The need for a national rural/regional university

The Bradley Review has been hailed as a success in that the government has taken notice and has addressed it as part of the 2009 budget exercise. Of the 46 recommendations the government has accepted 25, is implementing 10 in adapted form, has deferred six, left one to the universities and has rejected four. Recommendation 17 is the one that applies to the ‘national university for regional areas’. Although nominally accepted, the response is far from satisfactory and I quote. ’The government has agreed to provide $2 million for a feasibility study into how Charles Sturt University and Southern Cross University might come together to provide enhanced services.’ ...this is hardly an appropriate response and as recent events have proved will not provide the solution to the problem.

In this regard I argue that Australia already has a national rural/regional university. The University of New England is the only university in the sector, in a rural location, which offers a comprehensive range of degrees, including Bachelors of Arts and Sciences, via both on campus and distance mode. This provides the rural and regional population across Australia with potential access to the full suite of offerings expected in a major city. We approach the issue of equity of access via strategic partnerships, and consider that this is more effective than mergers of whole universities with no clear educational advantage. The University of New England has a number of strategic partnerships with other universities that extend and enhance our student access provision. These include Medicine and Geology with the University of Newcastle, Physics with Murdoch, Engineering Technology with Southern Queensland, and Languages (Chinese, French, German, Indonesian, Italian) with Newcastle, James Cook, Southern Queensland and Sunshine Coast. Moreover we are currently discussing a major joint research and teaching initiative in agriculture with the University of Sydney. This alliance will cement our already strong position in agriculture to provide a formidable and dominant presence. We argue that these strategic alliances provide greater opportunities than wholesale university mergers as they are specifically targeted toward complementarity of provision across the participating universities. Our collaborations and articulations with TAFE in a number of areas further enhance access of low SES students to a university education.

It should also be pointed out that there is an important difference between a metropolitan university with a regional or rural campus and the University of New England that is a single campus university in a rural area. Regional and rural campuses of metropolitan universities may concentrate on their local communities, but nevertheless are a small part of a larger entity with a very different focus. On a financial note, regional and rural campuses of metropolitan universities have the home campus to support them. The University of New England has no such base on which to draw.

In conclusion I support the concept of a hub and spoke model of tertiary education provision for rural and regional Australia on two levels. As argued previously, Australia already has in the University of New England a national rural/regional university that provides a comprehensive suite of degrees via both on campus and distance mode. With the University of New England as the hub, spokes link to other universities across the sector for provision of niche requirements. In addition a small number of strategically located rural/regional universities or campuses of metropolitan universities could serve specific areas. This proposal could be achieved by retention of a selected number of existing campuses, in some instances via mergers in over-serviced locations. It is curious to note that this comment of the Bradley Review has been conveniently forgotten. On the other hand it is encouraging to note that Senator Kim Carr supports the hubs and spokes concept for Australian universities and has elaborated on the theme in recent speeches.

If we believe that this is indeed the model then we need to convey this to Canberra in the strongest terms. It is now apparent that nothing will emerge from the government’s $2 million investment. The University of New England should move in to provide the solution.

Professor Margaret Sedgley,Pro Vice-Chancellor and Dean - Faculty of Arts and Sciences (The Voice 24 July 2009)