Federal Minister for Education Employment Chris Evans has allowed CSU’s bid for funding to progress to a second stage, a move that potentially could lead to construction starting in some centres this year.

In its $40 million bid, CSU also wants to establish new TAFE-university centres at Griffith, Parkes and Port Macquarie and to expand its indigenous studies centre at Dubbo.

Deputy vice-chancellor (academic) Professor Ross Chambers said yesterday that the university was seeking money under a structural adjustment funding program that helps universities to invest in strategies ahead of the creation of the competitive higher education market in 2012.

It proposed the creation of the five new centres in collaboration with the TAFE institutes of Riverina, Western (NSW), Goulburn-Ovens and North Coast (NSW).

The aim was to improve the accessibility of higher education in smaller rural centres, and large towns without a big university presence.

Professor Chambers said the plan would be CSU’s most significant expansion since it was formed in 1989.

“We estimated that it would create new opportunities for more than 1000 students unable to go to university in rural and regional areas because of distance from a major university campus.

“The proposal recognised that students who train in the bush remain in the bush.’’

This year CSU admitted 31 per cent of its students based on TAFE qualifications, an increase of 6 per cent on 2010.

Professor Chambers said he would be talking with TAFEs and our local communities over the next week about how to advance the moves.

Editorial — page 20