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Fact SheetUpdate March 20044. Regional SupportHigher education providers in regional areas play a critically important role in the economic and social life of their communities which goes far beyond traditional educational activities. The Australian Government recognises the unique contribution made by regional higher education institutions and campuses to their local communities and to students from regional and rural areas. Institutions that provide places at regional campuses face higher costs as a result of location, size and history. Regional campuses often have less potential to diversify revenue sources, a smaller capacity to compete for fee paying students and a narrower industrial base providing fewer opportunities for commercial partnerships. A number of measures will be introduced to provide additional support for regional campuses, higher education providers and students. Regional LoadingThe Australian Government will provide an additional $115 million over four years ($146 million over five years) to incorporate a regional loading into the Commonwealth Grant Scheme (CGS) for students enrolled at regional campuses. For the purpose of the CGS regional loading, a regional campus will be a campus located outside a mainland capital city other than Darwin and in a population centre with fewer than 250,000 people (with the exception of Wollongong). Having satisfied the initial test of regionality, a campus would be recognised within one of five bands, established according to two criteria: distance from the closest mainland state capital; and size of institution. The loading will be applied according to the number of equivalent full time student load (EFTSL) provided at regional campuses. Table A: Regional Loading Bands
(a) Band 1: Campus located in the Northern Territory; Band 2: Campus is more than 300 km from nearest mainland capital city and has fewer than 10,000 EFTSL; Band 3: Campus is more than 300 km from nearest mainland capital city and has more than 10,000 EFTSL or Campus is less than 300 km from nearest mainland capital city and has fewer than 10,000 EFTSL ; Band 4: Campus is less than 300 km from a mainland capital city and has more than 10,000 EFTSL; and Band 5: Campus located in Wollongong. (b) Loadings are based on 2002 higher education data and may vary in future years according to the actual numbers of students in regional campuses of public higher education providers. Commonwealth Learning ScholarshipsThe Commonwealth Learning Scholarships programme is being introduced in 2004 to assist low income students including those from rural, regional and Indigenous backgrounds with costs associated with higher education. There are two scholarships – one for educational costs and one for accommodation costs. Both are merit based, non-repayable and target students from low income backgrounds [see Fact Sheet: Commonwealth Scholarships]. Commonwealth Accommodation Scholarships (CAS) will specifically assist financially disadvantaged students from regional and rural areas. Around 10,000 students from rural and regional areas, many of whom are from low income and/or Indigenous backgrounds, move away from home each year to commence higher education. For many of these students and/or their parents, the cost of accommodation represents a significant burden. A CAS will help alleviate this burden. A CAS will provide full-time students from rural and regional areas with $4,000 per year for up to four years to assist them with accommodation expenses where they have to move to undertake higher education. In 2004, 3,000 CAS have been provided. By 2007, 3,553 new scholarships will be awarded each year and approximately 13,595 students will be in receipt of a CAS (by 2008 this increases to 3,574 per year bringing the total number of students who have received a CAS to 17,169). The Australian Government will provide approximately $138 million over four years ($199 million over five years) to the CAS programme. Collaboration and Structural Reform FundA Collaboration and Structural Reform Fund will be established for three years beginning in 2005, to provide competitive funds to foster collaboration and structural reform in the higher education sector. National priority areas for collaboration will be identified for each round of the programme. The initial priorities will include initiatives which involve collaboration between higher education providers and their communities, particularly, but not exclusively, regional communities [see Fact Sheet: Enhancing Collaboration]. A total of $37 million will be allocated to the Collaboration and Structural Reform Fund between 2005 and 2007, which will combine $17 million of existing Higher Education Innovation Programme (HEIP) funds with new funds of $20 million. Additional places in nursing courses in regional campusesThere is a pressing need to respond to the current shortage of working nurses due largely to the high attrition rate of nurses from the workforce, coupled with increasing demand for nursing places. The Australian Government notes that the Review of Nursing Education emphasised the need for improved conditions and remuneration in order to improve retention in the nursing profession. In large part it is the responsibility of State and Territory governments to ensure that nursing graduates remain in the system. In the expectation that the States and Territories will accept their responsibility in this regard, the Australian Government will provide an additional 210 nursing places in regional campuses, rising to 574 places by 2007 as students continue their courses, at a cost of over $17 million over four years ($23 million over five years), to assist in addressing the nursing shortage. There will be a further opportunity for places to be directed toward the national priority areas of teaching and nursing from the allocation of the 9,100 new Commonwealth supported places which will become available in 2005. The Department has consulted with the State and Territory Governments about the criteria to be used for the allocation of these places to higher education providers. Contact DetailsMedia inquiries:Virginia Cook Other inquiries:Regional Loading and new places Commonwealth Learning Scholarships Collaboration and Structural Reform Fund Email: Backing Australia's Future
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Any comments or
queries should be sent to:
highered@dest.gov.au
Department of Education, Science and Training
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