ABSTRACT Pathways to higher education can appear opaque and unattainable to rural adults, despite the affordances provided by modern broadband and increasing provision of university online learning options. This paper describes an innovative partnership model that connects rural adults to university and technical and further education pathways through ‘warm connections’ developed between staff in rural libraries and ‘neighbourhood houses’, and people working in university outreach and preparation programmes. Through the Warm Connections project, local staff were provided with training and on campus experiences that equipped them to have conversations with rural people about what university is ‘like’ and what it takes to get a place in a university course. Rural community staff reported being confident in providing customised front-line information and advice to rural residents and were able to direct enquiries to appropriate people in tertiary institutions. Some staff themselves enrolled in and successfully completed university short courses, providing role models for their communities. The project reduced the socio-economic distance between rural adults and tertiary education. It successfully built social capital networks of ‘warm connections’ between tertiary institutions and rural communities, although the longevity of those networks will depend on continuing effort by tertiary institutions to maintain and refresh connections.

中文翻译：

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将高等教育融入农村社区：建立“温暖的联系”

摘要尽管现代宽带提供了负担能力，并且提供了更多的大学在线学习选择，但是农村成年人无法实现高等教育的途径，这是不透明且无法实现的。本文介绍了一种创新的伙伴关系模型，该模型通过农村图书馆和“邻里之家”的员工与大学外展和准备计划工作人员之间的“热联系”，将农村成年人与大学以及技术和继续教育道路联系起来。通过“温暖的联系”项目，为当地员工提供了培训和校园体验，使他们能够与农村居民就大学的“什么样”以及获得大学课程所需的条件进行对话。农村社区工作人员报告说，他们有信心向农村居民提供量身定制的一线信息和建议，并能够向大专院校的相关人员进行咨询。一些员工自己注册并成功完成了大学短期课程，为他们的社区提供了榜样。该项目缩短了农村成年人与高等教育之间的社会经济距离。它成功地建立了大专院校与农村社区之间“热连接”的社会资本网络，尽管这些网络的寿命长短取决于大专院校为维持和更新联系而不断努力。一些员工自己注册并成功完成了大学短期课程，为他们的社区提供了榜样。该项目缩短了农村成年人与高等教育之间的社会经济距离。它成功地建立了大专院校与农村社区之间“热连接”的社会资本网络，尽管这些网络的寿命长短取决于大专院校为维持和更新联系而不断努力。一些员工自己注册并成功完成了大学短期课程，为他们的社区提供了榜样。该项目缩短了农村成年人与高等教育之间的社会经济距离。它成功地建立了大专院校与农村社区之间“热连接”的社会资本网络，尽管这些网络的寿命长短取决于大专院校为维持和更新联系而不断努力。