“We get a bit of regional loading, but we are essentially funded in exactly the same way as Macquarie University or University of Technology Sydney. We are working in such incredibly thin markets, it’s the definition of madness to keep doing it the same way.”
However, Nick Klomp, chair of the Regional Universities Network and vice-chancellor of Central Queensland University, said the proposal was largely a distraction that would get in the way of regional universities of educating people in the regions.
“To my mind, the priority isn’t to establish another university under a different regime, but for the Commonwealth to provide the resources required for regional universities to get on with what they do,” Professor Klomp said.
“We’re not lacking the number of students, we’re lacking the support to attract and retain those students.”
The accord suggests a single national regional university might look something like the University of California system, which has 10 campuses that are distinct and responsive to their local communities.
As a means to staying financially stable, several are regional universities in name only.
The University of New England had just 1237 students enrolled in face-to-face study 2021, but 20,653 enrolled in online courses.
The University of Southern Queensland had just 2708 on-campus students and 16,675 online enrolments.
Overseas students
With the 10 regional universities attracting tiny numbers of international students to the towns where they are based, several run profitable metropolitan campuses in Brisbane, Sydney and Melbourne that are solely for overseas students.
The accord pitches the idea that a national regional university would attract additional funding to achieve its core mission – educating rural and regional students – just as Australian National University receives additional money to conduct research that is in the national interest.
Former Nationals MP Fiona Nash, who is on the accord panel, said a single national regional university “was about expanding local presence, not diminishing it”.
“It would be a vehicle for building local campuses in regional areas, which is great for communities, great for students and great for regional development. It would provide the ability to create a high-reputation, high-quality, high-value research university in the regions.”
She said the highly successful regional university centres, which will be doubled under the accord, would be brought under the umbrella of the national regional university.
However, Professor Klomp said there was already collaboration between regional universities on research projects and student equity.
“It’s a solution looking for a problem,” Professor Klomp said.
Previous attempts to merge two regional universities, including one between UNE and Southern Cross, had failed, he said, because it was not palatable politically or to local communities that were attached to their local universities.
“I am worried that if this idea gets [support], we will all be distracted by it and that it may well not happen anyway because we have been down this road before.”