HarvestEd Student Agricultural program

HarvestEd is a partnership between the Department of Education, Queensland Virtual STEM Academy and Asia Education Foundation to enhance the opportunity for rural and remote students to engage with the agricultural industry. The partnership brings together a cluster of schools with agricultural industry professionals in their local communities and around Australia with links to the […]

Skilling the Pilbara

In collaboration with Rio Tinto and university partners, the PUC has developed a tailored portfolio of higher education courses, delivered in a supported mixed mode to local Pilbara industry employees. The program currently supports 30 employees and includes two industry specific Graduate Certificate courses and a Diploma of Engineering Infrastructure (Rail). In October 2022, this […]

Menindee Central School & Uni Newcastle

Menindee Central School and the University of Newcastle School of Education have maintained a partnership dedicated to improving student outcomes at the school since 2005. Over the years, the school and community have received substantial media coverage of the many successes achieved along the way (awards and significant achievements have become common in several aspects […]

Edith Cowan & Greenbushes Primary School

Greenbushes Primary School is a picturesque small rural school catering to students from Kindergarten to Year 6; however, in 2019, it was at risk of closing due to small numbers. Knowing that lost classrooms equal lost communities, the local industry, school and community developed a Partnership Agreement. This partnership enabled the achievement of common goals […]

Quality Teaching Rounds Digital/ Teachers and Teaching Research Centre

Too often teachers in rural and remote areas miss out on opportunities for high-impact professional development. QTR Digital provides such access for teachers regardless of school size and distance from larger centres. Rigorous research has shown participation in face-to-face Quality Teaching Rounds (QTR) enhances the quality of teaching, teacher morale and student achievement. Adapted specifically […]

Geraldton Universities Centre

Geraldton Universities Centre (GUC) is the original regional university centre (RUC). Commencing operations in 2002, GUC restructured in 2010 to a community-based model of governance committed to meeting the needs of the community. Providing opportunity for all and recruiting students to courses that would address local workforce need, GUC pioneered an innovative model of supplying […]

Discover Your Future

CUC Far West worked collaboratively with local youth to facilitate an interactive networking event, ‘Discover Your Future’ (DYF) in May 2022. Preceding the development of DYF, CUC Far West staff attended the ABC Heywire Youth Innovation Summit in 2021, where local youth presented a concept to increase youth access and exposure to local industries and […]

Rural and Remote team

The Rural and remote team in the Queensland Department of Education has centred their work over the past four years on ensuring that every rural and remote student, regardless of their geographic location, has the opportunity to succeed. The team is led by a Director with 6 dedicated officers who support over 600 rural and […]

Speaking in Colour

Speaking in Colour was established in 2010 by Cherie Johnson. During her time as a casual/temp teacher Cherie saw the need for Aboriginal education resources written by experienced Aboriginal educators. Starting with Newcastle and Lake Macquarie regional art galleries Cherie wrote educational resources supporting the exhibitions and the gallery staff. Today, Speaking in Colour is […]

First Nations Education

CQUniversity is proud to be recognised as Australia’s most inclusive and engaged university with some of the highest ratios of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students. The University aims to improve higher education outcomes for Indigenous Australians by providing higher education, training, research opportunities and engagement that expresses a deliberate destiny for Aboriginal and Torres […]

Social Enterprise Schools

Australian Centre for Rural Entrepreneurship (ACRE) is a not-for-profit social enterprise that exists to build a thriving rural Australia that is agile, resilient and enterprising. ACRE’s flagship youth entrepreneurship program, Social Enterprise Schools is a practical, student-led experience that develops citizenship and enterprise capabilities while building resilience in young people across regional, rural and remote […]

Learning Skills Advisor Program

Since 2018 the Country Universities Centre Far West (CUCFW) has supported over 200 students with free academic skills support through the Learning Skills Advisor (LSA) program. The LSA program aims to positively impact student success through personalised, flexible, face-to-face support that builds academic capabilities and confidence. Further, in recognition of the isolation and disconnection many […]

Learning to Learn – enabling regional students to succeed in higher education

Learn2Learn is an evidence based, innovative online program with modules released weekly, over 6 weeks. It can be run as a pre-orientation program (perfect for students in regional areas who are unsure if study is for them), embedded into core curriculum or run between terms for struggling students. Research to date indicates improved confidence, learner […]

RESN Help, Live and Wiki

The Regional Educational Support Network (RESN) is a not-for-profit organisation that empowers regional students to take control of their future through the provision of free high-quality resources and tutoring. The pandemic has highlighted that RESN’s fully online resources are strongly positioned to address the metropolitan/regional resource divide. Our services include an online platform for students […]

Future Leaders Program

Teach for Australia’s Future Leaders Program (FLP) is a one-year professional development program supporting educators working in RRR schools to develop their leadership skills and capabilities. Whilst acknowledging the unique challenges leaders in RRR schools face, FLP recognises and celebrates the strength and resilience of these communities and the valuable insights they offer to the […]

Associate Professor Hernan Cuervo

Associate Professor Hernan Cuervo is an internationally recognised expert on Australian rural education and a distinguished leader in the field. Throughout his 20-year research career, he has shown tireless commitment to better understanding rural education. He has done so in 50 academic publications and 45 public addresses. Hernan has achieved a unique combination of theoretical […]

Articulating the Voices of Australian Geographically Isolated Remote Education Tutors

In 2021 our team conducted a national survey that attracted close to 600 Remote Education Tutors (RETs) who shared their experiences and perceptions of the work they do in this role. These workers are often recognised as Govies or Home Tutors, and they are the conduit between the school of distance education and the students […]

A student-centred approach: understanding higher education pathways through co-design

Dr Mollie Dollinger has contributed significantly to the Australian regional and rural education discourse through her application of co-design methods and students as partners approaches. In 2020-2021 Mollie led a National Centre for Student Equity in Higher Education (NCSEHE) grant where she and her team collaborated with RR schools across Victoria, Queensland and Western Australia […]

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 […]