Southern Downs Regional Council’s university hub plan will ‘bridge the gap’ to keep students in region

A satellite tertiary education facility in the Southern Downs is one step closer to becoming a reality, after council announced it would work alongside the community to create a proposal. Here’s what we know about the project so far.

Southern Downs uni hub bid gains momentum (Photo: SDRC)

A satellite tertiary education facility in the Southern Downs is one step closer to actualising, the council says.

The Southern Downs Regional Council’s plan to have a university hub located within the region is in development stages, as the council said it was working with stakeholders to create a proposal for funding.

The planned satellite facility would “bridge the gap” with education so that students wishing to further their studies after school would not have to relocate to do so.

University study hubs provide support to those entering or enrolled in tertiary education from any institution, with the centres provide study and meeting places and a wide range of student support and pastoral care.

Chair of the initiative’s Development Committee and mayor Vic Pennisi said council was committed to establishing educational pathways which ensure the region’s tertiary students had access to the right resources to complete their studies locally.

Mayor Vic Pennisi said the project will ensure locals will be able to study further education without leaving the region to locate. (Photo: Liam Kidston)

“Distance should not be an obstacle to higher learning, and creating the right pathways for accessible education greatly enhances a community’s liveability and suitability,” Mr Pennisi said.

“University study hubs deliver infrastructure that provides academic support so that students can live and study locally without relocating, and council is strategically connecting with stakeholders to build a strong proposal to establish a dedicated and suitably set-up space to keep students local.”

Mr Pennisi said if their bid was successful, it would bridge the gap for the region’s promising students as they transition to university and other advanced education.

“With input from key stakeholders, we are building a strong proposal, and the involvement and the continued support of our whole community will be essential to our proposal’s success,” he said.

The program has been running since 2018 and has been successful with 34 centres already established across regional Australia.

The latest call for applications will see 20 new sites funded by the Commonwealth Department of Education for 2024 and 2025, and with the council saying competition for funding for new centres would be very strong.