The Regional Partnerships Project Pool Program is tackling these challenges by funding collaborative outreach projects in areas currently underserved by higher education initiatives. These projects aim to inspire students, including those who may be experiencing disadvantage to consider and pursue tertiary study.
The program fosters partnerships between universities, Regional University Study Hubs (RUSHs), other higher education providers, schools, vocational education and training providers, and community organisations.
Recently, departmental officers took part in the 2025 National RUSH Widening Participation Forum funded under the program's Eastern Australia Regional University Centre Partnership project.
Through this project, more than 30 universities, RUSHs and communities are working together to deliver locally tailored initiatives that encourage young people from regional and remote areas to pursue higher education.
The forum brought together 151 participants, including Australia's Regional Education Commissioner Fiona Nash, to share ideas, tools, and inspiration for strengthening equitable education pathways.
Chris Ronan, Chief Executive Officer of Country Universities Centres valued having people in the room who are working towards the same goal.
"The highlight for me was actually facilitating a panel on the first day. It's rare to have the Regional Education Commissioner, the Deputy Secretary of the Department of Education, a CEO of Study Hub and the university representative all working together in the same way," Chris said.
"The Study Hubs enable people to access education without leaving their community, and something that I think collectively we want to see is that no matter where you live, you should be able to access tertiary education."
The Regional Partnerships Project Pool Program responds to the 2019 National Regional, Rural and Remote Tertiary Education Strategy which identified that regional and remote students experience additional challenges that may act as barriers to aspiration and preparedness for higher education.
To date, $8.3 million in funding has been awarded under the program for 8 projects to design and deliver of outreach programs.
