In a vote of confidence for La Trobe University’s commitment to regional communities, the University has received more Government-funded scholarships for students at its regional campuses than any other tertiary education provider in Australia, valued at over $1.5m per year.
La Trobe Vice-Chancellor Professor John Dewar welcomed the announcement by Minister for Education Dan Tehan of funding for 94 Destination Australia scholarships across the University’s four regional campuses in Bendigo, Shepparton, Albury-Wodonga and Mildura.
The Destination Australia scheme seeks to attract and support international and domestic students to study in regional Australia, to grow and develop regional Australian tertiary education providers and offer students a high-quality learning experience.
In making the announcement, Minster Tehan said “international education made a $35 billion contribution to the economy last year and we want regional communities to share the benefits”.
Professor John Dewar said the Destination Australia scholarships are just one of a suite of measures in which the Minister for Education is backing La Trobe to support regional communities in Victoria.
“In providing unprecedented scholarship funding to attract international and domestic students to our regional campuses, the Destination Australia scholarships will improve student numbers at our world class regional campuses and provide a welcome boost to our regional economies, including by helping to address skills shortages,” Professor Dewar said.
Deputy Vice-Chancellor (International) Professor Richard Speed said that La Trobe is committed to lifting higher education participation in its regional communities, and generating the skills needed for quality of life and economic growth.
“These scholarships will complement La Trobe-led initiatives such as our regional benefits program, our successful Aspire program, and our investment of over $50m in facilities such as our new Bendigo Engineering and Technology Building,” Professor Speed said.
“We know that increasing the number of students being trained in our regional campuses means more of our graduates will remain in our regional communities, where skills are most needed for the economic future. These scholarships are a welcome and positive step in the right direction.”
Sixty-seven Destination Australia scholarships were awarded to La Trobe’s Bendigo campus – the largest single number awarded to any campus nationally – with 10 for Albury-Wodonga, eight for Mildura, and nine for Shepparton.
