Six challenges for regional university students

Let’s explore the biggest issues faced by regional students that makes study and sticking to it difficult. The Country Universities Centre network offers a local solution for some of these issues.

1. Distance

Regional students face the issue of travelling considerable distances to attend university or relocating. This means regional students are incurring additional costs and are often removed from their support networks.

The Country Universities Centre network provides regional students purpose built facilities to meet student needs in the local community. Taking away the need to relocate by offering a local place for students to study.

2. Connectivity

Regional students are impacted greatly by poor connectivity in their local area. Satellite internet connection doesn’t have the capability to support many online exams. Poor connectivity causes negative student experiences and impacts on completion rates.

The Country Universities Centre network has fast and reliable internet capabilities extending at every Centre. Wi-fi is also available to those students who bring their own device for study.

3. Technology

Regional students studying online often do not have access the necessary technology to succeed in their studies.

The Country Universities Centre network provides state of the art technology, which includes study stations with dual screens and video conferencing capabilities at each Centre. Printing and scanning facilities are also available.

4. Face to face learning environment

Students have shown they are more likely to succeed if they have access to a face to face learning environment. Online students can miss out on gaining invaluable insights and support throughout their degrees.

The Country Universities Centre network has a dedicated Centre Manager at each Centre to ensure students have support with enrolment and administration processes for uni.

5. Student networks

One of the missing ingredients for online study in the opportunity for students to connect with one another in order to create social and study networks.

The Country Universities Centre network creates a collegiate at every Centre, where students can connect with likeminded people and positively support one another throughout their academic journey.

6. Mother Nature

Bushfires, floods and droughts. It isn’t uncommon for people in regional Australia to be unable to reach a nearby town due to a flood, or be unsure if your water supply is going to last because it has been so long without rain. And bushfires, the 2019-2020 bushfires were seen across the nation when our skies went orange. In 2020 the COVID-19 epidemic affected the entirety of Australia, and panic buying demonstrated to the metropolitan population just how scary it is when you don’t know when you’ll be able to buy groceries or house supplies.

The CUC network can’t help the events of mother nature, but as a regional network we understand how common these events can be and the effects they have on the community.

While regional Australia faces many challenges, we are working to bridge the gaps and help in any way we can. If you are a regional student and want to know more about how we can help you, contact your local Centre Manager.