2021 AREAs

The 2021 Australian Rural Education Awards were announced at the National Conference for Regional, Rural and Remote Education Webinar on 24 May 2021. Since 1994, the Australian Rural Education Award (AREA) has been awarded annually to an institution, organisation or industry to recognise excellence in rural education in Australia.

2021 Rural Education Research Portal

Launched at the 2021 National Conference for Regional, Rural & Remote Education (NCRRRE) Webinar, this resource combines 58 rural education abstracts and author contacts, recordings of the Rural Education Webinar and video resources previewed, Heywire vids and 2021 Australian Rural Education Award winning projects. 2021 Rural Education Webinar Monday 24 May 2021 – Recording Heywire […]

2021 Area Awards Announced

2021 Call for Nominations Since 1994, the Australian Rural Education Award (AREA) has been awarded annually to an institution, organisation or industry to recognise excellence in rural education in Australia. Category 1: Existing projects that demonstrate a proven link between a rural, regional and/or remote school or learning context and the local community, and benefitting a defined group. Category […]

AIJRE: Community as an Anchor, Compass and Map for Thriving Rural Education

Current issue of the Australian and International Journal of Rural Education Community as an Anchor, Compass and Map for Thriving Rural Education The papers presented in this issue gravitate around notions of community within rural, regional and remote education. These concepts of community are not new to us in education, particularly those of us with […]

2020 SPERA AGM

The 2020 SPERA Annual General Meeting was held on Thursday 1 October 2020, for the first time in SPERA’s history via zoom. Many thanks to the members who were able to attend. SPERA 2020 AGM Package

AIJRE Journal No 2 2020 – Boarding Schools for rural and remote families: panacea or problem?

The Australian and International Journal of Rural Education has just released Vol 30 No 2 (2020): Boarding Schools for rural and remote families: panacea or problem? Families living in rural and remote communities often face a difficult choice when their children reach high school age. When there is no local high school, or what is […]

2021 SPERA Conference

National Conference for Regional, Rural and Remote Education: Informing a creative tomorrow, Barossa Valley April 2021 The NCRRE will bring together teachers, principals, university professional and academic staff, educational leaders, equity and widening participation practitioners, all community owned Regional Universities Centres and their boards, government departments, policy makers, not-for-profit organisations and anyone interested in RRR […]

2019 SPERA Annual General Meeting

The 2019 SPERA Annual General Meeting took place on: Thursday, 3rd October 2019. The following members were nominated and elected to the Executive Committee: Serena Burnett Joel Davis Chris Ronan Carol Steel Melyssa Fuqua Samantha Avitaia Nina Fotinatos Ian McIntosh Monica Davis Sue Ledger Jane Downey Jaimey Facchin Brian O’Neill Bronwyn Relf Chris Reading […]

2018 Annual General Meeting

AIJRE Journal No 1 2020 – The Importance of Community

The Australian and International Journal of Rural Education, Vol 30 No 1 (2020) Global to Local Policy and Practices: The Importance of Community This edition positions communities of practice as a significant place-based enabler for successful placements, partnerships and practices in rural and remote contexts. Vol 30 No 1 (2020): Global to Local Policy […]

2019 EPHEA/NAEEA Conference – Enabling Excellence through Equity

In November 2019 equity practitioners and researchers gather in Wollongong to attend the biennial Equity Practitioners in Higher Education in Australasia (EPHEA) and National Association of Enabling Educators in Australia (NAEEA). This was a key professional development forum for equity and enabling practitioners in a wide range of fields to highlight best student and staff […]

Rural Education International Research Alliance

Professor Simone White (Faculty of Education, Office of International and Engagement (Education) launched the new Rural Education International Research Alliance (REIRA). REIRA is the go to place to find up to date scholarly information about rural education people, places, projects, publications and partnerships. This is an international research alliance dedicated to improving the learning, teaching and […]

Best Practice in Regional Study Hub Symposium

Regional Study Hubs are a vital resource in supporting regional students–delivering access to campus-like facilities in regional and remote areas; educational support; technology; and most importantly, a network of fellow students. In 2019, there will be more than 23 Regional Study Hub locations across Australia. We invite the RSH community and stakeholders together to discuss […]

35th National Spera Conference Brisbane

National SPERA Conference Brisbane 2-4 October 2019 Queensland University of Technology Kelvin Grove Campus Brisbane Australia The 35th National SPERA Conference was proudly hosted by the Faculty of Education, Queensland University of Technology. SPERA Conference Full Program Improving Rural Education: Connectedness, Communities & Collaboration Subthemes Building digital connections for rural communities Ensuring rural communities’ well-being Sharing innovations […]

2019 AREAs Announced

2019 Australian Rural Education Awards Congratulations to all our 2019 Area winners, presented at the 2019 SPERA conference in Brisbane on 3 October 2019! Country University Centres The Country Universities Centre is a community owned network of regional study hubs, designed to increase access and success in higher education for regional students. The CUC centres […]

