Students are making good use of Ulladulla's Country Universities Centre Southern Shoalhaven [CUC], giving the educational facility full marks.
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The centre has been operating for a few weeks now and recently a ceremony was held to mark its official opening.
Minister for Regionalisation/Regional Communications and Regional Education, Senator Bridget McKenzie, helped officially open the centre.
Student Danielle McKenzie, as Senator McKenzie was joined by the other official guests at the official opening, sat quietly in front of a computer doing uni work.
What she said about the facility would make everyone who helped set it up smile.
"It's an asset we needed in the town," Danielle said.
Danielle, before the CUC opened, studied in the Ulladulla Library.
"It [studying in the library] was just not the same," she said.
If Danielle, who is in her first year of BA Education [primary and early childhood] course, wanted to print something out at the library it would cost her money - but not at the CUC.
If her computer plays up - she uses one at the CUC.
"There are no worries about how long you can stay here," the former Ulladulla High School student added.
"It's a really good facility and they offer tea and coffee as well."
She would "definitely" recommend the facility to other local students.
The centre provides infrastructure and services that enable regional students to study courses locally from any Australian tertiary provider.
CUC Southern Shoalhaven received $785 000 in funding from the Liberal and Nationals Government under the Regional University Centres program.
Federal funds were used in conjunction with the NSW Government's contribution of $1.2 million to the project.
Meanwhile, Uncle Vic Channell got the official proceedings underway with a beautiful "Welcome to Country".
Guests at the official opening were then told just why Ulladulla got a CUC.
The ABS census in 2016 showed the proportion of the Ulladulla population (aged 15+) who held a bachelor degree qualification or above was eight per cent.
Senator McKenzie said a student's postcode should not determine a person's ability to access quality tertiary education.
"We know that students from regional areas are half as likely to obtain a higher education degree than their regional peers," the Senator said.
"Our government's Regional University Centres program removes barriers for regional and remote students to access quality education opportunities and is an important step towards changing the narrative for our students."
Chair of CUC Southern Shoalhaven, Wayne Dedden, said it was important local students had access to these sorts of facilities.
"We want more people in and around the Southern Shoalhaven to remain in their local area, study successfully and develop the skills and qualifications that will help them secure local jobs," he said.
Mr Dedden thanked the NSW and Federal Governments for funding the project.
State Member for the South Coast, Shelley Hancock, said she was excited to be at the official opening.
Mrs Hancock described the facility's opening as "a great bright spot".
She added the region had lacked bright spots of late.
"People are still hurting - we have had COVID-19, floods and bushfires. This [the centre] to me this is a bright spot."
Mrs Hancock said anything that helps local youths was something to get excited about.
The gathering was told the centre, in the form of manager Adam Gowen, was in good hands.
Mr Gowen was described as being enthusiastic and passionate about his role and the CUC in general.
CUC interim-CEO, Duncan Taylor said the new Ulladulla facility was a highly connected site, with access to video conferencing and high bandwidth internet access.
"The centre is staffed by skilled people who provide guidance in navigating online university study and provide essential academic support," Mr Taylor said.
"The combination of these new study spaces, the technology, the student community and the human support provides the needed environment for local students to thrive in their studies and will enrich opportunities in the Southern Shoalhaven."
