Day one of the 2022 LGAQ Annual Conference kicked off with a panel discussion about the success of Regional University Centres (RUC) in Queensland.
The panel, which included Assistant Minister for Education and Assistant Minister for Regional Development Senator the Hon. Anthony Chisholm, Country University Centres (CUC) Founder Duncan Taylor, Cook Shire Council Mayor Peter Scott, Balonne Shire Council Mayor Samantha O’Toole, Mt Isa City Council Mayor Danielle Slade, and Maranoa Regional Council Councillor and CUC Chair Cameron O’Neil, talked about how the Centres allow regional, rural and remote communities to grow and retain their own local talent—a big selling point for areas like Mt Isa.
“Back in the ‘80s Mt Isa was booming, but now I don’t recognise the town I love,” Mayor Slade said during the discussion.
“There were young people everywhere. Now they have an exit plan for town when they finish school.”
RUCs provide physical, campus-like spaces and support for students who are studying university or VET courses online at any Australian institution. By giving students access to infrastructure such as study spaces with high-speed internet access and video conferencing; administrative guidance; academic support services; and pastoral care, they provide an alternative to moving away for study and enhance the experience of students studying within their own community.
“We need to solve communities’ problems, not universities’ problems,” Mr Taylor said.
Senator Chisholm made the argument that traditional universities no longer exist in the form many may remember.
“It’s all online now, which provides opportunities for centres like this to thrive,” he said.
Mayor Scott said Cook Shire Council hadn’t received even one negative comment on Facebook about the Country Universities Centre, and by giving students more choices of what they can study locally—as opposed to the big universities, which might offer just a few rural and regional courses—they have the option of staying close to home.
“If we keep people on country, close to home, that’s where they’re going to get the best benefit and we’re going to get the best benefit,” Mayor Scott said.
When the panel was asked whether the Centres could take over traditional universities, the consensus was that they the need for face-to-face campuses will still exist, but the Centres would provide some balance and more options and opportunities for rural, regional and remote students.
“We underestimated how popular this would be, and we have already outgrown our centre,” Mayor O’Toole said.