have to attend Ballarat campuses.

‘‘For example, in a lot of the education courses they’ll once or twice a semester have an intensive weekend in Ballarat,’’ he said.

Rural Northwest Health chief executive Catherine Morley said the move was a blow for the region.

‘‘It’s extremely disappointing for the health industry and for our community members to not be able to access this course close to home,’’ she said.

She said students across the region and especially in towns outside Horsham would not be able to travel to Ballarat for training.

‘‘It will mean that the students can’t afford to go to the course,’’ she said.

‘‘They don’t have the cars and the finances to be able to travel to Ballarat to do the course.’’

Ms Morley believed the decision was about boosting the university’s profits.

‘‘I’m not discounting that it’s a business, but this is about our health industry and local community,’’ she said.

‘‘If you’re a university in a rural area you have to be adaptable for meeting the needs of your rural students.’’

Member for Lowan Emma Kealy called on the government to give money to the university so nursing could continue to be delivered in Horsham.

Skills and Training Minister Steve Herbert said while the state government was restoring Victoria’s TAFE system, the federal government was planning massive cuts to universities.

‘‘Fed Uni owes an explanation to the local community about why it is making changes to its nursing programs at Horsham and if there is a local need, what efforts are being made to retain them,’’ he said.