I recently had the great pleasure and honour of working with Brian Cunningham and the Rural City of Murray Bridge to prepare a report on the need for improved coordination of educational services and support in Murray Bridge and the surrounding region. The report can be found here.
This report identifies the important role that higher education services provide in underpinning the economic prosperity of rural cities. Unfortunately, for many regional areas, the delivery of higher education services can be poorly coordinated, and the opportunities available for accessing higher education are not always well communicated to prospective students living in regional cities. Their civic institutions, including educational institutions, have a responsibility to promote a culture of educational aspiration, and ensure that education services and support are well coordinated and properly explained.
While not all regional cities can have access to a fully serviced university campus, creating a single adult education campus in regional cities is an idea strongly supported in our report. There is good evidence that a ‘campus culture’ which is the hallmark of a university environment, is an important factor in promoting academic aspiration and performance. Regional cities and their education service providers can do much to create a welcoming and supportive environment for students who wish to study in a regional centre, even if there is no permanent university presence. The benefit is that most students who study in regional areas will continue to live in a regional area, retaining the talent, drive and knowledge for the benefit of the broader community. Giving students in these ‘country campuses’ mentoring support and access to services is critical for the success of this model. The Chaffey Learning Exchange is an outstanding example of how such services could be delivered, and is currently being delivered in regional cities that have no permanent university presence.
I am thrilled to see that the Rural City of Murray Bridge is promoting the recommendations listed in the report as their ‘plan for prosperity‘ for the future. Its a great town, with a fast growing population, a great location and some strong industry sectors emerging. With the commitment of the leaders, institutions and people of Murray Bridge to the plan, the future for the city looks bright.