This instrument is the Higher Education Support (Other Grants) Amendment (Suburban University Study Hubs) Guidelines 2024.

This instrument commences the day after this instrument is registered.

3 Authority

This instrument is made under section 238-10 of the Higher Education Support Act 2003.

4 Schedules

Each instrument that is specified in a Schedule to this instrument is amended or repealed as set out in the applicable items in the Schedule concerned, and any other item in a Schedule to this instrument has effect according to its terms.

Schedule 1—Amendments

Higher Education Support (Other Grants) Guidelines 2022

1 Section 4

Insert:

Australian Bureau of Statistics means the Bureau established in section 5 of the Australian Bureau of Statistics Act 1975.

ABS Greater Capital City Statistical Areas means the document created by the Australian Bureau of Statistics as in force at the commencement of the Higher Education Support (Other Grants) Amendment (Suburban University Study Hubs) Guidelines 2024.

Note: The ABS Greater Capital City Statistical Areas document as in force at the time the Higher Education Support (Other Grants) Amendment (Suburban University Study Hubs) Guidelines 2024 commenced can be viewed on the Australian Bureau of Statistics’ website at ABS Greater Capital City Statistical Areas.

ABS Socio-Economic Indexes for Areas Index of Relative Socio-economic Advantage and Disadvantage means the document created by the Australian Bureau of Statistics as in force at the commencement of the Higher Education Support (Other Grants) Amendment (Suburban University Study Hubs) Guidelines 2024.

Note: The ABS Socio-Economic Indexes for Areas Index of Relative Socio-Economic Advantage and Disadvantage document as in force at the time the Higher Education Support (Other Grants) Amendment (Suburban University Study Hubs) Guidelines 2024 commenced can be viewed on the Australian Bureau of Statistics’ website at ABS Socio-Economic Indexes for Areas.

2 After section 66

Insert:

Part 9A—Grants to support open access to higher education across Australia—Suburban University Study Hubs Program

66A Program objectives

(1) The Suburban University Study Hubs Program is specified for the purpose of supporting open access to higher education across Australia, under subitem 11(c) of the table in subsection 41‑10(1) of the Act.

(2) The objective of the Suburban University Study Hubs Program is to provide financial assistance to bodies corporate in areas of Australia described in paragraph 66B(1)(a), to enable them to establish and maintain Suburban University Study Hubs that support local students.

66B Specified bodies corporate and extra conditions of eligibility

(1) The following bodies corporate are specified for the purposes of subitem 11(c) of the table in subsection 41‑10(1) of the Act as eligible to receive a grant under this program:

(a) a body corporate that the Minister is satisfied at the time the grant is made has, or will have, a physical operational presence in:

(i) a location categorised as one of the Major Cities of Australia under the ABS Remoteness Structure, or Greater Darwin or Greater Hobart under the ABS Greater Capital City Statistical Areas; and

(ii) a Statistical Area Level 2 classified as Quintile 1 or 2 in the ABS Socio-Economic Indexes for Areas Index of Relative Socio-economic Advantage and Disadvantage;

(b) a body corporate that is a registered entity (within the meaning of the Australian Charities and Not‑for‑profits Commission Act 2012);

(d) a higher education provider to which the Minister has allocated Commonwealth supported places under section 30‑10 of the Act.

Note: Table A providers are also eligible to receive grants under a program specified for the purposes of item 11 of the table in subsection 41‑10(1) of the Act.

(2) Notwithstanding subsection (1), a body corporate mentioned in paragraphs (1)(a) or (b) is only eligible where they are able to satisfy the Minister that:

(a) the body corporate, and each person who makes, or participates in making, decisions that affect the whole, or a substantial part, of the body’s affairs, is a fit and proper person within the meaning of the Act; and

(b) the body corporate is, and is likely to remain, financially viable.

(3) A body corporate is only eligible for a grant under this program if the body corporate has not received funding under the Regional University Study Hubs program in Part 9 of this instrument, or from a State or Territory government, for the proposed facility.

66C Conditions that apply to grants

Grant to be used to establish and operate a Suburban University Study Hub

(1) A grant under the Suburban University Study Hub Program must only be used to establish, operate and maintain a facility in, and to provide services from:

(a) a location that is categorised as one of the Major Cities of Australia under the ABS Remoteness Structure, or Greater Darwin or Greater Hobart under the ABS Greater Capital City Statistical Areas, at the time the grant is made; and

(b) a Statistical Area Level 2 that is classified as Quintile 1 or 2 in the ABS Socio-Economic Indexes for Areas Index of Relative Socio-economic Advantage and Disadvantage, at the time the grant is made.

(2) Grants must be used to establish a new facility that will operate as a Suburban University Study Hub.

Grant to be used to support students to undertake study

(3) A recipient of a grant must ensure that the facilities and services provided using the grant primarily support Commonwealth assisted students.

Note: Facilities and services described in this section may be provided to other students undertaking study, if there is spare capacity to do so.

(4) A grant must be used to support students to undertake study, through provision of some or all of the following:

(a) infrastructure and facilities, including:

(i) study spaces, including facility rental, furniture and furnishings; and

(ii) internet access, including the cost of connection to, and maintenance of, internet services, and telecommunications hardware necessary to connect the facility to internet; and

(iii) computing facilities including computers, local network hardware, operating software and software licences, applications software and software licence, and computing peripherals such as printers and workstations; and

(iv) video conferencing facilities, including video conferencing equipment and software;

(b) academic skills support services, including academic skills training and support;

(c) administrative support, including student administration activities, information technology support services, facilities management, and facility security (human and security systems); and

(d) other services to support students’ learning environment, consistent with requirements set out in Part 2 of the Higher Education Standards Framework (Threshold Standards) 2021, including in relation to:

(i) student wellbeing and safety;

(ii) information on student obligations and behavioural standards; and

(iii) personal support services, cultural support and ancillary services, hours of availability, and how to access services and emergency contact details.

(5) Grants may also be used to support forming partnerships with other organisations such as higher education providers, vocational education and training providers, state and local government bodies or local industry bodies to further support student learning and outcomes.

Note: The Minister may impose other conditions that apply to grants under paragraph 41‑25(1)(c) of the Act.