Not many places you can say that you're studying and surfing in the same place.
Being in a truly regional environment poses some challenges but offers a whole lot of
opportunities.
We are just so lucky to have a university campus in our backyard it's such a brilliant
environment to study in.
It's been an absolute highlight of my studies so far to spend the year in somewhere as picturesque
as Albany where the learning opportunities are also so excellent.
Albany born and raised studying at the Albany campus allows me to further my career prospects
while still staying in the beautiful town of Albany.
20 years ago people were highly disadvantaged in this region in terms of accessing higher
education and now people can access a whole range of options that's an extraordinary thing
to have been able to have brought to the region.
It’s great to see the University down here in Albany growing it's been here 20 years
but it seems like it's just starting to take off.
Because Albany is in a very bio diverse area we've got access to field sites very close
to town.
I am field biologists and deliberately came here because of the tremendous opportunities
for field research at your doorstep.
The campus is amazingly convenient you're just about tumble out of bed as it were and
straight into the national parks and this is the reason why we use Albany a lot for
our fieldwork.
It's just a fantastic location these guys are learning about how to do research and
we feel that they really need to go and get their hands dirty and give it a go.
This year we're working with Parks and Wildlife and we're also working with the City of Albany.
It's a win-win situation really because we learn from the stakeholders but our students
also generate very valuable datasets which we can then give to the stakeholders.
The university does a good job fostering those interactions and making use of those connections
in terms of sharing information.
My work is so much easier because of having those really great networks I might get a
phone call from a whale watch boat saying we've just seen something or a lot of our
community will just contribute their own data, their own photos, their own information.
It's really cool that we're able to meet with locals and discuss what they'd like to see
out of this project, get their feedback on things and that way we're able to tailor our
project a little bit more to their needs and their wants.
In the last 20 years UWA Albany has grown incredibly, it's gone from very small courses
from students doing one or two units remotely through too large courses where students come
down from Perth to Albany.
Currently we have student housing that is directly across the road from the University
and the second stage of the accommodation that is being built in York Street is very
close to the library very close to the town centre so that'll be a really good place I
think to be accommodated as a student.
Spending the year in Albany has been transformative, it's completely shaped to my medical career,
it's been amazing not only in the sense of the knowledge that I've gained but also the
people that I've met and the things that I've done things that I couldn't achieve anywhere
else besides Albany.
One of the great drawing factors that brings a lot of students to Albany is the quality
of the teaching here.
It's got a great vibe to it, small campus the staff and the tutors they all get to know
the students and you've got a really one-on-one basis rather than just being a number.
It’s much easier to build up a great relationship with the tutors and feel comfortable to ask
them any questions at any time.
Being at the Albany campus allows me to be in a global diversity hotspot so in for environmental
science I'm surrounded by volunteer opportunities, we've done a lot of spotlighting for ring-tailed
possums and things like that in the Albany area.
So it's a great chance to integrate with the community and really try to make a difference.
Another great advantage of Albany is a significant Aboriginal population here so that creates
great opportunities to walk on country with Aboriginal people and share experiences and
co-learn.
The university's responded to local issues and it's grown to be able to respond to national
issues and international issues.
Just coming up I've got people from the USA, Brazil and Germany coming to spend two weeks
and a workshop on how we might advance the next stage of looking at granite outcrops.
I can only see more of that happening in the future.
There's a strong appetite for education there's a strong appetite to have activities in a
region where residents are truly proud of their region.
It's the people that make it.
I really have enjoyed learning from and working with some really really inspiring people.
I just think it's wonderful to have the opportunity to live in this beautiful landscape with so
many diverse communities and to be able to teach students in the field.
The next step from here?
Bigger and better.