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EQUITY INSIGHTS: NEW DEVELOPMENTS IN HIGHER EDUCATION

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

Maria Raciti — 2018 NCSEHE Research Fellowship Final Report

Career construction, future work and the perceived risks of going to university for young people from low SES backgrounds.

Career construction, future work and the perceived risks of going to university for young people from low SES backgrounds.

NCSEHE research published today has shown managing perceived risks is vital to support university participation for disadvantaged students.

The NCSEHE Research Fellowship project by Associate Professor Maria Raciti (University of the Sunshine Coast) illustrated that people from low socioeconomic status (SES) backgrounds may choose not to attend university based on their assessment of perceived risks, rather than a lack of aspiration or ability.

In an era of increasing vocational uncertainty, navigating career pathways is daunting, and this is amplified for students from disadvantaged backgrounds. This report identified 10 types of perceived risk, including financial risks, social and psychological risks, and risks impacting career advancement (for example, forgoing alternative opportunities and committing extended periods of time to a degree with no guarantee of employment).

Read the full report here. 

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Webinar: NCSEHE Research Fellow Maria Raciti

NCSEHE Research Fellow Maria Raciti

On Friday 16 August, Maria Raciti will provide an overview of the key findings from her newly-released NCSEHE Research Fellowship project

Webinar participants will be given the opportunity to contribute through a Q and A segment and feedback will be welcomed on ongoing opportunities to engage with students, teachers, parents and communities to apply the research.

More information and registrations. 

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NCSEHE Focus — The NPP Program

NCSEHE Focus — The National Priorities Pool Program: Past trends and future opportunities

With Expressions of Interest opening shortly for the 2019 National Priorities Pool (NPP) Program, the NCSEHE has produced a new report looking at past trends and future opportunities.

In 2017–18, the NCSEHE was commissioned by the Department of Education to deliver a web resource providing open access to a diverse collection of NPP research and projects.

In the first NCSEHE Focus report for 2019, we examine:

  • characteristics of the NPP projects
  • development and effectiveness of NPP projects
  • lessons learned from the NPP projects
  • NPP reports 2014–16 in summary
  • the future: the developing policy and program environment
  • Department of Education initiatives 
  • NCSEHE research initiatives.

NCSEHE Focus — The National Priorities Pool Program: Past trends and future opportunities.

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My Story: Student Voice — Hannah Gandy

My Story: Student Voice – Hannah Gandy

Arts/law student Hannah Gandy has been widely commended for academic and personal achievements unprecedented among her peers, and for her commitment to helping students who are facing challenging circumstances.

Despite having fallen a long way behind in high school, Hannah was supported by The Pavilion School and La Trobe University and is now inspiring others to engage with higher education and to strive for their goals.

Read Hannah's story... 

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Student Voice — The Next Chapter: Ruby Walsh

Ruby Walsh

Ruby Walsh is a University of Wollongong Australia (UOW) graduate from a small regional community, now working in Wagga Wagga in a community engagement role.

Going to university for Ruby meant leaving the strong and loving support network in her small regional community to a new, and initially overwhelming, on-campus environment.

Through the financial support of UOW’s In2Uni scholarship, Ruby was able to overcome the economic challenges that came with moving out of home for the first time and beginning university studies.

Read Ruby's story...

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Regional Study Hubs Network Conference

Regional Study Hubs Network Conference

On 12–14 June, the NCSEHE led the inaugural Regional Study Hubs Network Conference, supported by the Australian Government Department of Education and hosted by the Geraldton Universities Centre.

This event brought to Geraldton 37 representatives from 14 of the 16 Regional Study Hubs situated across 23 Australia-wide locations.

Based on the successful models of the Geraldton Universities
Centre in WA and the Country Universities Centre in NSW,
the community-owned Regional Study Hubs will partner with
universities to facilitate access to tertiary education for students
in regional and remote communities across Australia.

Continue reading...

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Productivity Commission — Higher Education Access and Outcomes: Live panel discussion

Productivity Commission — Higher Education Access and Outcomes: Live panel discussion

On 17 June, I joined an expert panel to launch the new Productivity Commission 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 discussed higher education, school achievement, access and performance and potential policy solutions.

The session recording and presentation slides are available here. 

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Students, Transitions, Achievement, Retention and Success (STARS) Conference 2019

NCSEHE representatives at the 2019 STARS Conference

The NCSEHE team attended the STARS Conference in Melbourne on 710 July 2019.

Media and Communications Officer Nina-Marie Thomas was joined by Adjunct Fellow Cathy Stone and Visiting Professorial Fellow Sally Kift to share the work of the Centre and introduce the upcoming application round of the NCSEHE Equity Fellows Program.

Once again, it was a full house for presentations by Cathy and Sally, and the team took the opportunity to build upon our network, yielding some exciting opportunities for future collaborations.

I would particularly like to extend my congratulations to Professor Kerri-Lee Krause (La Trobe University), recognised as a STARS Fellow for her outstanding contribution to higher education.

Conference proceedings are available here. 

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Celebrating 10 years of the Indigenous Australian Engineering School

Cate Hollingsworth, a past IAES participant and current Curtin engineering student

On 18 July, I had the pleasure of attending an event to mark the 10th Indigenous Australian Engineering Schools (IAES) program being run at Curtin University, Perth.

We celebrated at Government House where Governor Kim Beasley thanked Engineering Aid Australia and Woodside for their sponsorship, along with Curtin University.

The IAES program engages Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander high school students through a week of engineering-related activities and site visits. Through the support of industry sponsors, Engineering Aid Australia provides scholarships to IAES alumni who go on to study engineering and science at university.

Pictured above is Cate Hollingsworth, a past IAES participant and current Curtin engineering student.

More information about the event and IAES program is available here.

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