CUC Ovens Murray Opens New Wangaratta Facility

CUC Ovens Murray Opens New Wangaratta Facility

Country Universities Centre (CUC) Ovens Murray is excited to announce the opening of its newly redesigned and refurbished facility in Wangaratta, marking a significant milestone for the Centre.

Originally opened three years ago, the Wangaratta site now boasts a new fit-for-purpose space designed to support the growing needs of regional students that is co-located with GOTAFE.

The innovative CUC model continues to empower communities by expanding educational opportunities close to home. Since opening in 2022, CUC Ovens Murray has supported 367 students, with 179 accessing services this semester alone across its three sites in Wangaratta, Mansfield, and Corryong.

It is evident from the students of CUC Ovens Murray, there they are building genuine connection to the Centre, and an appreciation for the services on offer.

Local student Kate said, “the CUC provided me a place to study in the evenings and on weekends that was away from the interruptions of small children at home. The facility had a great bookable space for my three exams, and it took the burden off the cost of printing.”

Reflecting on her experience, Kate said “It can be isolating to be a regional student; so it was great to have staff at the CUC to chat with. I also received in-person support from the learning advisor regarding my research paper.”

Undoubtedly it is the staff of the CUC who make the model so successful. “Students initially come for the resources, and they stay for the people,” said CUC CEO Chris Ronan.

“We provide a service that builds positive relationships with students and nurtures them throughout their learning journey, no matter where they are in their studies.”

CUC Ovens Murray is partly funded under the Regional University Study Hubs program from the Australian Government Department of Education. The CUC welcomes the continued government commitment to increasing educational access in regional areas, providing community-led options for students to pursue further studies.

Minister for Education, the Hon. Jason Clare said, “A key part of building a better and fairer education system is giving more Australians the chance to attend university and succeed when they get there. That’s what this Country Universities Centre does. It will give more people from Wangaratta and the wider Ovens Murray region access to tertiary education closer to home.”

The investment not only enriches the local educational landscape but also promotes economic growth and long-term prosperity for Wangaratta and the surrounding region.

Independent Member for Indi, Helen Haines, who spoke at the original opening in 2022 celebrated the refurbished facility, saying, “The Country Universities Centre Ovens Murray is a living example of this ingenuity and the vast and varied experiences brought together to support, mentor, nurture, and guide our future doctors, teachers, scientists, artists, and environmentalists to realise their potential and their dreams in a familiar and embracing environment.”

“A locally-based study space, sensitive to local needs, is an empowering resource. This new facility offers regional students invaluable opportunities to participate in higher education.”, Ms Haines said.

The new facility symbolises a fresh chapter for CUC Ovens Murray and highlights the increasing demand across the CUC network for accessible, tailored support for students studying in higher education.

Wangaratta Centre Manager Mark van Bergen added, “It’s fantastic to finally be in the new space. Wangaratta has our largest cohort, and the students, and staff, have been eagerly awaiting this moment and students commenting that the refurbishment ‘is amazing’ and ‘far outweighing what they were expecting’.

“Communities like CUC Ovens Murray now have access to opportunities right at their doorstep, and we are proud to be offering that for education,” said CUC Ovens Murray Chair Jacqui Bramwell.

The new facility is now located at GOTAFE Building F Docker Street Campus 19-23 Docker St. (directly behind the town library), and is staffed from 9am – 5pm Monday to Friday. If you would like a tour, please drop by and talk to their friendly staff.