Push for Regional Education Commissioner on the Gold Coast

ONE of the Gold Coast’s top educators says the city has the ability to become the brain of the state — but only if regional inequality is addressed.

ONE of the Gold Coast’s top educators says the city has the ability to become the brain of the state — but only if regional inequality is addressed.

Professor Adam Shoemaker said policy was not one-size fits all when it came to higher education.

Instead, the Southern Cross University Vice Chancellor and President, and a number of regional universities, want a specially appointed Regional Education Commissioner.

WHY GOLD COAST NEEDS TO DRAW TALENT AWAY FROM BIGGER CITIES

Professor Adam Shoemaker vice-chancellor of Southern Cross University

“Regional campuses educate 20 per cent of all university students nationally, with 25 of 40 Australian universities having a campus in a regional location,” he said.

“We need a Regional Education Commissioner to advise government and industry, one that is not based in the ACT or a state capital, and one that is not a grant-holding body dispensing funds.”

Ideally, the federal commissioner, based in a regional education hub like the Gold Coast, would guide federal funding and policies for these institutions.

“Universities like those on the Gold Coast are anchor institutions for communities to live and thrive and employ and contribute to research in the same space.

“That means regionals just aren't alternative — they are a better option.”

LOOKING BEYOND THE CLASSROOM FOR LEARNING EXCELLENCE

Southern Cross University campus at Bilinga.

However, as of 2016, just 12.6 per cent of the Gold Coast population had a bachelors degree, compared to 22.1 per cent in Brisbane.

Prof Shoemaker said a regional deal for bonded scholarships in regional areas for professions in highest demand — such as general practitioners, nurses, paramedics, indigenous health workers, teachers and engineers — would assist in levelling the field.

“There is a lot of support for localised scholarships. The tertiary participation rate is nowhere near as high as in Brisbane or all of southeast Queensland despite having so many universities,” he said.

The national co-ordinated approach could also assist in encouraging industry partnerships.

“You don’t have to have the head office of a firm to offer more opportunity. It isn’t all or nothing,” Prof Shoemaker said.

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Griffith University Gold Coast Campus. Photo by Richard Gosling

“Instead, the research and development component of businesses, or a firm’s intellectual office would do well.

“If you think of it this way, education cities like Shenzhen in China were hardly anything 30 years ago. Now it has a GDP greater than that of Hong Kong.

“It is about ensuring clusters of clever people feed off each other.”

Education tourism is also on the agenda with a push for the regional universities.

“Our airport is a major gateway for the education sector literally. People should be able to have intensive courses on the Gold Coast using university facilities and staff.”

Representatives from more than 20 universities and organisations will gather today at the Regional Universities Conference (THURSDAY) to call on the Government to appoint the commissioner and bring a national focus to the role that regional universities play in education, government, industry and society.