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

Welcome to the first NCSEHE eNews for 2019. 

We are looking forward to a full year, with the publication of our 2018 Research Grants Program reports, the next issue of NCSEHE Focus and A Better Chance for All — the final report from the #StudentEquity2030 project.

The final report by 2018 NCSEHE Research Fellow Maria Raciti will also be released, alongside the commencement of a 2019 Research Fellowship project led by Professor Sarah O'Shea. We are also very pleased to open applications for the 2019/20 Equity Fellows Program.

We extend a warm welcome to Professor Sally Kift, who is joining us as the 2019 Visiting Professorial Fellow, and Professor Dawn Bennett who will be working on research collaboratively with the Centre throughout the year. 

We encourage you to follow our monthly newsletter as well as social media channels and our website for frequent updates.

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

The Australian Government Department of Education and Training (DET) has funded an ongoing Equity Fellows Program, managed by the NCSEHE, under the Higher Education Participation and Partnerships Program (HEPPP).

Six Fellowships have already been funded and the program will continue with further Fellowships awarded during the 2019-20 period. 

The aim of the Program is to support Fellows to undertake strategic, high-impact, high‐profile leadership projects targeted, sector-wide, at improving the access, participation and success in higher education of students from disadvantaged backgrounds. As part of the Fellowship, Fellows will spend a period of time working in and with the DET facilitating mutually beneficial engagement between the Department and the sector.

More information and applications. 

The NCSEHE conducts an annual competitive research grants program, building a solid evidence base to improve access and outcomes for students from disadvantaged backgrounds. Priority themes are identified in each funding round for particular focus.

The program will continue in 2019, with specific research areas to be determined following the Australian Government Department of Education and Training National Priorities Pool (NPP) expressions of interest process. 

Further details will be released through the NCSEHE website, eNews and social media channels. 

The NCSEHE and the Western Australian chapter of Equity Practitioners in Higher Education Australasia (EPHEA) hosted 56 participants for a professional development day on Tuesday 29 January 2019 at Curtin University.

Delivered by experts in the field, sessions revolved around high school performance and standards and the relationship to access and participation in higher education, looking at the current situation and visions for the future. Presentations included:

• Remote Student Engagement in Higher Education — Louise Pollard (2017 NCSEHE Equity Fellow; Director, Student Services & Admission, the University of Notre Dame)
• Student Achievement and Trends: Western Australian Secondary Education — Allan Blagaich and Patrick Garnett (Western Australian School Curriculum and Standards Authority)
• Future Scenarios for Tertiary Education in Australia — Peter Noonan (Director of Tertiary Education and Policy — Mitchell Institute at Victoria University)

Read an overview of the day and view PowerPoint presentations.

Professor Sally Kift

During 2019, the NCSEHE will support Sally Kift as the NCSEHE Visiting Professorial Fellow to conduct a project entitled: Transition Pedagogy to advance student learning, success and retention in higher education and to collaborate on the NCSEHE’s suite of projects and Fellowships.

Sally is well known in Australian higher education for her student success work and has been a strong advocate for providing curricular support to equity group students to make successful transitions into, through and out of tertiary studies.

Her expertise will complement the Centre’s activities during 2019, and her engagement will focus on critical interventions over the student lifecycle to enable the successful participation and completion of diverse cohorts, particularly those from low SES, regional and remote backgrounds.

Professor Dawn Bennett

Dawn Bennett is John Curtin Distinguished Professor of Higher Education and Director of the Developing EmployABILITY and Creative Workforce Initiatives at Curtin University in Perth.

Dawn will be collaborating with the Centre through 2019 and will represent the NCSEHE at the 2019 EPHEA/NAEEA Conference in November 2019 for a Special Interest Group — Equity and Employability in Higher Education. 

Professor Sarah O'Shea

Professor Sarah O’Shea (University of Wollongong) will continue with the Centre in 2019, conducting a year-long Research Fellowship project.

Following on from the six 2016/17 Equity Fellows and 2018 NCSEHE Research Fellow Maria Raciti, Sarah will be supported by the Centre as the 2019 NCSEHE Research Fellow to undertake research on post-graduation outcomes and employment mobility of individuals who are first in their family to complete a university degree. The project will be conducted in collaboration with the Centre for Higher Education Equity and Diversity Research (CHEEDR).

Further details of the project are provided in the NCSEHE 2019 Research Fellowship bulletin.

‘Mind the Gap!’ Exploring the post-graduation outcomes and employment mobility of individuals who are first in their family to complete a university degree

This 2019 Research Fellowship is a joint endeavour between the NCSEHE and the Centre for Higher Education Equity and Diversity Research (CHEEDR) at La Trobe University, and is being led by Professor Sarah O’Shea (the University of Wollongong).

The Fellowship commenced in mid-January 2019 and adopts a mixed methods approach to deeply explore the post-graduation experiences and outcomes for students who are the first in their family to attend university.

Read the February Fellowship bulletin.

To explore best practices in engaging and retaining students who are the first in their families to attend university — UK, Canada, USA

NCSEHE 2019 Research Fellow Professor Sarah O’Shea (University of Wollongong) was supported in 2018 by the Churchill Trust to conduct an international Fellowship project, and the report was published this month.

Travelling to the United Kingdom, Canada and the United States, Sarah witnessed and explored strategies that could be applied in an Australian higher education context to support First-in-Family students.

Read the full report. 

The Centre of Excellence for Equity in Higher Education (CEEHE) at the University of Newcastle has opened applications for the 2019 Writing Program for Equity & Widening Participation Practitioners.

Now in its third year, the program—coordinated by the University of Newcastle, Australia in conjunction with Sheffield Hallam University, UK and the Office for Fair Access, UK—is designed to enhance the relationship between equity and widening participation practitioners and academics.

More information and application details.

The ‘university place’: how and why place influences the engagement and retention of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander university students

This Office for Learning and Teaching seed grant project was led by Dr Maria Raciti (University of the Sunshine Coast and NCSEHE 2018 Research Fellow) alongside researchers from the University of Southern Queensland. 

View E-booklet and final report.