Regional Education Commissioner visits Dookie and Shepparton campuses
Australia’s first Regional Education Commissioner, the Hon Fiona Nash, recently visited the University of Melbourne’s Dookie and Shepparton campuses to see first-hand the teaching and learning activities at these sites and how they are supporting rural communities.
At Dookie campus, Ms Nash was briefed on the Bachelor of Agriculture and the Diploma in General Studies (DiGS), and the important work of the Victorian Drought Resilience Adoption and Innovation Hub and NorVicFoods. The Commissioner toured the animal handling facilities and the robotic dairy, and met with students.
“It was great to hear that students are discovering the benefits of a rural lifestyle and developing strong community ties while at Dookie, and how their courses are setting them up for fulfilling careers as future leaders in primary industries,” Ms Nash said.
The Commissioner was hosted by Professor Giovanni Turchini, Head of the School of Agriculture, Food and Ecosystem Sciences, and Associate Professor Ros Gall, the Director of Dookie campus, who explained how University of Melbourne researchers and students engage with regional businesses, government, and community.
“Our students undertake hands-on, specialist training with leading researchers, government and industry partners working to solve critical issues in sustainability and food supply,” Associate Professor Gall said.
“We prepare them for impactful careers in fields including agronomy, soil science, biotechnology, farm enterprise management, agribusiness consulting, financial services, animal nutrition and welfare, and policy.”
The Commissioner also spent an hour touring the Department of Rural Health in Shepparton. Adjacent to Goulburn Valley Health, the Department delivers the University's Doctor of Medicine Rural Pathway. Ms Nash met with first-year medical students who shared their excitement about the program.
University of Melbourne Professor Julian Wright, Head of the Department of Rural Health, explained how its unique end-to-end rural medical program, which commenced last year in partnership with La Trobe University, enables medical students to undertake their studies and training in regional Victoria, aiming to improve perennial doctor shortages in regional areas.
“It was an honour to welcome the Commissioner to Shepparton and share with her the many ways our education and research programs are supporting the rural community and regional development,” Professor Wright said.
In addition to her role as Regional Education Commissioner, Ms Nash is a member of the Universities Accord Panel, which is undertaking the first major review of the higher education sector since 2008. The Panel is due to provide an interim report next month, followed by a final report in December.