New funding schemes for student equity practitioners

Dear colleagues

The Australian Centre for Student Equity and Success (ACSES) is pleased to announce the launch of two new funding schemes through our Trials and Evaluation Program—the Practitioners Resource Grants Program and the Equity Frontiers Program: Quasi-Experimental Design Projects. To introduce these new programs and answer any questions you may have about the available funding and the application processes, we will be hosting two online information sessions this month. More details on these can be found below.

Our Practitioner Resource Grants Program offers a unique opportunity for equity practitioners to blend their on-the-ground experience with the research already conducted by ACSES. Together, this collaboration will lead to the creation of practical, impactful resources tailored for universities. These may include manuals, training materials, digital learning tools, and more – covering every stage of the higher education journey. (Information session on Wednesday, 18 June at 9-10am AWST/11am - 12pm AEST. Register here.)

One of ACSES’s key missions is to facilitate randomised controlled trials (RCTs) to evaluate programs aimed at improving access to and success in higher education for under-represented students. However, we recognise that RCTs aren’t always feasible or appropriate. In such cases, we turn to quasi-experimental designs (QEDs)—a set of robust evaluation methods that compare real-world outcomes to what would likely have occurred without the intervention. Through our Equity Frontiers Program: Quasi-Experimental Design Projects, we’re expanding the way we evaluate equity initiatives. This approach allows us to explore new data, apply diverse methods, and build a broader evidence base to better understand what truly works to promote equity in Australian higher education. (Information session on Wednesday, 25 June at 9-10am AWST/11am - 12pm AEST. Register here.)

More information about all of our current collaboration and funding programs can be found here.

Regards
Associate Professor Tim Pitman
Trials and Evaluation Program Director
Australian Centre for Student Equity and Success

Information sessions

ACSES Practitioner Resource Grants Information Session

Join Associate Professor Tim Pitman (ACSES Trials and Evaluation Program Director), Professor Ian Li (ACSES Research and Policy Director), and Dr Patrick Broman (ACSES Manager, National Student Equity Evaluation), for an information session to learn more about the Practitioner Resource Grants Program, eligibility, levels of funding available, application deadlines, how to apply, and more. There will be time to ask your questions about the program or the application process.

Date: Wednesday, 18 June 2025
Time: 9.00-10.00am AWST | 11.00am - 12.00pm AEST
Location: Online via Zoom

ACSES Quasi-Experimental Design Program Information Session

Join Associate Professor Tim Pitman (ACSES Trials and Evaluation Program Director), Dr Patricia Vermillion-Peirce (ACSES Trials Lead), and Jesse Parmar (ACSES Program Manager, Trials and Evaluation), for an information session to learn more about the Quasi-Experimental Design Program, eligibility, levels of funding available, application deadlines, how to apply, and more. There will be time to ask your questions about the program or the application process.

Date: Wednesday, 25 June 2025
Time: 9.00-10.00am AWST | 11.00am - 12.00pm AEST
Location: Online via Zoom

IRU collaboration to strengthen support for under-represented university students

ACSES is proud to support a major collaboration between the Innovative Research Universities (IRU) network to strengthen support for students from under-represented backgrounds.

Led by Griffith University and run by Nadine Zacharias of Equity by Design, the project will improve how universities evaluate and scale student equity programs.

The IRU Executive Director Paul Harris said the initiative aligns with the Government’s commitment to equity and participation in tertiary education, and will contribute directly to the design of future needs-based student support funding.

ACSES Executive Director Professor Shamit Saggar welcomed the project as a model for sector-wide collaboration.

“Robust, shared approaches to evaluating student equity programs are essential to ensuring interventions are effective, scalable, and truly meet the needs of under-represented students,” he said.

Read the full release here.

ACSES Awards for Innovation and Excellence in Impact on Higher Education Policy and Practice

The ACSES Awards for Innovation and Excellence in Impact on Higher Education Policy and Practice 2025 recognises individuals or teams that have made significant contributions to shaping policy and transforming practices in ways that drive positive outcomes in higher education student equity.

Nominations are open to individuals or teams employed at a Table A or Table B provider or a Regional University Study Hub. Both self-nominations and third-party nominations are welcome. Applications close on 30 June 2025.

Find out more on the ACSES website.

Visit our Trials Registry

ACSES recently launched the Trials Registry—a free resource showcasing innovative, evidence-based initiatives to improve equity outcomes in Australian universities. The Registry provides universities and education professionals with open access to detailed trial methodologies and outcomes. 

Visit the site now.

Other events

Student Equity in an Era of Change 2025: The Australian Student Equity Symposium

Date: 9-10 September 2025
Location: University of Technology Sydney and online

Building on the momentum of last year’s inaugural symposium, ACSES will be hosting “Student Equity in an Era of Change 2025”—a crucial gathering to advance equity in higher education. With insights from international experts, government representatives, and diverse student voices, this two-day event will explore transformative practices and policies aimed at creating accessible and inclusive educational pathways. More information about registration options will be made available soon.

ACSES in the news

• "Beyond Retention Rates: Exit Surveys Anyone?", Needed Now in Teaching and Learning
• "Reimagining Graduate Success: Why our metrics matter", Future Campus