By Ashleigh Fielding | posted on June 4, 2020
TERTIARY students can choose to swap their home offices for a town-based study hub from next year with the development of a new regional university centre (RUC) in Albany.
The centre will be the third established in WA alongside existing RUCs in Geraldton and the Pilbara and include 10 computers for university and TAFE students to utilise.
It was one of nine new RUCs announced nationally on Monday by Federal Education Minister Dan Tehan as part of a $53.2 million plan.
Access to town-strength internet, video conferencing tools, study spaces and academic support will also be available 24/7 to students studying a tertiary qualification via distance at partner universities.
In 2018, the Great Southern recorded more than 400 residents studying fully and partially online with 14 different Australian universities.
Acting Director for the Albany RUC Jan Davidson said the facility would also be helpful to people wanting to upskill, retrain or gain additional ‘microcredentials’.
A registered nursing course will be the first course fully supported by the Albany RUC with agriculture and teaching being considered for the future.
The RUC will be located on the first floor of the Albany Co-Op Building on Frederick Street, under the Regional Development Australia Great Southern offices.
