Just as Cinderella’s prospects for attending the ball seemed elusive, so does higher education for people living in rural, remote and regional locations in Australia. The concentration of university campuses in Australian capital cities systematically diminishes opportunities for people living in regional locations. Indeed, most regional communities in Australia do not have access to a local university campus. 

This article presents research that captures the voices and experiences of students studying on three small regional university campuses from Victoria, Tasmania and Western Australia. Each of the students who participated, sit across two or more equity measures including gender, ethnicity, First Nations, caring and cultural responsibilities, first-in-families, disability and low socio-economic status; for which the term intersectional diversity is used in this article. 

Key findings

• Studying in place remains a critical component for equitable access to higher education achievement.
• Regional university campuses play a vital role in making higher education accessible to regional students.
• When appropriately resourced, regional university campuses provide vital opportunities for regional, rural and remote communities to reimagine and create a better future for all.
• Higher education policies need to include regional student voices and their experiences to address challenges associated with equity.