NEW

ACSES First Nations Fellowship report offers framework to higher ed success

Dear colleagues,

The Australian Centre for Student Equity and Success (ACSES) has today released a new First Nations Fellowship report identifying a unique framework for university leaders to foster Indigenous success in higher education. The report finds while universities may have Indigenous strategies, many struggle with implementing them. Indigenous staff are also often burdened with an excessive “cultural load” by taking on extra responsibilities for Indigenous initiatives.

Authored by University of New England Pro Vice-Chancellor Indigenous Professor Peter Anderson (formerly Griffith University) and supported by Dr Thu Pham and Dr Carla Tapia Parada (Griffith University), Indigenous Success: Creating a Senior Leadership Capability Model (SLCM) through capacity building presents findings on how shared responsibility among Indigenous and non-Indigenous staff can create more inclusive and equitable university environments.

Exclusively tailored for university leaders, the SLCM champions embedding cultural competency and nurturing genuine partnerships for lasting institutional change and driving Indigenous higher education success.

Key findings of the report include:

• Despite universities having Indigenous strategies, many struggle with actual implementation, often resulting in isolated efforts rather than widespread, meaningful change.
• A significant gap exists where university leaders feel confident in Indigenous engagement but lack extensive practical experience, pointing to a need for deeper cultural understanding.
• Indigenous staff are often burdened with an excessive “cultural load,” taking on extra responsibilities for Indigenous initiatives, highlighting an urgent need for shared accountability across all leadership.
• Current cultural training often falls short, with a strong call for more specialised, practical development to genuinely embed Indigenous perspectives and drive systemic transformation.

Recommendations from the report include:

• Develop clear accountability measures for senior leadership in Indigenous engagement.
• Allocate dedicated resources for Indigenous programs and initiatives.
• Foster genuine partnerships with Indigenous communities.
• Create portfolio-specific training programs.
• Distribute responsibilities more equitably between Indigenous and non-Indigenous staff.
• Integrate Indigenous voices in strategic governance and decision-making.
• Establish support structures for all levels of university leadership. 

You can now read the full report here. 

The training modules that have been developed for the SLCM will go live on Wednesday, 19 November and you will then be able to enrol in the course here.

Regards
Professor Ian Li SFHEA
Research and Policy Program Director
Australian Centre for Student Equity and Success

Other ACSES news...

Equity Hub: Community of Practice — Final event for 2025

Join us on Tuesday, 25 November for the "ACSES Equity Hub: Year-End Exchange", which will highlight two initiatives in student equity evaluation.

Presentation 1 | Evaluating the Eastern Australia Regional University Centre Partnership (EARUCP)

Dr Jessica Hall (UTS) shares findings from the evaluation of EARUCP—a collaboration between 23 universities and 14 Regional University Study Hubs across NSW, QLD, VIC, and ACT. The project, co-led by Country Universities Centre and UTS, supports place-based, community-led higher education outreach. The evaluation used a mixed-methods approach and was guided by the Student Equity in Higher Education Evaluation Framework (SEHEEF).

Presentation 2 | The numbers tell the story: Building digital infrastructure to evaluate student equity programming outcomes

A panel from Deakin University presents their 2025 initiative to integrate HEPPP participation data with institutional systems to support evidence-based planning. Panellists include Alcy Meehan, Dr Tanita Botha, Stephen Marshall, Timothy Shea, Anusha Kola, and Amelia Searle. Join us to explore cross-sector collaboration, evaluation frameworks, and data-driven approaches to improving student equity outcomes.

Event details

Date: Tuesday, 25 November 2025
Time: 10:30am – 12:00pm AWST | 1:30-3:00pm AEDT
Location: Online via Zoom

New resource available: ACSES Impact Evaluation Provider Directory 

We’re excited to share that the ACSES Impact Evaluation Provider Directory is now live on the Equity Hub website. This searchable directory features individuals with verified expertise in Quantitative Impact Evaluation (QIE) and/or Theory-Based Impact Evaluation (TBIE).

Each listed provider has met rigorous criteria, including relevant training, technical leadership in completed evaluations, peer-reviewed publications, and referee-verified expertise.

Explore the directory to find qualified professionals for your next impact evaluation project.

Note: Inclusion in the directory is not an endorsement by ACSES.

ACSES welcomes the Hon Jason Clare MP 

The ACSES team was honoured to welcome the Hon Jason Clare MP, Minister for Education, to our offices yesterday during his visit to Curtin University.

Earlier in the day, Minister Clare officially opened the new Northam Study Hub. At Curtin University, he delivered his John Curtin Prime Ministerial Library Anniversary address. At ACSES, he was warmly received by Curtin University Vice-Chancellor Professor Harlene Hayne and ACSES Executive Director Professor Shamit Saggar.

During his visit, the Minister shared his perspective on the vital role ACSES can play in advancing the objectives of the Australian Universities Accord and supporting the establishment of the Australian Tertiary Education Commission (ATEC).

We’re grateful for the opportunity to engage with Minister Clare and look forward to continuing our strong collaboration as we work toward a more inclusive and innovative tertiary education landscape.

ACSES at the World Access for Higher Education Network Conference

Last month, ACSES Executive Director Professor Shamit Saggar was invited to represent ACSES at the World Access to Higher Education Network (WAHEN) Conference, which was held in Cape Town to mark World Access to Higher Education Day (WAHED) on 28 October 2025.

Professor Saggar spoke on the topic of “Equity in a Shifting Global Landscape” with international colleagues Dr Roberta M Bassett, Dr Courtney Brown, and Dr Abel Schumann. 

A wrap-up of the session can be found in "Facing headwinds in HE, access advocates vow to press on", published by University World News. 

From policy to practice: Student equity at global, national and local levels

WAHED was also honoured with a 3-session online event series co-hosted by EPHEA (Equity Practitioners in Higher Education Association), the UTS Centre for Social Justice & Inclusion, and ACSES.

The sessions offered were:

• Global session: Student equity across borders with Shamit Saggar (Chair), David Mills (East/West Africa), and Jamil Salmi (global).
• National session: The future of student equity policy in Australia with Sonal Singh (Chair), Professor Barney Glover AO (Jobs and Skills Commissioner), and Professor Peter Anderson (Pro Vice-Chancellor Indigenous, UNE)
• Local session: Understanding and amplifying your impact with Tim Pitman (Chair), Lexi Rollins (University of Notre Dame), Rebecca Walker (Curtin University), Elisa McGowan (University of Western Australia), Christopher Carter (UTS), Robert Vanderburg (Central Queensland University), Dimitria Groutsis (USYD), Lyndel Kennedy (La Trobe University), and Ella Ewart & Emma Pelliccione (Curtin University)

Recordings for each session and links to additional resources are now available via the EPHEA website. 

ACSES in the news

• "Report highlights pathways to increase Aboriginal teachers in the NT", NT News

• "Report highlights pathways to increase Aboriginal teachers in the NT", Gold Coast Bulletin

• "Facing headwinds in HE, access advocates vow to press on", University World News

• "First-in-family uni students should be recognised as disadvantaged or risk being left behind, report says", The Guardian