Charles Sturt University (CSU) Vice-Chancellor, Professor Ian Goulter, welcomed the preliminary response today by the Deputy Prime Minister, The Hon. Julia Gillard, MP, to the Bradley Review of the Australian Higher Education System.

 

“Higher education is no longer at a crossroads, but at a turning point,” said Professor Goulter.

 

“The historic expansion of higher education participation has not only made a massive impact on national wealth, but also given hundreds of thousands more Australians the opportunity to realise their full potential through advanced study.

 

“Given the great success of higher education expansion on national social and economic well-being over the last 20 years, it was inconceivable that a government would turn its back on the opportunity to further extend participation to underrepresented groups and others in the future.”

 

The Vice-Chancellor welcomed the decision to embrace a student demand-driven higher education system.

 

“Charles Sturt University has always been driven by student demand in meeting the needs and aspirations of its inland and regional communities. Charles Sturt University has consistently been over-enrolled in order to meet inland and regional demand for our on campus courses, as well as national demand for our extensive range of distance and digital courses.

 

“Students choose a university on the basis of its course profile, the quality of the educational experience and the responsiveness of the university to adapt to the student work-life balance,” Professor Goulter said.

 

The Vice-Chancellor cautioned the Government to avoid a subsidy model for regional provision of higher education.

 

“In addressing the commitment expressed by the Deputy Prime Minister to quality teaching and research in regional Australia, we must be careful to create a sustainable rather than a subsidy model for higher education in the bush.

 

“Regional universities like Charles Sturt University have played an integral role in increasing participation in regional Australia, as well as significantly extending participation nationally through their leadership in distance and digital delivery. The leadership role of these institutions needs to be embraced as part of the Gillard Reforms.

 

“Course profile is what drives student selection of institutions and this has been proven time and again by the regional and national demand for Charles Sturt University’s programs including dentistry, pharmacy, veterinary science, physiotherapy, journalism, theology, early childhood and paramedical science.

 

“The Bradley Review has acknowledged that many smaller and narrower institutions are unlikely to be sustainable in a student demand-driven environment. For regional Australia, this should be seen as a real opportunity to build comprehensive course offerings and extend acknowledged strengths in national distance and digital learning.

 

“The proposal by Charles Sturt University and Southern Cross University to investigate the formation of a national university in regional Australia goes to the heart of this issue.

 

“With investment from Government for a comprehensive course profile and relevant research presence, such an institution would thrive and make an essential contribution to expanding participation through its extensive campus network and national distance and digital delivery capacity,” said Professor Goulter.