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Media Release

November 4, 2004

UniSA brings university degrees home to Mt Gambier

For the first time in 2005, residents of Mt Gambier and the surrounding region interested in studying nursing, social work and business degrees will have the opportunity to attend university without moving away from home.

The University of South Australia will offer 40 undergraduate university places in Mt Gambier next year following wide consultation with key stakeholders.

UniSA’s Director of Regional Engagement Professor Len Pullin met with members of the Mount Gambier University Steering Committee this week to finalise details of the plan to offer degrees in the region. UniSA is finalising negotiations with TAFE SA Mount Gambier campus to access classrooms, videoconferencing and computer facilities, clinical laboratories and office space.

“There has been strong support for a plan that would give local access to a university in Mt Gambier for a long time and we are delighted that we have been able to play a key role in making the dream a reality,” Professor Pullin said.

“Over several months we have undertaken wide consultation to assess community needs and support and to work with existing educational institutions such as TAFE to make sure we can deliver degree programs that will be of benefit to the local community.

“We have also had strong support from local Member of Parliament, Patrick Secker, and from the wider Mt Gambier community through its University Steering Committee, in securing the 40 federally funded undergraduate places.”

The steering committee includes representatives from the Grant District Council, the City of Mount Gambier, the South East Education and Training Association, the South East Area Consultative Committee, the Limestone Coast Regional Development Board, South East TAFE and the South East TAFE Council

While the federally funded places are for an initial period of four years, Professor Pullin said UniSA was fully committed to a long term regional strategy for education and research in the region.

“We want to develop a sustainable educational relationship with the Mt Gambier community. These 40 places are a start and we’ll be working to grow that base to 110 places within four years,” he said

“We plan to be ready for business at the end of February 2005 when students commence with their university orientation activities prior to the academic year starting a week later,” said Professor Pullin.

Member of the University Steering Committee, Ms Helen Strickland, said the new places have the potential to be a significant building block for tertiary education in the region.

“We are especially pleased that the degree programs are being delivered ‘on-campus’ in Mt Gambier,” Ms Strickland said.

“The way the programs are delivered is crucial for the success of local students and for the evolution of a learning culture in the region. We are offering strong support to the UniSA project because it offers such high potential for growth in the region,” she said.

The Grant District Council representative on the Steering Committee, Mr Russell Peate, was also fully supportive of the initiative.

“This is a great start for Mt Gambier and one which we hope will be the foundation for the growth of our city as a regional education centre. It gives local people access to full degree studies without having to relocate to Adelaide, Melbourne or other centers,” Mr Peate said.

“The mix of programs on offer looks good and we’re impressed with the way UniSA has listened and consulted with community stakeholders."

UniSA will be conducting one-hour recruitment information sessions on November 23 and 24 at the TAFE SA Mt Gambier campus.

More information

Media contact

For all media enquiries, and to arrange interviews with UniSA staff please contact

For media enquiries with the University Steering Committee in Mount Gambier please contact either

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