We want your input!

Dear colleagues

ACSES is developing a Data Insights Research Plan to guide our future research and data analysis efforts. Our aim is to produce data reports, tools, and other data products that you may find useful. Your feedback will play a pivotal role in shaping our Data Program to better meet the needs of the higher education sector.

For this purpose, we have created a survey to collect your insights. Participation should take approximately 5 to 10 minutes, and all responses to the survey are anonymous and will remain confidential.

Please feel free to share the link: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/acsesdata

TODAY: A webinar with Dr Rong Zhu

Join Dr Rong Zhu for a webinar to discuss the findings of his research project "Socioeconomic disadvantages, choice of disciplines, and post-university labour market performance". Rong is a Senior Lecturer in Economics at Flinders University and a Research Fellow at the IZA - Institute of Labor Economics, Germany. His research interests include education economics, labour economics, and health economics. He is a recipient of an ACSES Small Research Grant to support his latest project, and we are excited to hear about his findings.

Date: 13 November, 2024 | Time: 11.00-11.45am AWST

Find out more and register here. 

"What lessons can we learn from the COVID-19 pandemic for student equity?"

In his latest contribution to the Science Media Exchange, ACSES Executive Director, Professor Shamit Saggar reflects on the lessons from the COVID-19 pandemic, urging universities to address equity gaps in digital access, support, and mental health. He stresses the importance of preparedness to ensure all students, regardless of background, can thrive. Read the full article here.

ACSES staff news

Thank you for your contributions Tori! 

Tori joined ACSES in early 2024 as part of Curtin University's Earn While You Learn Program.

Reflecting on her time at ACSES, Tori shares, "My experience at ACSES has highlighted where my passions and strengths lie in communications. I’ve gained invaluable skills in digital marketing, copywriting, PR, web design, and event management, and I now have a clear direction of the career I would like to pursue."

"Not only has my time at ACSES supported me professionally, but it has also impacted me as a person. Knowing that I’ve been part of making a difference for students across Australia has been incredibly rewarding, so I highly recommend it to other students."

We thank Tori for playing an instrumental role in the Centre's work, contributing to our mission to close the gap for Australia's disadvantaged and marginalised youth.

ACSES Visiting Scholar presentation

Geoffrey Mitchell, Queensland's Widening Participation Project Manager and ACSES Visiting Scholar, visited the ACSES office to present his research with the Queensland Widening Participation Consortium. This initiative, involving all eight public universities in Queensland, aims to improve tertiary participation among underrepresented groups, especially low-income and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students.

Geoffrey shared insights into the Consortium’s transition to a new collaborative model for 2024-2025, focusing on building capacity across the diverse and geographically large state.

We thank Geoffrey for his presentation and look forward to the results of our collaboration.

Upcoming events 

Public Lecture: 2024 International Day of People with Disability (IDwD)

Join Professor Paul Harpur (OAM) for an insightful lecture on how universities can become champions of disability inclusion, drawing on best practices and upcoming regulatory reforms. This free lecture, hosted by the UWA Disability Access and Inclusion Working Group, will also highlight the role of higher education leaders in creating opportunities for students with disabilities.

Date: 14 November 2024 | Time: 12:00 pm – 1:30 pm (AWST)
Location: Fox Lecture Theatre, The University of Western Australia

Find out more and register here.

ACSES Equity Hub: A Community of Practice for Student Equity Evaluation

The Australian Centre for Student Equity and Success (ACSES) invites you to the Equity Hub Community of Practice (CoP), which will be held in-person and online on 18 November at Waipapa Taumata Rau (The University of Auckland, New Zealand). 

Equity Hub CoP aims to bring HEPPP-funded program managers and staff together to strengthen cross-institutional student equity practitioner networks; and provide an opportunity for practitioners to share their lessons learned and best practices on evaluation in the context of SEHEEF. 

Date: 18 November 2024 | Time: 2.00 pm – 5.00pm NZDT
Location: The University of Auckland, New Zealand

Find out more here. If you would like to register for the event, please contact us at acses@curtin.edu.au. 

Industry Think Tank for "Widening the doors in HE - Implications for engaging and teaching online students"

Join the upcoming Think Tanks on increasing online enrolments for underrepresented students in higher education. Led by experts, these sessions will explore the impact on teaching and engagement strategies, drawing from the Australian Universities Accord Final Report. 

Date: 26 November - 28 November 2024 
Location: Online

Find out more and register here.

Pathway Programs and Indigenous Student University Completion Symposium

The National Symposium will bring together university stakeholders to discuss strategies for improving pathway and enabling programs for Indigenous students, aiming to boost completion rates. Led by Prof. Bronwyn Fredericks (The University of Queensland), this ACSES-funded event will focus on identifying success factors, addressing gaps, and building evidence to enhance these programs and increase Indigenous student completions across Australia.

Date: 27 November 2024 | Time: 10.00 am (AEST)
Location: Online or at Sir James Foots Building (47a) Saint Lucia, QLD 4067

Find out more and register here.

ACSES joins HEDx Conference

ACSES recently hosted a panel on Innovative Solutions for Achieving Student Equity in Higher Education at the HEDx Future Solutions for Higher Education Conference at The University of Queensland.

Chaired by ACSES Executive Director Shamit Saggar, the session featured insights from Ian Li (ACSES), Dr Kylie Austin (EPHEA), Lyndin Francis (Vygo), and Paul Harpur OAM (UQ and Universities Enable).

The panel contributed to the conference’s theme of critical shifts in higher education, including reimagining equity addressing the increasing financial pressures on students.

ACSES contributions to JANZSSA Vol. 32, Issue 2, 2024

We are pleased to share that contributions from two ACSES staff members have been included in the latest JANZSSA issue (Vol. 32, Issue 2, 2024).

ACSES Executive Director, Shamit Saggar, discusses the need for evidence-based practices and leadership in his article, “Reforming Higher Education for Equity.” He explores the impact of past reforms and the ongoing challenges around student equity in Australian universities. Read full article here.

In her article “Building Stronger Bridges Between Equity and Evidence,” ACSES Trials Lead, Patricia Vermillion Peirce, highlights the importance of integrating evaluation with innovation to support effective change and improve equity-focused initiatives in higher education. Read the full article here.

Visit from Australia Awards Fellow Prof Larysa Klymanska

The ACSES team recently welcomed Australia Awards Fellow, Professor Larysa Klymanska from Lviv Polytechnic National University (LPNU), Ukraine.

Currently on an eight-week visit to Curtin University, she is collaborating with Dr Tetiana Bogachenko and Dr Jia White on a project focused on "Supporting disability equity through inclusive education in Ukraine and Australia."

About Australia Awards Fellowships

Australia Awards Fellowships strengthen partnerships between Australian and regional organisations, building leadership networks to advance development outcomes and enhance institutional capacity. Learn more here.

Key insights from ESA webinar 

Professor Ian Li from ACSES presented at an Economic Society of Australia webinar on a study (co-authored by UWA colleagues Ken Clements and Andrew Williams) looking at the labour market outcomes of economics graduates from Australian universities

Ian shared key findings from his research with Ken and Andrew, covering three main areas:

1. Employment status and characteristics, such as full-time employment and working hours.

2. Occupations and labour market matching.

3. Determinants of earnings.

Thank you to the Economic Society of Australia and Catherine De Fontenay for the invitation to present.

Read the full paper here.

ACSES: Universities For All

We are dedicated to advancing equity in higher education. In the short video below, our directors share insights into how our work with universities across Australia will build a fairer future for students of all backgrounds. You can also access the video on our YouTube channel.