University Study Hubs Helping Access
The often-long commute to university will be curtailed to a degree if you attend UNSW or Latrobe in Melbourne.
Both unis have launched study hubs which provide access to the university and its community but localised to where students live.
UNSW Sydney has a strong student base in the Liverpool region and The Liverpool Study Hub will provide around 50 study spaces, computers, Wi-Fi, video conferencing facilities, meeting rooms and in-person community assistance to help learners stay connected and succeed.
The Study Hub, located within the TAFE NSW Liverpool building, will be operated and managed by UNSW Sydney. The facility offers local support services for students enrolled at any university or vocational education and training (VET) provider and senior secondary students.
The Liverpool Study Hub is part of the Suburban University Study Hubs program - a $66.9 million federally funded initiative, designed to address barriers to tertiary education for students living in outer metropolitan and peri-urban areas of Australia. In addition to providing physical study spaces, the Hubs offer in-person administrative, academic and wellbeing support for students undertaking tertiary study through any Australian public institution.
The Government plans to significantly increase the number of university students from underrepresented groups. Liverpool is one of the most diverse regions in NSW, where more than 60% of residents speak a language other than English at home.
The new Study Hub builds on UNSW’s 35-year presence in South West Sydney, strengthening partnerships with universities, TAFE, and local institutions to expand access to higher education and support the region’s thriving workforce. The initiative reflects the University’s dedication to supporting pathways to tertiary education, particularly for migrant groups, First Nations people, students from low socio-economic backgrounds, and those with disability.
The Liverpool Study Hub will benefit students like Hilary Chap, a UNSW Gateway Ambassador and 4th year Food Science student living in Cecil Hills. She’s set to be the first in her family to graduate from university.
“It’ll be so helpful for students living in the area since it is local and so easy to reach by public transport,” she said. “Most university campuses in Sydney are all located near the CBD, and students like me have to commute hours each week just to attend classes, sometimes up to 4 or more hours a day of travelling alone.”
Similarly tertiary students in Melbourne’s outer north have greater access to learning closer to home with the official opening of the Northern Study Hub in Epping. This initiative is led by La Trobe University, in collaboration with a range of community partners and support from the Australian Government.
Located within the Melbourne Polytechnic Library, the Epping site joins Broadmeadows under the Northern Study Hub umbrella, which was Victoria’s first hub launched in August this year.
La Trobe University student, Vi Nguyen, in his final year of a Health Information Management course, lives locally and cycles to the Hub regularly. He says it feels as welcoming as the University’s Bundoora campus - without the long commute.
“I use the Hub quite often. It’s close to home, has great facilities and helps me work efficiently to stay on track with my studies,” Vi said.
“The staff are very supportive and go out of their way to help students. I can easily speak with a learning advisor or find a private space to attend online classes without waiting around.”
“It’s also a great way to meet students from other institutions. That shared sense of purpose and connection to learning is really motivating.”
La Trobe Vice-Chancellor Professor Theo Farrell said the Hub reflected the University’s mission to expand access to higher education and strengthen local partnerships.
“To meet the tertiary education needs of Melbourne’s rapidly expanding northern suburbs, La Trobe is committed to working with community partners, like Melbourne Polytechnic, to enable young people to participate, grow and succeed in higher education,” Professor Farrell said.
The Northern Study Hub is situated in one of the nation’s fastest-growing regions, with Melbourne’s outer north projected to accommodate an additional 102,000 homes or about 318,000 people by 2060.
Professor Farrell said the Northern Study Hub in Epping and Broadmeadows will play a vital role in helping achieve the goal of doubling higher education participation and attainment by 2050, as outlined in the Universities Accord.
“Evidence from the Regional University Study Hubs program, which has been operatingfor several years now, shows that where study hubs are located, university participation rates increase. Now we want to replicate this in the northern suburbs too.”
About 200 students have now registered at the Epping and Broadmeadows Study Hub sites, with 76 per cent studying at undergraduate or diploma levels offering pathways into tertiary studies.