North Queensland’s fourth uni hub opens to students

Assistant Minister for Education, Anthony Chisholm has officially opened the Cassowary Coast University Centre in Innisfail, providing dedicated support for students across the region to access and complete a tertiary education.

The Innisfail facility is one of the 12 new Regional University Study Hubs announced earlier this year, and is one of 10 hubs across Queensland to be funded through the Albanese Government’s Regional University Study Hubs program.

Thirty students have already registered to access the hub’s facilities, which include computers, high speed internet, breakout spaces, dedicated student mentoring, as well as academic skills and administrative support.

With the support of the Centre, students in the region will engage in studies and undertake courses offered by tertiary institutions across Australia all while remaining in their community with family and friends.

The hub is also expected to provide tailored support for local First Nations students, with 20.5 per cent of the Innisfail population identifying as First Nations.

The hub is being delivered by Vocational Partnerships Group, in collaboration with the Cassowary Coast Regional Council, which has a strong history of supporting local youth across Far North Queensland access and succeed in furthering their education.

Increasing the number of University Study Hubs in regional and outer-suburban communities was a priority action of the Australian Universities Accord Interim Report.

This increase in the number of hubs across Australia is also a central contributing factor toward hitting the government’s target of helping 80 per cent of the country’s workforce attain a university degree, or TAFE qualification, by 2050.

A competitive process to select up to 10 more Regional University Study Hubs closes today, with an announcement of successful applicants expected in early 2025.

Further information on the program, including a list of funded hubs, can be accessed here.

Quotes attributable to Assistant Minister for Education and Regional Development Senator Anthony Chisholm:

“The Cassowary Coast University Centre is a prime example of how our study hubs help regional, rural and remote students achieve academic success in tertiary education.

“Around 42 per cent of students who have studied at one of these hubs are the first in their family to attend university, as someone who was the first in their family to attend university, this is fantastic to see.

“By supporting study hubs like this one on the Cassowary Coast, and creating new ones right across Queensland, we’re making tertiary education fairer and more accessible for everyone.”

“Regional University Study Hubs open up new opportunities for students from these areas, and by tailoring university offerings to the needs of regional communities, we’re engaging more students and levelling the playing field regardless of where students live.”