Campus Campaign Ramps Up

24 May 2023

They would be based in Deniliquin, Finley, Moama and Hay.                                         

On behalf of the CUC Southern Riverina steering committee, Murray Irrigation Limited has lobbied for the four campuses directly with the NSW ministerial office of Skills, TAFE and Tertiary Education. 

MIL CEO Ron McCalman made the trip to Sydney and said the meeting with Minister Tim Crakanthorp's chief of staff, Eliot Stern, was promising. 

"Macquarie Street is aware of the strong community support in Deniliquin and the region for a CUC campus here," Mr McCalman said. 

"The centre would solve a lot of problems, especially with the tendency for young people to go off and study and often not come back. 

"We want them to remain in the community and a CUC would go a long way to encourage that," he said. 

CUC was formed to fill a void of tertiary ser­vices in regional areas. 

Recognising not all rural centres could accommodate or support a stand-alone tertiary facility, CUC is a specialist facility where students from many different universities and training colleges come together under the one roof for access to educational resources. 

Mr McCalman said a local steering com­mittee was formed in February last year after a public meeting to gauge community support for a CUC campus in Deniliquin. 

That support has swelled to now call for the four micro campuses. 

All regional councils are represented on the steering committee, with Berrigan Shire's Karina Ewer saying the sites have been selected "based on CUC modelling and provide the best opportunity for the largest number of students to attend".

"CUC has a strong working and co-opera­tive relationshjips with TAFEs and the steering committee is hoping to set up three of the four centres in TAFE owned facilities, at least initially. 

"This has proved a successful model across most of the centres already set up. In Moama, their council is considering one of its buildings, surplus to their current needs, as a possible starting point for their CUC."

Edward River Council CEO Phil Stone said work is currently underway on investigating demand for a cluster approach, and council is undertaking an engagement program. 

"This program will include a series of targeted and community facing opportunities and is planned to build interest locally," he said. 

"Next step is to use this information to prepare a business case for funding in collaboration with these other councils." 

Ms Ewer said the cost to Berrigan Shire rate­payers to establish a CUC in Finley would be 'in kind' rather than in cash. 

"CUCs are generally one-third state funding, one-third federal funding and one-third university funding so there is no cost to council, only my time in advocacy for the project." 

Mr McCalman said a CUC would support employers in the region, including Murray Irrigation, to attract more staff.

"We need to attract more people to Deniliquin. Having a CUC will mean moving to Deniliquin will not be a disadvantage if you wish to study," he said.

"For individuals already here, being able to complete tertiary education could mean access to more challenging and higher paying roles. A CUC will assist that process."

CUC founder Duncan Taylor said the centres play a crucial role in tertiary education and skills development in regional NSW.

"In doing so they are also supporting the supply of local labour into the very tight labour markets of many of the state's regions, where employers - including state government agencies - are competing fiercely for workers in short supply," he told the community forum in Deniliquin last year. 

Across regional NSW there are currently more than 1,000 students enrolled in CUC tertiary studies.

There are more than 280 students enrolled in health courses and more than 150 in areas of psychology, social work and community services.

Photo caption: Berrigan Shire Council general manager Karina Ewer, Country Universities Centre founder Duncan Taylor, Murray Irrigation CEO Ron McCalman and Ricegrowers Association of Australia executive director Graeme Kruger at the meeting which established a CUC steering committee last year.