New ACSES data resources and starting important conversations.
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Let's improve higher education student equity data and reporting in Australia
Dear colleagues
Now is an exciting time for equity data in Australian higher education. Equity data is at the core of many of the Universities Accord Review’s recent recommendations, including needs-based funding, establishment of the Australian Tertiary Education Commission, and expansion of the Regional University Study Hub program. And central to this is that for data to be useful, it must be fit for purpose - consistent, reliable, accurate, and timely.
Last week, ACSES Equity Fellow Bret Stephenson wrote about the need for 'Better equity data through better (more equitable) data governance'.
At ACSES, we are working on several initiatives to increase the availability and quality of higher education student equity data and reporting in Australia. Today I’m pleased to share some of our recent updates with you.
Updated Interactive Data Tool
We have updated our Interactive Data Tool with 2022 data, now including data on students who are First in Family. We have also introduced aggregated groupings ‘All Equity Students’ and ‘Non-Equity Students’, which encompass the five major groupings of Low SES Students, First Nations Australian Students, Students from Remote and Regional Australia, and Students with Disability. Please note that we are awaiting confirmation of the 2022 Low SES student data, therefore, these data are not yet shown (this also affects the equity and non-equity groupings).
Student Equity Data Guides
We are also releasing two Student Equity Data Guides - ‘Higher Education Institutions in Australia' and ‘Defining Equity Groups’. We hope these guides, and the next to follow (‘Equity Performance Measures’ and ‘Selecting and Using Equity Reference Values’) will help demystify equity data and provide clarity and practical guidance for stakeholders across the sector. You will be able to find the Student Equity Data Guides and other upcoming data related resources in the Data Resources Hub on our website.
Your Feedback Matters
We want to ensure that what we produce and release is relevant to the higher education sector. Please let us know if there are any data-related products or reports that would be valuable to you. Additionally, if you would like to discuss the use of data, including opportunities and challenges, please feel free to reach out.
Kind regards
Associate Professor Gemma Cadby
Director, ACSES Data Program
In other news...
Research Grants & Fellowships programs open for applications
We are currently accepting applications and Expressions of Interest for three of our Research Grants and Fellowship programs:
- 2025-26 Large Grants Research Program;
- 2025 First Nations Fellowship Program; and
- 2025 Equity Fellowship Program.
The 2025-26 Large Grants Research Program will fund proposals that address research topics of importance to contemporary developments and challenges in higher education equity policy, practice, and evaluation, across the following priorities:
- Alternative Pathways and Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL).
- Supporting academic success and effective and inclusive curriculum design and delivery.
- University engagement with First Nations and diverse equity-bearing cohorts – belonging, empowerment, and the student voice.
Proposals are sought via a two-stage process, with this Expression of Interest (EOI) stage followed by a second stage where successful EOI applicants are invited to submit full detailed proposals for consideration. EOIs will be accepted until 4pm (AWST) on Friday, 6 September 2024.
The 2025 rounds of our First Nations and Equity Fellowship programs will provide fully-funded annual fellowships for researchers and practitioners in higher education, to complete a project that will inform an area of Australian higher education practice and policy in relation to domestic students, via a combination of research, translation, best practice implementation, evaluation, and knowledge transfer.
Applications are open until 4pm (AWST) on Friday, 27 September 2024.
More information about each program – including application packs, guidelines, eligibility and selection criteria – is available on our Grants & Fellowships page.
Equity Frontiers Program: Funding and support for your trials
In response to feedback from the sector, our Equity Frontiers funding scheme has been redesigned to make it easier for equity practitioners to access support to run trials on their nominated equity programs or activities. Key changes are removing fixed deadlines so people can apply for funding at any time, and introducing an Expression of Interest stage to help applicants work through their approach and, if required, seek support in designing and running the trial.
We are accepting Expressions of Interest now. You can find the Equity Frontiers Program Guidelines and an Expression of Interest template for download on the ACSES website.
Just published 📚
"Student’s reported satisfaction at University: the role of personal characteristics and secondary school background" - a study by Ian Li, Denise Jackson, and Paul Koshy, published in Higher Education.
Enhancing the experience of students from under-represented and disadvantaged backgrounds is a critical aspect of the challenge to widen participation and student outcomes. How well are we addressing their needs currently? This study analysed over 24,000 students' experiences and found that those from disadvantaged backgrounds, particularly those with disabilities or non-English speaking backgrounds, reported lower satisfaction and higher dropout rates. On the flip side, students from non-government schools felt more satisfied. Off-campus study was associated with poorer satisfaction but lower risk of dropout, while being engaged in some online study was associated with better satisfaction. The study highlights the need for better support and suggests that incorporating online study options and addressing issues faced by students studying off-campus could enhance student outcomes.
Open access to the full article is available here.
ACSES Visiting Scholar presents his current research work
Dr Sam Hoang, Research Officer at the Centre for International Research on Education Systems (CIRES) (Victoria University) and an ACSES Visiting Scholar, presented his insights on exploring Post-Doctoral Employment Patterns for Equity Doctoral Graduates in Australia to the ACSES team this week.
Sam’s latest research examines the employment pathways of domestic doctoral graduates from equity backgrounds, in particular, students from non-English speaking backgrounds (NESB). Sam’s study highlighted the significant challenges faced by NESB graduates in the labour market, focusing on the social and institutional affordances and constraints, as well as individual agencies influencing their career transitions.
We thank Sam for sharing some insights into his research work with us and look forward to seeing the final results. If you are interested in his Sam’s research, you can find out more here.
Upcoming events
Engagement Australia Forum
Our Director for Research and Policy, Professor Ian Li, is joining a fantastic line-up of speakers at the upcoming Engagement Australia Forum on Enhancing Equity Outcomes Through Structured Community Engagement. The event is designed specifically for higher education practitioners dedicated to community engagement and student equity. An opportunity to discover practical strategies, network with like-minded professionals, and gain insights to create impact for your institution.
Date: 5 September 2024 | Time: 10:00 am – 4:00pm
Location: Australian Catholic University, North Sydney Campus
Find out more and register here
Future Solutions for Higher Education Conference
We are delighted to be able to support HEDx in their endeavour to create inspiring and innovative conferences for the higher education sector. Next up is the Future Solutions for Higher Education Conference, held at The University of Queensland, where ACSES Executive Director Shamit Saggar and Research and Policy Program Director Ian Li will join the impressive line-up of speakers.
Date: 31 October 2024 | Time: 9:00 am – 4:30pm
Location: The University of Queensland, St Lucia Campus
Find out more and register here
ESA Webinar | Labour market outcomes of graduates in economics
Hosted by the Economic Society of Australia (NSW), Professor Ian Li will discuss the labour market outcomes of graduates in economics in Australia. This online event will discuss key insights presented in the economic paper on the Labour Market Outcomes of Graduates in Economics in Australia. The webinar examines the strong employment prospects for graduates in economics after graduation, in terms of full-time employment and salaries.
Date: 6 November 2024 | Time: 12:00 pm – 1:00pm AEDT
Location: Online
Find out more and register here
