Regionals call for scholarship incentives

Regional university heads have called for more assistance for their institutions outside the big cities.

Vice-chancellor of Sunshine Coast University Greg Hill, vice-chancellor of Charles Sturt University Andy Vann, and vice-chancellor of Southern Cross University Adam Shoemaker. Photo: Greg Totman

Regional university heads have called for more assistance for their institutions outside the big cities, saying they can be a part of the ­solution for Australia’s crowded urban centres.

Charles Sturt University vice-chancellor Andy Vann said investment was needed in regional areas.

“This is a large country,” said Professor Vann, who is a former traffic ­engineer. “We are not talking about moving everybody from Sydney to regional NSW or from Brisbane to regional Queensland. But we need to rebalance our ­priorities around development ­because our cities are choking. It’s not going to get better — traffic congestion is not linear, it’s beyond ­exponential.”

Speaking at a conference on regional issues organised by Higher Ed Services, university heads rejected the suggestion of Prime Minister Scott Morrison to force international students to enrol in regional institutions to ease big-city congestion.

However, Southern Cross University’s vice-chancellor Adam Shoemaker said there was a place for scholarships — possibly funded jointly by government, business and universities — to offer international students an incentive to go to the regions.

“Potentially scholarships not just for international students but for (other) students who might choose to live, choose to study, choose to be in a regional area to develop their careers,” he said.

Professor Shoemaker said the Regional Universities Network, which represents six regional universities, strongly backed the recommendation in the recent Halsey report on regional, rural and remote education for a regional education commissioner.

He said that such a commissioner would have the ability to ­advocate in a way that crossed party lines and could also be effective across multiple portfolios of government, leading to positive policy outcomes.

“Even though the commissioner might report to one minister, commissioners historically have been able to cross portfolios,” he said.

The conference was told that 25 of Australia’s 39 major universities have campuses in regional Australia. Professor Shoemaker said that campuses in the regions had much to offer students and employees.

“It has to do with cost of living, the reduced impost on daily life in terms of commuting … (and) the access to facilities, which are as good, if not better,” he said.

Regional Universities Network executive director Caroline ­Perkins said universities outside the major cities were often the largest employers in their area across a wide range of occupations.

She said they developed local skills and human capital, and were the largest purchasers of local goods and services.

Tim Dodd travelled to the conference courtesy of Higher Ed Services with support from the Regional Universities Network.