The Moreton Bay suburb of Strathpine will be home to one of the first Suburban University Study Hubs (SUSHs) in Australia.
The centre, 20km north of Brisbane, will be one of 10 hubs which aim to bring university closer to the country’s outer metropolitan suburbs.
Federal Education Minister Jason Clare said the first SUSHs would be located in:
- Broadmeadows and Epping, Victoria.
- Melton, Victoria.
- Macquarie Fields, NSW.
- Kurri Kurri, NSW.
- Elizabeth, South Australia.
- Strathpine, Queensland.
- Sorrell, Tasmania.
- Armadale, Western Australia.
- Ellenbrook, Western Australia.
- Mandurah, Western Australia.
Minister Clare said a further application round, of four additional SUSHs, opens today and would target areas with low-university attainment in the outer suburbs of Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane.
He said Study Hubs provided student support and campus-style facilities for students who were studying a university or TAFE course without having to leave their community, with SUSHs complimenting existing Regional University Study Hubs.
“There are now 46 Regional University Study Hubs located across the country.
“41 of these Hubs are open with the other 5 Hubs expected to open by Semester 1, 2025.”
Minister Clare said the evidenced showed that when there was a hub in the area, university participation increased.
He said the number University Study Hubs across the country was increasing with the newest 10 Regional University Study Hubs located in:
- East Arnhem Land, Northern Territory.
- Victor Harbor, South Australia.
- Warwick, Queensland.
- Chinchilla, Queensland.
- Innisfail, Queensland.
- King Island, Tasmania.
- Katanning, Western Australia.
- The Pilbara (Tom Price and Onslow), Western Australia.
- Central Western Queensland (Longreach, Barcaldine, Blackall, Winton, Boulia, Bedourie, Birdsville and Jundah).
- East Gippsland (Mallacoota, Orbost, Omeo, Heyfield and Yarram), Victoria.
“The locations of another 10 Regional University Study Hubs will be announced early in the new year and are expected to start operating from mid-2025.
“Almost one in two young people in their 20s and their 30s have a university degree today. But not everywhere. Not in our outer suburbs and not in regional Australia,” Minister Clare said.
