News, information and research on student equity in higher education from the NCSEHE Director, Professor Sue Trinidad.

Submissions are invited for the 2019 NCSEHE Research Grants Program.

Now in its fifth year, the program supports targeted research aimed at supporting and informing policy and practice on student equity in higher education.

Funding for several small research projects is available through a competitive selection process. It is anticipated that the majority of grants will be for between AU$30,000 and AU$40,000, although other amounts may be considered.

Proposals must be submitted by 5pm Western Standard Time on Friday 19 July 2019.

More information and applications through the NCSEHE website.

I am joining an expert panel today for a Productivity Commission event to launch its latest report, The Demand Driven University System: A mixed report card.

Michael Brennan (Chair, Productivity Commission), Megan O'Connell (education policy consultant), Andrew Norton (Grattan Institute) and I will discuss higher education, school achievement, access and performance and potential policy solutions.

More information on the event and final report.

A conference held on 13–14 June brought together the Regional Study Hubs Network, led by the NCSEHE, with support from the Australian Government Department of Education.

The event, hosted by the Geraldton Universities Centre (GUC) included representatives from Australia-wide Regional Study Hubs, supported by the Australian Government.

Regional Study Hub participants heard about strategies used at the Geraldton Universities Centre in Western Australia and the Country Universities Centre in New South Wales. The community-owned Regional Study Hubs partner with universities to support students in regional and remote communities across Australia to undertake tertiary education.

Continue reading... 

Members of the NCSEHE team joined the Regional Australia Institute for its national Regions Rising roadshow in Perth on 12 June.

The event furthered discussion on regional economic diversification and jobs. Minister for Regional Development the Hon Alannah MacTiernan launched a new national report, Regional Growth Prospects: Strategic Investment in Food Processing, Tourism, Advanced Manufacturing and Creative Industries.

More information on the Regions Rising event. 

New research by the Bankwest Curtin Economics Centre, the NCSEHE and The University of Western Australia has revealed cultural and migrant backgrounds, cultural norms and gender role models significantly impact girls’ and boys’ school performance.

“The results provide evidence that the effect of cultural background is passed on by gender role models and norms within the family, which in-turn affect academic performance,” lead author Associate Professor Mike Dockery said.

Culture, migration and educational performance: A focus on gender outcomes using Australian PISA tests

May saw the start of the new 2019 series: Student Voice — The Next Chapter.

Mitchell Ha is a Vietnamese-Australian graduate of the University of Sydney and first-year English high school teacher.

It was through the financial and social support of The Smith Family that Mitchell found the inspiration and resilience within himself to overcome the barriers of poverty and achieve his goals.

Read Mitchell's story.

NCSEHE Adjunct Fellow Matt Brett (Deakin University) presented a webinar on 16 May as part of Global Accessibility Awareness Day.

With over 1,000 registrants worldwide, the session explored the proposition that we must move beyond awareness and move to integrate disability inclusion as a key property of higher and tertiary education systems.

You can view the webinar slides through the NCSEHE, and the full recording will be available soon on the Global Accessibility Awareness Day at Blackboard website.

On 23 January 2019, Charles Darwin University hosted ‘Shaping the Future: Learning from Indigenous Higher Education Research in the Northern Territory'.

Sponsored by Equity Practitioners in Higher Education Australasia (EPHEA), the forum was attended by a wide range of professionals with an interest in Indigenous and/or equity considerations in higher education.

View all of the presentation recordings and PowerPoint slides.

2018 was another busy year for the NCSEHE, managing and leading research projects, providing leadership in equity across the nation, and connecting and engaging with stakeholders through events and communications.

These coordinated activities continue to support a uniting of the collective voice for equity in higher education, clarifying future research priorities, and supporting an evidence-based approach to securing the best educational outcomes for all individuals and Australian society.

Read a comprehensive summary of 2018 outputs and outcomes from the NCSEHE. 

The National Education Opportunities Network has officially announced the 2019 World Access to Higher Education Day (WAHED), to be held on 29 November.

Last year's event drew worldwide engagement, including the WAHED Australia Conference here at the NCSEHE.

There are plenty of ways to get involved in this global initiative, now in its second year. We look forward to supporting the campaign from the EPHEA/NAEEA Conference in Wollongong. 

More details will be made available on the WAHED website. 

On 31 December 2019, I will retire from university life after 30 years of academia, of which the last six years have been leading the NCSEHE and working with a wonderful group of people making a difference in student equity in higher education.

Kind regards,
Professor Sue Trinidad
Director
National Centre for Student Equity in Higher Education