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- 4 First Walk
- Level 3
- Macquarie University, NSW 2109
- T: +61 (2) 9850 1933
- E: wpu@mq.edu.au
Podcast series
We teamed up with 2SER to create a series of podcasts
Hear the My Town podcastPACE program
Our Professional and Community Engagement (PACE) program
Learn more about PACEHear from our rural students
My Town is a celebration of Macquarie students from regional, rural and remote (RRR) backgrounds.
This initiative empowers students to share stories of their personal learning journeys. These journeys are much more profound than just the physical distances travelled.
*The National RRR Tertiary Education Strategy, 2019, Department of Education.
**Higher Education Statistics, Australian Government Department of Education, Skills and Employment, 2019.
RRR areas are recognised as having ‘thin markets’ of educational resources and opportunity, meaning that students seeking higher education or specialised learning often need to move in order to pursue it (The National RRR Tertiary Education Strategy, 2019, Department of Education).
Populations living in RRR areas are known for their innovation, resourcefulness and resilience. These attributes, along with their unique outlooks and lived experiences, equip RRR students to prosper in a higher education environment.
Film series
Storytelling is a rich and powerful medium that connects us with the aspirations, motivations, experiences and reflections of students who have left their homes and hometowns to pursue higher education.
The My Town film series was developed to connect audiences with the stories of RRR students. These students reflect on the decisions, paths and influences that shaped where they are today, and their visions for the future.
Watch video
See how students adjusted to being away from their hometowns.
Watch video
Learn about available education opportunities in these hometowns.
Watch video
Our students share their educational motivations and aspirations.
Watch video
Hear the best parts and challenges of studying in Sydney.
Watch video
Learn tips and tricks for living and studying away from home.
Impact
My Town empowered students to voice their journey of navigation through higher education and reflect on their personal and learning achievements. Their narratives form important empirical accounts that personify the literature on experiences of students from RRR backgrounds and affirm the policy in place to engage these cohorts with opportunities to participate in higher education.
Production of My Town
The production of My Town involved:
- 20 rural, regional and remote Macquarie student participants
- 12 rural, regional and remote Australian towns
- a student-led film team of five
- a student-led podcast team of four
- three key production partners – WPU, 2SER and PACE.
Those engaged in the production confirmed that My Town:
- empowered students to voice their own narratives
- encouraged other RRR students to consider higher education pathways
- connected RRR communities and urban audiences
- raised awareness of the achievements, aspirations and challenges of RRR students
- provided empirical evidence that supports the policy environment recommendations for more support for RRR students.