STUDENTS from regional and rural communities face significant barriers when accessing higher education, so a federal forum to address that was held in Rockhampton on Thursday.
Chair of the Senate Standing Committee on Education and Employment Bridget McKenzie, along with Senator Matthew Canavan and Member for Capricornia Michelle Landry, hosted the forum at the Capricornia School of Distance Education headquarters.
Ms Landry said regional and rural students were often forced to relocate to a city to access higher education or university, where living expenses could range up to $20,000 per year.
“For parents with two or more children wanting to attend university from the bush, these costs can be crippling,” she said.
“Prior to tertiary education, a lot of remote students also face issues created by distance during their schooling years, including access to technology.”
The forum will seek feedback from students, parents, the Isolated Children’s Parent’s Association, teachers, CQUniversity and the community on ways regional and rural students can be supported to attend university.