Charles Sturt University (CSU) Vice-Chancellor and President, Professor Ian Goulter, today confirmed that the University has been working closely with the North Coast Institute of TAFE (NCIT) and Port Macquarie-Hastings Council to address the higher education needs of Port Macquarie and the mid-north coast and inland region.

 

Professor Ross Chambers, Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academic), has been appointed to the Port Macquarie-Hastings Tertiary Education Advisory Board to examine options for higher education in the mid-north coast area.

 

“Charles Sturt University has been in discussions with Port Macquarie-Hastings Council for over a year about the needs of Port Macquarie and surrounding communities,” Professor Goulter said.

 

“Like many of Charles Sturt University’s communities in the past, fewer young people in the region are going to university than the national average, and those who do go to university are forced to leave the region and in many cases do not return. As a result, the region faces workforce shortages in many professions including health, business and accounting, and community services.

 

“This is a familiar challenge for Charles Sturt University.

 

“Charles Sturt University has developed a model of higher education delivery that supports regional needs.

 

“The model has proven very effective in increasing participation and meeting professional workforce needs.”

 

Professor Goulter cited Charles Sturt University in Orange as evidence of the positive results of this model.

 

“Charles Sturt University took over the campus in 2005. In just five years, we have rapidly grown the range of programs on the campus and it now delivers pharmacy, dentistry, clinical science, physiotherapy, rehabilitation science, business and agriculture,” Professor Goulter said.

 

“Charles Sturt University’s approach has been to work closely with communities, vocational education providers, local industry and other educational institutions to research the needs of the particular region and design solutions that fit their unique circumstances.”

 

CSU will introduce degree programs at Port Macquarie in social work, business and graphic design/multimedia in 2011 and 2012. These will be based on articulation from successful Diploma programs offered by North Coast Institute of TAFE. They will be offered on the NCIT campus.

 

As the major provider of allied health professionals for regional Australia, CSU is working with the community and other education providers to introduce allied health programs at Port Macquarie.

 

“There are clearly very pressing needs in the mid-north coast for allied health professionals in fields such as physiotherapy, radiography and podiatry. These needs will best be met by providing local education opportunities for local students,” Professor Goulter said.