| *Introduction/Background Since 1999, Charles Sturt’s Study Link program has helped the University respond to the development of Australia’s widening participation in the tertiary sector. Successive reports (Bradley, 2008, Behrendt et al., 2012, Napthine et al., 2019) have directed the policy and practice of widening participation in the sector, and the Study Link program of online, non-award, non-credit bearing, and self-paced subjects has allowed Charles Sturt, a university ‘of the land and people of our regions’, to encourage regional and remote students into tertiary study. Study Link has enabled tens of thousands of students from regional Australia through three of the four stages of the student lifecycle – pre-access, access, and participation. Can a 25 year old program continue to enable regional Australians to success in higher education? An analysis of enrolment and completion data will build on anecdotal accounts and previous analyses of the program, highlighting the influence of Study Link and suggest options for keeping this program at the forefront of Charles Sturt’s widening participation aims. *Aims/Objectives of the presentation oProvide a brief history and current structure of the program oNote the parallels between the development of Study Link and the broader national push for widening participation oHighlight its value in enabling widening participation of regional students oIdentify longitudinal impacts for regional students going on to study undergraduate courses oOffer some possible future evolutions of the program towards best practice in pre-access, access, and participation enablingof our regional students. *Methods oQualitative responses have been reviewed from staff and students on their impressions of the impact on regional students of Study Link. oQuantitative data from OPA has been analysed to identify the participation of regional students within Study Link with their ongoing studies at undergraduate courses. oA review of the literature surrounding widening participation will then incorporate Study Link as an exemplar of broadening participation and supporting our regional student cohort. *Results oStudy Link provides one vehicle for the effective support of regional and remote students at Charles Sturt. oData indicates Study Link has also performed effective attraction, enrolment, and then retention roles for the University, especially for the regional cohort. oElements of the evolution of Study Link, with a regional focus, reflect the broader national push for widening participation. *Discussion Through examination of both qualitative and quantitative data from 25 years of Study Link, the results can inform future University practice in terms of enabling regional students for university study. Furthermore, the evolution of this program over time provides us with insights into the widening participation agenda nationally. Finally, we might make some suggestions as to where the Study Link program might evolve in order to continue to support regional Australians towards study success. *Conclusion For over 25 years, Study Link has been an exemplar of a support model for widening participation. Being situated within a ‘university of the land’ means that it has been particularly valuable for our regional students. Its evolution has reflected changes in policy and funding for enabling students in Australian higher education. |