Educational Outcomes
Regional
Partnerships
Facilitation Fund
Project Update
The Victorian Coalition Government is
continuing to support regional students
through the $20 million Regional
Partnerships Facilitation Fund
The Regional Partnerships Facilitation Fund
(RPFF) is a $20 million investment by the
Victorian Coalition Government supporting
regional educational partnerships. Funding is
provided through the $1 billion Victorian
Coalition Government’s Regional Growth Fund.
Funding is intended to increase the rate of
higher education participation and attainment in
regional Victoria through alliances between
higher education and vocational training
providers.
Projects create local opportunities that are
relevant to communities, employers and
industries.
Funding grants have been awarded in two
rounds (2012 and 2013) supporting 15 projects
worth a total $41.5 million.
Project partners include regional TAFEs,
universities, private registered training
organisations, Local Learning and Employment
Networks (LLENs), local government, and local
businesses.
The projects will reach all 48 of Victoria’s
regional Local Government Areas (LGAs) in the
state’s five major regions.

Gippsland – 6 projects
Hume – 7 projects

Barwon South West – 5 projects

Grampians – 5 projects

Loddon Mallee – 6 projects


More than 2500 regional Victorians will be
enrolled during the four year funding period
(2012-2015).

Over 40 higher education qualifications and /
or articulation pathways are in development.

Programs are being designed in response to
areas of skills shortage and industry demand
including:
August2013
community health and nursing
 early childhood and tertiary education
 food and dairy manufacturing
 engineering
 veterinary technology
 business, hospitality, and tourism
 agricultural science and land conservation
 hospitality and tourism

Programs include the creation of pathway
programs and study option programs aimed
at individuals who would otherwise not
consider pursuing higher education.

Projects emphasise accessible learning
through local delivery at TAFE campuses,
and online access.

A total of 700 enrolments have been
reported by Round One projects. This is
excellent progress with further student
intakes scheduled.
The Regional Partnerships Facilitation
Fund supports genuine collaboration,
creating long term partnerships and
changing the nature of higher education
provision in Victoria
RPFF Projects and Funding
U2Uni $2.23 million
Enabling supportive pathways into multidisciplinary Bachelor programs (led by
Swinburne University)
Tertiary Enabling Program (TEP)
$0.47 million
Skills to enable indigenous people and refugees
to pursue higher education (led by La Trobe
University)
Strengthening Regional Food and Dairy
Manufacturing Education $0.65 million
Pathways to boost enrolments in the Bachelor
of Food and Nutritional Sciences (led by
University of Ballarat)
TAFE Teacher Education $3.0 million
Graduate Certificate Education (Tertiary
Teaching) (GCETT) to deliver higher vocational
Regional Partnerships Facilitation Fund Project Update
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and associate degree programs (led by
University of Ballarat)
Gippsland Integrated Health and Community
Care Education $1.5 million
Pathways into Bachelor of Health (Community
Welfare, Nursing, Allied Health) (led by Monash
University) (led by Monash University)
Regional Gateways Framework $1.95 million
Diploma of Integrated Studies to support entry
into University of Melbourne Bachelor degree
programs (led by University of Melbourne)
Bachelor of Early Childhood Education
$0.56 million
Pathway established between Diploma of
Children’s Services and Bachelor of Early
Childhood Education (led by Deakin University)
Gippsland Industry-led Control and Systems
Engineering Pathway $2.5 million
Establishment of regional Hub in Control and
Systems Engineering delivering a pathway from
foundation to tertiary programs (led by Monash
University)
Tertiary Education Pathways for the Food,
Tourism and Hospitality Industry
$0.79 million
Creation of pathways to hospitality and tourism
programs (led by William Angliss Institute)
Partnerships for Participation $1.0 million
Establishment of a Pathways Education Hub to
provide advice to senior secondary students and
encourage entry into new degree programs in
Early Childhood and Agriculture (led by La
Trobe University)
business management, logistics, multimedia,
and children’s services (led by RMIT University)
Great South Coast Health Articulation
Project $0.77 million
Delivery of flexible pathways in health sciences
(led by South West TAFE)
Participant Feedback
The program is “proving to be a very positive
example of effective University and TAFE
partnerships with all parties committing excellent
teaching staff and support to the program.”
TEP Project team
“I have found it [the program] has rejuvenated my
teaching and I am thoroughly enjoying this aspect
if my job again as I invent new ways to interact with
my students.”
GCETT Student
“My experience has been such a positive one.
Last year’s classes were wonderful, a great reentry into study. This year I am …very grateful for
the flexibility the online process provides. I am so
impressed with the support provided and the direct
contact with tutors is encouraging and
motivating…it has really alleviated my fears and
concerns about managing study with work and a
family.”
U2Uni Student
“Mentoring is playing an important role in helping
students to build their confidence with returning to
study, develop stronger peer networks…and grow
academic skills and knowledge.”
TEP Project team
Integrated Land Management Curriculum for
Victoria $1.35 million
Development of an integrated curriculum model
to enable fast-tracking of study and practical
skill development (led by University of
Melbourne)
Bachelor of Veterinary Technology
$0.73 million
Development of pathway to new Bachelor of
Veterinary Technology program, tailored to
industry needs (led by GOTAFE)
Higher Education Programs and Pathways
$2.19 million
Expansion of pathways and programs across
Ballarat and Churchill campuses (e.g.
Engineering, Biotechnology, Nursing) (led by
University of Ballarat)
Southern Grampians Co-operative Learning
and Business Incubator $0.31 million
Creation of a business “incubator” and delivery
of a range of vocational programs in small
Regional Partnerships Facilitation Fund Project Update
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