10 new Regional University Study Hubs join national widening participation program

Ten new Regional University Study Hubs (RUSH) from across Australia will join the Study Hubs In Place (SHIP) program, expanding a national community-led approach to widening participation in tertiary education.

Co-facilitated by Study Hubs Australia and the University of Technology Sydney (UTS), SHIP supports Regional University Study Hubs to develop community-led outreach programs that nurture the aspirations of underrepresented Australians and strengthen pathways into tertiary education.

The 10 new hubs joining the program are:

• Wuyagiba Bush Uni, NT
• Pilbara Kimberley Universities Centre, WA
• Tablelands University Centre, QLD
• Barossa Regional University Campus, SA
• CUC Eastern Tasmania, TAS
• Cassowary Coast University Centre, QLD
• Pilbara Universities Centre, WA
• CUC Western Downs, QLD
• UniHub Spencer Gulf, SA
• CUC Mount Isa, QLD

The expansion brings the total number of participating RUSH to 21, with the 10 new hubs joining 11 existing hubs already delivering community-led widening participation activities through SHIP.

The program is funded by the Australian Government through the Regional Partnerships Project Pool Program (RPPPP).

Study Hubs Australia co-CEO Danielle Keenan said the expansion reflects the strength of the community-led study hub model and the growing role of regional communities in shaping tertiary education access.

Regional communities understand their own strengths, challenges and opportunities. SHIP gives them the support, resources and partnerships to design outreach programs that make sense in their community.

This work deliberately shifts the traditional outreach model. It is about communities leading local solutions in partnership with universities, TAFE and other tertiary education providers.

Each participating hub will design an approach that reflects its community, whether that is working with schools, nurturing aspiration among young people, or strengthening knowledge of education possibilities for all in the community.”

Sonal Singh, Head of Equity Pathways at UTS, said the expansion marks an important step in building a stronger national practice base for widening participation through study hubs.

SHIP is grounded in partnership, reciprocity and respect for local knowledge. It recognises that widening participation cannot be designed from a distance. It needs to be shaped by communities.

With 21 RUSH in the program, it creates a powerful national learning network. Hubs will be able to share what is working, adapt ideas to their own contexts and build stronger partnerships with tertiary education providers.

UTS will support all 21 participating RUSH to come together in person at the end of July. The gathering will be a significant milestone for the program, bringing hub leaders, practitioners and partners together to share practice and build collective momentum.

Danielle Keenan said the expansion shows the potential for SHIP to support a national movement in community-led widening participation.

The ambition is for any study hub in Australia to be participating in this work by 2030.

We know that study hubs can play a much broader role in their communities, supporting current students, nurturing aspiration, strengthening pathways and helping tertiary education connect more effectively with regional Australia.

SHIP is helping build the evidence, practice and partnerships needed to make that possible for communities across Australia.

About Study Hubs Australia

Study Hubs Australia is a not-for-profit charity that works alongside communities, universities and governments to create local pathways to tertiary education through the community-led study hub model.

Study Hubs Australia is focused on embedding study hubs as an enduring and effective part of Australia’s tertiary education system, so access to tertiary education is not limited by where people live.