Regional Expansion

The Need for Local Higher Education Access

Local higher education access has become increasingly important.

The rising cost of living has placed pressure on students’ ability to travel, relocate and meet everyday study-related costs. Students have reported difficulties with food, bills, transport, accommodation and wellbeing, with some working additional hours or relying on debt and family support to continue studying.

For some students, the issue is not ambition or academic ability. The issue is access.

A student may be capable of succeeding in higher education but unable to attend a distant campus because of:

• High travel costs
• Lack of reliable transport
• Accommodation costs
• Caring responsibilities
• Family commitments
• Work commitments
• Disability or health-related barriers
• Limited local guidance about higher education options
• Lack of confidence in entering unfamiliar university environments

Local campuses can help reduce these barriers.

• Course approval
• Student admission
• Academic delivery
• Teaching and assessment
• Quality assurance
• Regulatory compliance
• Student records
• Academic policies
• Student outcomes
• SLC and OfS-related compliance obligations