Collaboration and comfort key for students as Albany Great Southern Universities Centre hub expands

Students and university support staff are set to rule over the entire former Albany Co-Operative Society building as Great Southern Universities Centre expands its hub. The top floor of the heritage-listed building at the corner of Frederick and Spencer Streets has now been fitted out as a collaborative workspace. GSUC director Mike Eastman said expanding what the hub could offer was critical as about 300 students had registered since the hub opened in 2021. He said creating a “warm and inviting” place for students was important so that they could work on group projects and spend time researching and collaborating. “I think in 18 months to two years time we’ll be looking for additional space and further opportunities to create different environments for people to study in,” he said. “The capacity for us to be able to provide space for universities to deliver locally will continue to grow.” GSUC had occupied the lower level of the building as a quiet focused study area for two years and is now able to offer students collaborative work spaces in the upper level. The new space is divided into several rooms including a shared kitchenette area, a bookable area for PhD students, a video conferencing space and more. The hub also continues to provide students access to free internet and printing, along with computer labs and dedicated student support officers able to connect them with the support they need during their studies. Student support officer Kristina Low said having a dedicated space to study while completing courses online can be an important way to minimise distractions. She said when students used the hub as “a focused dedicated space where they have everything they need to study, which means they get a lot more done”. “One of the biggest barriers for uni students in the regions is feeling isolated,” she said. “So while it’s great that we can study online remotely in the regions while staying home, without having a network of other students to collaborate with regularly it can be a hard experience. “This expansion allows students to come together in a way they haven’t been able to before.” The Federal Government recently made a commitment to fund the GSUC for a further four years. Mr Eastman said a growing education sector could be very important for a region’s growth. “Upskilling the workforce is obviously a priority for the entire country,” he said. “The Federal Government has recognised that regionally these study hubs have a huge impact and enable people to upskill and take on new industries as they emerge.” The centre will officially mark the opening of its expansion at an event on Tuesday. Students, regional teaching staff and stakeholders will be invited to have a look through the upgrades from 4pm.