18 July 2023
The Regional Universities Network (RUN) welcomes the Albanese Government’s $66.9 million announcement to increase the number of study hubs in Australia.
Executive Director of RUN, Mr Alec Webb, said that today’s announcement will provide significant opportunities for regional Australians to access and benefit from the life changing experience of higher education.
“Regional study hubs make a significant difference to people living in regional communities by removing barriers and enabling Australians, no matter where they live, to pursue their dreams of tertiary study.
“Regional universities have a long history of collaboration with the Regional Universities Centres, with the three largest university providers to existing centres being regional universities.
“These study hubs are community owned and operated and provide essential study spaces, student support and infrastructure and will be critical in improving university attainment for regional Australians.
“Most encouraging is the fact that the study hubs have provided opportunities to students from underrepresented equity cohorts, with study hub students being more likely to be mature aged, Indigenous, from low socioeconomic backgrounds or first in family”, said Mr Webb
Since their inception the study hubs have provided essential skills to students studying in fields that regional Australia is in dire need of, with the most commonly studied courses being Bachelor of Nursing and Bachelor of Education.
RUN also welcomes the establishment of Suburban University Study Hubs in outer suburbs of Australia’s metropolitan cities.
“It is refreshing to see a successful regional policy initiative being adopted for the betterment of metropolitan Australians who do not have easy access to university campuses”, said Mr Webb.
Contacts:
Alec Webb, Executive Director, 0408 482 736
Kaylah Williams, Executive Assistant/Communications and Media Advisor, 0428 690 776
Website: www.run.edu.au
Twitter: @RegUniNet #RegUnisHelpRegions
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/regional-universities-network