The Riverland Mallee Coorong Local Health Network’s (RMCLHN) Riverland Academy of Clinical Excellence (RACE) hosted the inaugural Rural Health International Place-based Education and Research (RHIPER) Conference in Murray Bridge, South Australia, from Wednesday 29 to Friday 31 October 2025.

Centred around the theme “Place Matters: Transforming education and research to strengthen rural and remote healthcare,” the conference highlighted the importance of a place-based approach in improving healthcare access and outcomes through locally driven education and research.

The event brought together national and international rural clinicians, educators, and researchers with a shared interest in advancing clinical and non-clinical research, policy, and education. It provided a valuable opportunity to network, share insights, and explore best practice and innovation in rural healthcare delivery.

Day One opened with regional experiences designed to immerse attendees in the local context, followed by an evening of networking over canapés.

Day Two featured a full program of research presentations and plenary sessions. Keynote speakers included Professor Sonia Kumar, Founding Executive Dean of Medicine at St Mary’s University London, who spoke on Community Engaged Medical Education, and Professor Romy Lawson, Senior Deputy Vice Chancellor at Flinders University, who presented Finding our Place: Flinders in Rural and Regional Healthcare. The day concluded with a conference dinner at the Bridgeport Hotel, offering delegates a chance to connect and reflect in a relaxed setting.

Day Three focused on policy development, featuring a workshop co-hosted by the National Rural Health Commissioner, Professor Jenny May AM, and the Regional Education Commissioner, the Hon. Fiona Nash. The workshop explored place-based education and training as a key strategy to strengthen the regional, rural, and remote health workforce.

The workshop was structured into three streams, each featuring diverse speakers, panels, and discussions:

• Optimising student-centred learning — examining opportunities and enablers to better support students undertaking education and training in rural and remote areas.
• Operational lessons from the field — sharing local and national insights from end-to-end place-based training programs in allied health, nursing, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health, and medicine.
• Delivering high-quality education in small cohorts — exploring educational modalities suited to local learning environments and the structures needed to sustain effective place-based education.

Flinders Rural and Remote Health staff also presented and were involved in the workshops including A/Prof James Padley, A/Prof Emma Kennedy, Dr Patrick Burgon, Dr Nicola Parkin, Dr Nadi Pandithage, Sandra Crockett, Dr Ben Ellul and Dr David Lam,.

The RHIPER Conference successfully showcased how “place” can transform education, research, and workforce sustainability across rural and remote health settings — fostering collaboration, innovation, and a shared commitment to healthier communities.