Australian and International Journal of Rural Education – November edition

The Australian and International Journal of Rural Education (AIJRE) [Online ISSN 1839-7387; Print ISSN 1036-0026] is an international medium for educators with an interest in the provision of education in rural contexts. The Journal is interdisciplinary and publishes integrative reviews, scholarly accounts of educational research relevant to rural education, research reports, book reviews and feature articles likely to be […]

Australian Rural Education Awards 2019

Call for Nominations Since 1994, the Australian Rural Education Award (AREA) has been awarded annually to an institution, organisation or industry to recognise excellence in rural education in Australia. Category 1 Existing projects that demonstrate a proven link between a rural, regional and/or remote school or learning context and the local community, and benefiting a […]

Australian Rural Education Awards 2019

Attracting Teachers to Schools in Rural and Remote Areas in Australia

Region-related disparities are among the main factors that explain differences in access and equity in education (Lee, 2001). Schools in remote and rural areas often have difficulty in recruiting and retaining staff with certain qualifications and experience, and preparing them to address the educational complexity in these areas, such as multi-grade settings and specific student […]

Attracting Teachers to Schools in Rural and Remote Areas in Australia

Region-related disparities are among the main factors that explain differences in access and equity in education (Lee, 2002). Schools in remote and rural areas often have difficulty in recruiting and retaining staff with certain qualifications and experience, and preparing them to address the educational complexity in these areas, such as multi-grade settings and specific […]

‘Shaping the Future: Learning from Indigenous Higher Education Research in the Northern Territory’

A presentation on research projects related to ‘Better understanding and responding to the needs of regional and remote Indigenous Higher education students in the NT’ These research projects were recently awarded a 2018 Australian Rural Education Award by the Society for the Provision of Rural Education in Australia (SPERA) for five intersecting Indigenous higher […]

AIJRE Special Issue Proposals Invited

We are calling for a Special Issue topic and special editor. If you are interested please, identify the theme of the proposal and highlight the significance for the advancement of rural education research Include the following: Name of Special Issue Editor/Editors An outline of the proposal highlighting the theme and discussion why it is important […]

AIJRE Vol 29 No 1 (2019): Rural Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Education

Why the need for a special edition on First Nations ruraleducation? Surprisingly,there is almost no literature within Australia that discusses the significance of ruralityin First Nations education.Many research articles describe the significance of remotenessin First Nations education. Much of the extant research is built on a premise that remoteness goes hand in hand with disadvantage […]

2018 SPERA Annual General Meeting

SPERA Annual General Meeting 2018 was held at Curtin University Perth on 30th November 2018 The following were nominated and accepted for Executive. President: Brian O’Neill Vice President: Sue Ledger Treasurer: Chris Reading International Liaison: Jayne Downey Meeting/Minutes: Bronwyn Relf Membership and Social Media: Sonal Singh Website: Samantha Avitaia and Jaimey Facchin AAAE representative: Melyssa […]

2018 AREA Winners

Congratulations 2018 Australian Rural Education Award Winners!
At the 2018 SPERA Conference, three fantastic AREAs were presented.

34th National SPERA Conference, Perth

29 – 30 November 2018 Access for All: Equity Matters SPERA, in partnership with the National Centre for Student Equity in Higher Education based at Curtin University, Perth, Western Australia held the 34th National SPERA Conference. Subthemes based on Halsey’s 2018 Independent Review on Rural, Regional and Remote Education: Global Directives [OECD & UN SDG4] Asset […]

Developing a Rural Compass: Recalibrating for Success An overview of rural education policy in Australia

Dr Susan Ledger’s recent article featured in spanish magazine ‘Guix – Aula d innovacion educativia’. Although home to over 32% of the nation, regional Australia is often overlooked in terms of research, planning and investment. This is a call to recalibrate the rural compass for policy decisions in Australia. It is timely as the OECD […]

Independent Review into Regional, Rural and Remote Education

In 2017, the Australian Government commissioned an Independent Review into Regional, Rural and Remote Education (IRRRRE). The Review was part of the Australian Government’s commitment to improve the education of country students so they can reach their full potential and participate in Australia’s economy. Emeritus Professor John Halsey from Flinders University conducted the review to examine […]

The educational needs in non-metropolitan areas have been explored in a recent report.

In 2018 the Federal Government released the Independent Review into Regional, Rural and Remote Education, commissioned in 2017 and led by Emeritus Professor John Halsey of Flinders University. Experts respond in MCERA: Continue Reading …MCERA_Independent Review into Regional Rural and Remote Education5

Media Release: Independent Review into Regional, Rural and Remote Education

13th April 2018 The report on an extensive review to guide efforts to overcome the educational divide between capital cities and regional and rural areas is now available to the public. The Coalition Government today released the final report of the Independent Review into Regional, Rural and Remote Education, led by Emeritus Professor Dr John […]