NEWS, INFORMATION, RESEARCH AND RESOURCES ON STUDENT EQUITY IN HIGHER EDUCATION

Over 1,700 students with disability have shared their experiences of university support—with a focus on regional, rural and remote Australia—as part of an Equity Fellowship project by A/Prof. Tim Pitman.

A snapshot of the findings are now available in Tim's August progress bulletin, ahead of the final report release in 2021.

Gain additional insights from Tim's research at the 2020 NCSEHE Student Equity Snapshots Forum.

The NCSEHE would like to thank the Department of Education, Skills and Employment for the opportunity to provide feedback on the Job-ready Graduates Package draft legislation.

The NCSEHE supports the potential contribution of the Job-ready Graduates Package to addressing multiple facets of the higher education student experience. The Centre's submission recommended refinements to ensure students—particularly those from recognised equity groups—are not negatively impacted.

Read the full submission

In a new article this week, NCSEHE Director Prof. Sarah O’Shea and Dr Olivia Groves discuss best practice for providing career advice in the current employment and health climate.

The article for the Australia Association for Research in Education (AARE) presents evidence-based insights based on a major NCSEHE-funded research project.

Continue reading...

A new myfuture Insights paper was published in August, written by NCSEHE Adjunct Fellow Dr Lynette Vernon and Research Fellow Dr Catherine Drane.

The open access resource details how influencers can support young people to make informed career choices by seeking out an independent career information website, such as myfuture, and researching scholarship opportunities.

Making career decisions: How influencers can help

NCSEHE Adjunct Fellow Prof. Maria Raciti builds upon her 2018 Research Fellowship research in a new article for USC.

Deciding whether or not to go to university is becoming increasingly difficult and stressful. Through understanding how young people respond to these stresses, we can help them make informed higher education choices, Maria says.

Continue reading...

NCSEHE Senior Research Fellow Dr Nicole Crawford is presenting a series of webinars for the University of South Australia, based on her 2019/20 Equity Fellowship research.

On Thursday 3 September, Nicole will offer strategies for unit coordinators, lecturers and tutors to support students’ mental wellbeing in the COVID-19 context. 

More information

NCSEHE Director Prof. Sarah O'Shea had the pleasure of speaking at two conferences in August, including the ATEM Admissions Conference and the Deakin National Students as Partners Roundtable.

If you weren't able to attend, presentation slides and video are now available online:

• Beyond the ATAR: Admissions and equity in the age of pandemic (ATEM Conference)
• Negotiating educational equity within a ‘Students as Partners’ frame (National Students as Partners Roundtable)

During 2020/21, the NCSEHE will fund 17 projects under the annual Research Grants Program. This month, we feature three of the successful projects led by Deakin University; The University of Western Australia; and Flinders University.

This research project, led by Dr Joanna Tai at Deakin University, will explore inclusive assessment design in university examinations for students with disabilities.

Read more...

This project, led by Dr Ian Li at The University of Western Australia, will compare the outcomes of ATAR and non-ATAR pathways to higher education for equity students.

Read more...

Led by A/Prof. Zhou Jiang at Flinders University, this project will inform higher education policy and practice to maximise the success of LGBTQIA+ students.

Read more...

It's been an exciting month of rehearsals for the Student Equity Snapshots Forum lightning talks! 

During the week of 26–30 October, our six 2019/20 Equity Fellows will deliver unique insights into current student equity issues, followed by live discussions related to their projects.

The event program is now available online. Registration for the week of events is free and you will also receive a limited edition #NCSEHE_Snapshots publication of your choice!

Register for the NCSEHE Student Equity Snapshots Forum

NCSEHE Equity Fellow A/Prof. Tim Pitman and NCSEHE ‘Student Voice’ vlogger Ashley Willcox will join a panel discussion today, exploring how COVID-19 disruptions have impacted university students' studies.

Four students with disability will share their personal experiences, while Tim will present key findings from his research around the impact of COVID-19 on university students. The session will be recorded and made available on the ADCET website.

More information and registration

This is the third progress update for the NCSEHE-funded research project, Higher education career advice for students from low socioeconomic backgrounds.

Led by Kylie Austin (University of Wollongong), this is one of four large-scale projects commissioned by the NCSEHE in 2019 to improve access to information about higher education study options, pathways, and careers for disadvantaged students and those who influence them.

Read the August bulletin