Higher education representatives from Canberra, Cooma and Goulburn met with the Goulburn Mulwaree Council on Tuesday to discuss a future university service for school leavers and mature aged students in the district.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
The Goulburn University Centre Steering Committee (GUCSC) with the support of the council is seeking funding to set up a Country Universities Centre (CUC) similar to that of Cooma.
If approved, students will have access to an offsite campus to complete an online course from the University of Canberra, Charles Sturt University or the University of New England with face-to-face tutorials when necessary.
Additional universities will also be sought to jump on board.
University of Canberra vice-chancellor and president Professor Deep Saini, senior business manager Eve Martin and innovation and engagement director Victor Pantano met mayor Bob Kirk and general manager Warwick Bennett.
GUCSC chair Guy Milson and CUC CEO Duncan Taylor also attended the meeting.
“Goulburn has always come up against a funding brick wall,” Mr Milson said in reference to projects of this nature in the past.
“We are in the process of the funding proposal and identifying a site. We hope to be up and running by the beginning of 2018.”
Despite talks the service might be located in a segregated area of the NSW TAFE Goulburn campus, this will be a stand alone operation.
“There’s a very strong commitment for this to succeed. It’s a tyranny of distance and cost for students now.”
Both Mr Milson and Cr Kirk recently visited the Cooma Universities Campus and have been in regular conversation with Mr Taylor.
“We do think Goulburn will be an ideal location for such a centre. I would be hopeful that we can progress this,” Mr Taylor said.
“Country Universities is looking forward to working with communities that are interested in establishing this model.”
The state government has allocated $8 million for five CUC projects across NSW. The exact cost for the proposed Goulburn branch is unknown.
If approved, the new Goulburn service will seek a full-time coordinator.
The Upper Lachlan Shire Council have also supported this initiative.
“I believe the supported learning model that a University Centre would offer is the answer for Goulburn Mulwaree,” Cr Kirk said.
“Strong partner universities are important within this model, and I think a logical step is to partner with the University of Canberra who provide fantastic online options.”
More than five councils have expressed their interest to the CUC, My Taylor admitted.