In this episode of the Broken Education Podcast, Vygo Co-Founder & Co-CEO Joel Di Trapani and Vygo’s Director of Sales Lyndin Smith-Francis sit down with Professor Nick Klomp, Vice-Chancellor and President of CQUniversity, for a candid conversation about the realities, responsibilities, and untapped potential of regional higher education.
With more than five years at the helm of one of Australia’s largest regional universities, Professor Klomp has led CQUniversity with a clear and consistent mission: to unlock the potential of regional Australia through equitable access to world-class education and training. His leadership reflects a deep belief that universities are not just places of learning, but critical infrastructure for social mobility, workforce development, and long-term community prosperity.
Together, Joel, Lyndin, and Professor Klomp explore how regional universities like CQUniversity play a transformative role far beyond the classroom supplying skilled workforces for critical industries, driving applied and community-focused research, fueling local economies, and acting as anchor institutions in regions often overlooked by traditional education models.
This episode is a powerful reminder that fixing education doesn’t always start in capital cities—and that regional universities may be some of the most important engines of change in the future of learning.
