The Victoria University Science Roadshow visited Catholic College Bendigo on Wednesday, giving VCE chemistry students a chance to put some of their studies into practice.

“We basically give them a taste of how those techniques work in the real world,” Dr Domenico Caridi from Victoria University said.

Dr Caridi said many students, especially those in regional areas, did not have access to high-level equipment to conduct experiments.

He said they had brought about $100,000 worth of professional-standard equipment with them to the school.

“The cost of these instruments means they are unaffordable by many schools so students miss the chance to merge theory with hands-on experience,” Dr Caridi said.

Dr Caridi said the roadshow, which had been running for five years, had been devised with the aim of providing an educational resource for students living in regional and low socioeconomic areas.

The roadshow team included a PhD student and honours student from Victoria University, who the school students had the opportunity to talk to about their research.

Being closer to their age, Dr Caridi said the university students tended to inspire the school students.

“The students really engage with them,” he said.

He said education in science, technology, engineering and mathematics at school was especially important in light of data from the Office of the Chief Scientist that indicated the performance of Australian students against international benchmarks had stalled or declined.

Catholic College Bendigo was one of several schools throughout the state that the roadshow has visited this year.

Dr Caridi said the roadshow had come to Bendigo each year in its history and tried to visit a different school each time.