Transforming Access: The Impact of Regional University Study Hubs
Danielle Keenan, Australian Centre for Student Equity & Success (ACSES) 2024 Equity Fellow, University of Technology Sydney
Students from regional, rural, and remote (RRR) Australia have historically been underrepresented and excluded from higher education. Several factors contribute to this disparity, including a lack of perceived pathways to university and the financial and emotional burden of relocating to metropolitan areas.
Regional University Study Hubs (RUSHs, formerly known as Regional University Centres) are proving to be a transformative policy initiative, significantly widening the participation of equity students in regional areas. For example, a Country Universities Centre (CUC) funded under the RUSH program, CUC Snowy Monaro, had an increase of 64% in current university students over the two census periods 2011-2021, compared to a 17.5% increase for the rest of non-metropolitan NSW in that same period (ABS, 2021).
The Regional Hubs are pivotal in supporting student access, participation, retention, and success in higher education. As of November 2022, the RUSH program catered to approximately 3,300 students, supporting over 1,000 varied courses. Among these students, 74% were engaged in university-level degrees, while 26% pursued VET and other courses. Notably, 11% of students identified as First Nations people, a figure significantly higher than the national average of 2.11%.
The Universities Accord Interim Report cited Regional University Study Hubs as a cost-effective way to drive parity of participation in regional Australia. The Accord Panel highlighted the importance of the program’s place-based and community-led solutions and recommended, in Priority Action 1, that additional Regional University Study Hubs be created and the model be replicated to outer metropolitan and peri-urban locations. In July 2023, the government announced its support for this Action and committed $66.9 million to prioritise an additional 20 regional locations and the establishment of up to 14 Suburban Study Hubs. On 25 March 2024, 10 new Regional University Study Hubs and additional funding for two CUCs were jointly announced by the Minster for Education and the Assistant Minister for Education and Regional Development.
Despite this success and the program’s ongoing expansion, research into why these Regional Hubs have been effective is still limited. A recent report from the University of Newcastle’s Centre of Excellence for Equity in Higher Education explores some of the persistent challenges associated with higher education access and participation in RRR places and the role of the CUCs. It unpacks how the program offers the potential for a reimagining of higher education for communities in ways that are centred on those who cannot, or do not want to, leave RRR places for the purposes of higher education study.
As a practitioner-turned-researcher under an Australian Centre for Student Success and Equity (ACSES) 2024 Equity Fellowship, I have had the privilege of visiting 50% of the operational Hubs across Australia, encompassing 19 diverse communities. My aim has been to explore the characteristics that have made these Hubs a success. Two key questions have guided my exploration:
· Are Regional University Study Hubs the right initiative to achieve parity in participation?
· Are they being implemented and operated in the right way?
Access Without Support Is Not Opportunity (Engstrom & Tinto, 2008)
What distinguishes the Regional University Study Hubs from traditional regional universities is their place-based, community-owned approach. Unlike conventional university campuses, the Regional Hubs offer extensive, institution-neutral support, including dedicated study areas, local student services staff, and a variety of technological resources. This local ownership enables each Regional Hub to adapt its services to meet the specific needs of its community, ensuring relevant and effective support.
What is clear through my experiences working in and with Regional University Study Hubs is that they are much more than study spaces; they are vibrant communities. They serve as central locations for study and community engagement, offering essential resources and a sense of identity within education in the most remote locations in Australia. They not only support students throughout their educational journey, from the transition into higher education to graduation and beyond, but their presence in local communities also fosters educational aspirations. Their visibility, accessibility, and personalised support encourage individuals who might not have considered higher education to pursue it, reinforcing the notion that ‘seeing is believing’.
As I continue visiting many more regional, rural, and remote communities for my research, preliminary qualitative findings suggest that Regional University Study Hubs are indeed a positive initiative. It is evident that communities understand their own context and shape programs to meet their unique needs. The place-based, community-owned attributes of the Regional Hubs are critical to their success in widening participation for those traditionally underserved.
Danielle Keenan, Student Equity Research Specialist, University of Technology Sydney; Australian Centre for Student Equity and Success (ACSES) 2024 Equity Fellow – Roadmap to Success: Decoding the Regional Universities Study Hub