PhD graduate Cathy Tischler grew up in Edenhope and, after moving to Melbourne to study, returned to the Wimmera over a decade ago.

She said the opportunity to study within her community has meant a lot to her and been "invaluable".

"The reason I did a PhD was because I wanted to understand my community better," she said.

Ms Tischler was one of three PhD students who took part in the university's RISER program based in Horsham.

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The Regional Incubator of Social and Economic Research program collaborates between Federation University and regional development committees.

Looking for further study after having a baby, Ms Tischler found the program advertised and leapt at the opportunity, having previously worked in various areas of local governance.

"You could say I have an interest in politics and an interest in leadership," Ms Tischler said.

Her studies centred around regional development and some of the challenges in how regional communities access support from the government.

"I looked at how we do advocacy and how we work with others in the region," she said.

Federation University Vice-Chancellor Duncan Bentley said that the university was "looking to develop" a program like RISER in Ararat.

"It was so successful in Horsham, we're looking to do a similar sort of program," he said.

Ms Tischler said plans to expand the RISER program to Ararat were "an excellent opportunity".

"We know that the program works and we can get results doing PhD level work in a regional community," she said.

Two undergrad students from Federation University's Horsham campus also graduated on Monday.

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Thablay Khinshwe and Melinda Weatherill were both students in the Bachelor of Social Science Program and were taught by Ms Tischler.

Unfortunately, Ms Tischler said the undergraduate program at Horsham, which has had at least twenty students pass through its doors, wasn't being continued.

Nonetheless, "It was really special for me to graduate with two of my students," Ms Tischler said.

Another special day belonged to the Ryan family of Ballarat; Caius and Helen Ryan both graduated alongside their son, Brenton.

The family had different paths to graduation, from a career change to the first taste of higher education.

"We're Ballarat people, my wife works at Federation University, and then I changed my job and my son graduated from St Patrick's and went straight to Federation," Mr Ryan said.

While "there are always challenges when assignments were due", Mr Ryan said the family got along well, even with three students in the house.

"We bounced things off each other, supported each other, encouraged each other."

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Mr Ryan said they asked their son for permission to graduate with him.

"He was more than happy to have his father and mother graduate along with him."

Ms Tischler and the Ryan family were among more than 700 students More than who will take part in nine ceremonies scheduled across the week.

"That's why we've got a large number of ceremonies because we want anyone who graduated earlier and didn't get to a graduation ceremony to come to one of these," he said.

Graduations at the university usually involve 300-400 students in a single event; however, due to COVID-19 guidelines, students will be spread across nine ceremonies throughout the week.

"We're making sure to obey health regulations stringently, but we're taking advantage of the ability to celebrate in face to face," Mr Bentley said,

According to Mr Bentley the university is "absolutely alive with excitement".

"Just seeing the thrill of pride on parents' faces and the excitement on students' faces is great to see."

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