Country Universities Centre Bass Coast celebrates highest ever enrolment

The Country Universities Centre (CUC) Bass Coast has celebrated a significant milestone with its highest ever enrolment in Semester 1 2025, of 190 Students. 

Located in Wonthaggi and supported by the Commonwealth Government’s Regional University Study Hub program, CUC Bass Coast offers a free study and learning space for individuals pursuing degrees, diplomas or Certificate IV qualifications through any Australian university or higher education institution.  

The government recently announced another ten centres across Australia, making higher education more accessible for regional students. Research shows people living in regional and rural parts of Australia are 50 per cent less likely to engage in higher education. 

The Regional Partnerships Program Pool (RPPPP) funding bridges this gap by enabling CUC to widen its reach in the community. As part of this, CUC run participation programs for current secondary school students in the region, to build aspiration while they’re still in school. 

CUC Bass Coast Centre Manager, Sarah Bourke, emphasised the importance of these efforts. “We’ve had double the number of students under the age of 25 register so far this year, which demonstrates the response from our widening participation programs in schools.” 

“Not only have we had the highest ever registrations since the Centre opened in March 2021, but we’ve also seen the difference it makes having a connected and supportive environment, where students feel comfortable to approach us for localised support in their studies,” said Sarah. 

“We’ve seen a vast increase in the number of requests in Learning Skills Advisor sessions, and higher than ever usage of the facilities, up 50 per cent from this time last year.” 

Learning Skills Advisor (LSA) sessions provide academic support to assist students in building essential study skills such as academic writing, time management, critical thinking, referencing, exam preparation, and research strategies. These sessions are delivered by the CUC team and align with the student’s coursework or assessment schedule to help students develop and strengthen the core skills needed for successful independent learning at university.  

CUC is a dedicated local learning hub that collaborates with schools, tertiary partners, and other educational organisations to expand opportunities for students throughout the region. 

Students have access to the Centre seven days a week, providing high speed technology, academic mentoring and a network of like-minded students to create a community learning environment. 

For more information, please give the team a call on 0472 741 451 or visit www.cucbasscoast.edu.au