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.
A proposal to establish a Country Universities Centre in the local area has taken a step forward, with a community forum held in Deniliquin this week.
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Representatives from across local and state government, high schools, industry, business and community sectors met on Tuesday.
The forum, facilitated by Murray Irrigation Ltd, has supported the concept of a CUC to provide education opportunities for regional students.
The proposal could deliver a CUC to cover Murray region councils, including Berrigan, Edward River, Federation, Murrumbidgee, and Murray River, as well as Hay.
The aim is to provide regional people with the space and tools they need to create a vibrant and prosperous future for themselves and the wider community, the forum heard.
It could be modelled on the Western Riverina CUC, which has its main campus in Griffith and a satellite centre in Leeton.
While a location for a local CUC has not been confirmed - with this week’s forum referring only to a Southern Riverina hub - the Deniliquin TAFE campus was put forward as a suggestion by Edward River Mayor Peta Betts in March this year.
It came just weeks after discussions about a local CUC began, and a few months after a shelved proposal to downsize the Deni TAFE campus was tabled in NSW Parliament estimates hearings.
CUC founder Duncan Taylor was the keynote presenter at this week’s forum.
He outlined key factors that would identify a CUC for the Southern Riverina, enabling students to study and work at the same time without having to leave their communities.
There was a presentation from Western Riverina CUC board member and Griffith City Council general manager Brett Stonestreet and Leeton Shire Council general manager Jackie Kruger who each spoke of the Western Riverina CUC, highlighting its success for their respective communities.
Edward River Council Mayor Peta Betts with Western Riverina CUC Board member and Griffith City Council GM Brett Stonestreet.
The CUC now has 13 centres operating in 18 communities, and new centres opening soon across regional Australia.
There are 11 CUCs across regional NSW and all campuses collaborate to enhance regional education.
Mr Taylor outlined that these centres are playing 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 of all stripes – including state government agencies – are competing fiercely for workers in short supply.
Currently, across regional NSW more than 1,000 students are enrolled in CUC tertiary studies, and these students represent an important contribution to the pipeline of local labour supply.
There are more than 280 students enrolled in health courses, and more than 150 in areas of psychology, social work and community services.
The 2021 Census results indicate that towns that have had a CUC Centre established for at least a year have had university student growth at rates between three and sevenfold that of their state regional average growth rates.
In 2021 an Edward River Council ‘Our Region Your Say’ report identified education as a priority.
As with many country towns, young people were leaving to attend university and, in most cases, do not return.
Murray Irrigation CEO Ron McCalman said the company was aware of the success and sustainability of the CUC model and recognises, now more than ever, that an education facility of this nature would be “invaluable to people of all ages”.
The company is supporting Edward River Council’s efforts to establish a CUC, and in March it met with NSW Minister for Skills and Training Alister Henskens, with a focus on skills and training, and support for a CUC to be considered for the Southern Riverina.
Mr McCalman said the centre would especially benefit the many families who do not have the financial means for their children to go away to university.
He said a CUC pathway would offer education opportunities for those in this position, rather than seeing them 'left behind’.
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