[Quiet, inspiring music plays throughout]
[on screen text: Stewart Milner, Foundation Principal, Centre for Higher Education Studies]
Stewart Milner: I'm Stewart Milner, the foundation principal for the Centre for Higher Education Studies, otherwise known as CHES. Now, CHES is a new centre established to excite and develop the potential of high-achieving and high-ability students across Victoria. We'll offer access to accelerated programs for senior students in government schools.
[on screen text: State-of-the-art facilities]
We see a series of animated renders showing various spaces of the new building, while Stewart speaks in voiceover.
Stewart Milner: We're constructing a $27.5 million centre in South Yarra as the physical home for the statewide CHES programs. The multi-storey centre will boast university-standard science and design labs, contemporary classrooms for independent research and collaborative projects, as well as an atrium, cafe, and rooftop terrace for small group work and for socialising. We'll also have a professional learning lab for teachers. We'll use our large auditorium for masterclasses, presentations, and conversations with leading academics and professionals who have risen to the top of their fields. With a truly state-of-the-art facility, CHES is a bridge between schools and universities, and we offer an exciting opportunity for students to get a head-start on university study.
[on screen text: Selection process, excellence and equity]
Stewart Milner: Selection processes will be rigorous, but students won't need to take a test to enter CHES. Instead, there will be a simple online written application, including achievement data and statements from students and from their current school. Our aim is to ensure that high-ability students from all backgrounds and all walks of life in government schools are able to access our programs and to flourish.
[on screen text: Learning options]
Stewart Milner: We aim to support students to access our specialised programs regardless of their location in Victoria. Students accepted into CHES can participate in our programs without needing to leave their local community because they'll have the option to attend CHES in person or to participate online through our virtual learning environment. And many students will choose a hybrid approach with a mix of onsite and online learning that works for them. Students who are accepted into CHES will typically study one subject with us while remaining enrolled at their home school for the balance of their VCE program. The first intake of students into CHES will commence in January 2023.
The video ends with the Victorian School Building Authority logo and website URL (www.schoolbuildings.vic.gov.au).
[End of transcript]
Updated