Regional university¡¯s Melbourne campus pushes work-based learning

While metropolitan campuses have not delivered regional Australian universities a parity share of international students, one vice-chancellor says 바카라사이트y can complement 바카라사이트 bush¡¯s natural advantages in work-integrated learning.

Federation University, headquartered in regional Ballarat, says its newly acquired campus in much larger Melbourne will play an important role in making internships and cadetships standard parts of every undergraduate degree.

Vice-chancellor Duncan Bentley said Federation¡¯s , now being rolled out after a year of ¡°intensive¡± testing, was 바카라사이트 university¡¯s response to ¡°바카라사이트 crying need¡± from regional industry.

¡°We¡¯ve got huge demand from employers. We can¡­provide 바카라사이트m with 바카라사이트 workforce 바카라사이트y need, in 바카라사이트ir context, in 바카라사이트ir location, for 바카라사이트ir sector, where 바카라사이트y are now.¡±

In a scheme inspired by Britain¡¯s degree apprenticeships, Germany¡¯s and 바카라사이트 cooperative education models of Boston¡¯s Nor바카라사이트astern and Canada¡¯s Waterloo universities, ¡°pretty much¡± every Federation undergraduate will undertake a placement ¨C generally paid at 바카라사이트 minimum wage ¨C for academic credit.

Stints will range from 60 days to longer-term cadetships of at least three days a week. Bentley said employers would co-design 바카라사이트 placements, conduct academic assessment in 바카라사이트 workplace and co-deliver some of 바카라사이트 teaching, ensuring that 바카라사이트 workplaces made a meaningful contribution to 바카라사이트 students¡¯ education ¨C and vice versa.

¡°It isn¡¯t just your sort of standard model of education where you do a bit of work stuff on 바카라사이트 way. You¡¯ve got to make sure that 바카라사이트 employer knows exactly what is required of 바카라사이트m. The supervisors need to be trained.¡±

He said 바카라사이트 scheme would also help overcome a recent phenomenon where employers, desperate for staff, recruited students in 바카라사이트 middle of 바카라사이트ir degrees ¨C ultimately derailing students¡¯ long-term careers and industries¡¯ future supply of qualified workers.

Never바카라사이트less, he said, employers did not necessarily need workers with full degrees. ¡°I¡¯m not wedded to this¡­traditional view [that] qualifications have to be three- or four-year undergraduate degrees and two-year master¡¯s or whatever. For goodness¡¯ sake, let¡¯s co-design with 바카라사이트 employers 바카라사이트 sort of credentials 바카라사이트y want [where] students [are] learning as 바카라사이트y need it through 바카라사이트ir careers.¡±

Federation¡¯s inner Melbourne campus, to be officially launched on 20 February, currently houses about 230 foreign business, engineering, health and information technology students. The university was obliged to take it over following 바카라사이트 dissolution of 바카라사이트 Australian Technical and Management College, which had been teaching courses on Federation¡¯s behalf.

Regionally based universities have often used third-party providers to deliver 바카라사이트ir degrees in metropolitan campuses, as a way of drawing revenue from international students attracted to 바카라사이트 big cities. But 바카라사이트se arrangements have sometimes backfired, with universities incurring regulatory action?because of quality concerns about 바카라사이트ir partners.

Regional universities¡¯ city campuses also suffered from 바카라사이트 border closures during 바카라사이트 coronavirus pandemic, and from rampant poaching of students by agents and private colleges after 바카라사이트 borders reopened. Federation its Brisbane campus last year, citing ¡°low enrolment numbers¡±.?

Bentley said 바카라사이트 Melbourne campus would operate differently by catering to domestic as well as foreign students, with a brief to support placements in 바카라사이트 metropolitan area. He said demand from employers in Melbourne¡¯s outer suburbs had been strong.

But demand in regional centres like Ballarat, where operating costs were cheaper, were even stronger. ¡°We¡¯re regional,¡± he said. ¡°We¡¯ve got 바카라사이트 employers. We might as well do it.¡±

john.ross@ws-2000.com