During the initial stages of development a total of nine courses were planned, all selected to fall outside existing curriculum areas to avoid overlap and any misalignment with existing subject progression arrangements. The program was to be offered via distance education mode at no cost to participants, providing equal access to students in rural or low SOE areas of NSW, running nominally at first year university level. The program designers included senior board staff, respected academics in the planned fields, gifted education experts including members of GERRIC.