Event information
Country Universities Centre, Cooma and Lake Crackenback Resort, Jindabyne
Members from 16 Federally-funded Regional University Centres convened in the Snowy Mountains on 15 November 2019 to collaborate, engage with higher education experts, and share examples of best practice with the aim of ensuring students from regional, rural and remote communities across Australia receive better access to higher education and to improve student success.
NCSEHE workshops were held on 14 November at Country Universities Centre Cooma, followed by a public symposium on 15 November at Lake Crackenback Resort, Jindabyne.
The inaugural Best Practice in Regional Study Hubs Symposium was opened by the Commonwealth Minister for Education, Dan Tehan, and included: workshops, discussion panels, expert subject matter presentations and addresses from Federal and State Ministers and from the Department of Education.
Key discussions at the Symposium around student and Regional University Centres support, included:
- assistance for First-in-Family students
- supporting the mental wellbeing of mature age online students
- increased support for increased success of Indigenous students
- building a learning culture in regional Australia
- the shape and composition of future regional workforces.
University academics and staff from across Australia, with a keen interest in regional tertiary education, including CQUniversity, Charles Sturt University, the University of New England, Curtin University and Macquarie University attended and provided insight into best practice areas.
The Symposium was organised by the Country Universities Centre with the support of, and funding from, the Australian Government through the National Centre for Student Equity in Higher Education (NCSEHE) and Destination NSW. It follows on from a successful Regional Study Hubs conference hosted by the Geraldton Universities Centre in Western Australia earlier this year.
Regional University Centre showcase
The Regional University Centres were showcased at the event through a series of posters. High resolution images are available here.
