New deal backs regional students

COUNTRY Universities Centre and La Trobe University have formed a partnership with the aim of improving access to higher education in regional areas.

The CUC is a community driven organisation with 18 centres around Australia and overseen by locals who provide support to regional students studying off-campus.

CEO of CUC Chris Ronan said working with La Trobe would mean more opportunities for students in regional Victoria.

“Any student from any university, studying any degree can come in and get face-to-face support, a learning community of students from within their own community and start to really establish connections and normalise higher education,” he said.

The initiative is supported by tertiary institutions around the country, which help the CUC support students to navigate enrolment and academic processes.

The opening of a new centre in Swan Hill had seen a lot of new students enrol in higher education after is made it possible for them to actively engage in regular study.

“These are people who never would have come to university before because they’re established in those communities, they’ve got kids or caring responsibilities,” Mr Ronan said.

One aim of the CUC is to provide place-based, in person support that helps people to access higher education in a way that does not feel isolating.

La Trobe pro vice-chancellor Melanie Bish said she was thrilled her institution had joined the program because it was important for the university to make programs accessible to students.

“As a university we’re committed to the economic social and cultural development of rural and regional communities,” she said.

“And we understand the importance of members of our communities to be able to access higher education and upskill themselves for the workforce.”

Ms Bish said CUC had infrastructure in place to provide stable internet access and other telecommunication resources to students.

“So students can actually stay in community but have a greater level of assurance around the resources that they’ve got to help them engage with their studies,” she said.