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ACSES Awards 2026
Dear colleagues,
I am excited to announce that the Australian Centre for Student Equity and Success (ACSES) officially welcomes nominations for the ACSES Awards for Innovation and Excellence in Impact on Higher Education Policy and Practice 2026.
These Awards will recognise teams or individuals who have made significant contributions in shaping policy and/or transforming practices in ways that drive positive outcomes in student equity in Australian higher education.
This year's Awards will honour up to five (5) recipients who will be recognised for demonstrating excellence in one of the following criteria:
- innovation and originality
- impact and effectiveness
- collaboration and stakeholder engagement
- advocacy and leadership
- evidence and research-based approach.
These Awards celebrate those teams or individuals whose work has not only influenced decision-makers, but has also led to tangible improvements in higher education outcomes for students from equity backgrounds. This work may span any stage of the student lifecycle, from pre-access and participation to university completion and post-graduation pathways.
Award recipients (or a nominated team member for team awards) will be supported by ACSES for their attendance at the 2026 Australian Student Equity Symposium in Brisbane (more details to be announced soon), where they will be formally recognised for their contributions and presented with their awards.
Please note that applications close before 4pm (AWST) on Tuesday, 30 June 2026.
You can find more information and an application pack to download on the ACSES website.
Regards,
Professor Ian Li SFHEA
Research and Policy Program Director
Australian Centre for Student Equity and Success
ACSES 2026–27 Higher Degree by Research (HDR) Stipend Scheme
ACSES is now inviting applications from Master and Doctor of Philosophy students with an interest in student equity in higher education to participate in its 2026–27 Higher Degree by Research (HDR) Stipend Scheme.
The stipend is intended to encourage both the creation of new research, as well as its translation to practice, evaluation, and policy in Australian higher education.
Funding of $10,000 per successful application is available for up to four (4) projects. Each application should scope out a research project to be undertaken by the student that will lead to a manuscript suitable for submission to a peer-reviewed journal in the field of higher education.
The stipend can be used at the successful candidates’ discretion, including to fund research costs, journal publication fees, or a living allowance. Funded HDR candidates will have the opportunity to present the outcomes of their research projects at an ACSES event.
To be eligible for funding, applicants must be students enrolled in either a Master by Research degree or equivalent (AQF Level 9) or a Doctor of Philosophy degree or equivalent (AQF Level 10) at any one of Australia’s Table A and Table B provider universities.
Students from all disciplines are eligible to apply, but the research project must be on a topic relating to Australian higher education equity.
Applications are due before 4pm (AWST) on Wednesday, 15 April 2026.
For more information, including details on how to apply, visit here.
Promising Practices Briefs
This week, ACSES released its first Promising Practices Briefs for Management and Practitioners. These briefs aim to highlight what worked and what didn't work in ACSES supported trials, providing valuable and concise information for senior leaders and practitioners.
Watch out for more Promising Practices Briefs in the coming months, as trial evidence is starting to roll in!
Management
The first Promising Practices Brief for Management, focused on a question many universities are asking: What actually works to support students at risk of failure, and how can resources be used more effectively?
This flagship brief summarises the key findings from a recent randomised controlled trial at Curtin University, examining the impact of academically at-risk student management practices on first-year engagement and success. Some key insights shared in the brief include:
- Early detection using LMS activity can accurately identify students at risk
- Targeted, proactive support before census benefits students at moderate risk
- This approach is highly cost-effective (around $10 per student), with scope to scale
- Untargeted and purely informational support has limited impact, particularly for students at high risk
The brief is designed for senior leaders, pulling together clear findings, implications for decision-making, and cost considerations to support evidence-informed strategy.
See our first Promising Practices Brief for Management here.
Practitioners
The first Promising Practices Brief for Equity Practitioners, translates trial evidence into practical, ready-to-use guidance for teams supporting students at risk of failure.
This brief draws on a Curtin University trial of an Academically At-Risk Student Management (AARSM) approach, where students were identified early using LMS engagement data and proactively contacted by equity teams.
What you’ll find in this brief:
- How and when to use LMS data to flag students who may need support
- Which students benefit most from early outreach, and when to contact them
- What works for students at moderate risk, and why high-risk students need different approaches
- Practical tips, implementation steps, and adaptable email and SMS templates
The focus is on what to do, when to do it, and how to implement it with minimal time and resources.
See our first Promising Practices Brief for Equity Practitioners here.
Introducing the third stream of the ACSES Evaluation Learning Program: Continuous Quality Improvement (CQI) in Student Equity
The Trials and Evaluation Program at ACSES is excited to share that the third program stream of our Evaluation Learning Program, Continuous Quality Improvement (CQI) in Student Equity, is now launched and available for enrolments. Building on our collective commitment to evidence, insight, and impact, this stream will support practitioners and managers to embed continuous improvement cycles into their equity programs.
The Continuous Quality Improvement (CQI) in Student Equity stream includes four online modules designed for busy equity professionals, CQI offers a friendly, accessible way to build confidence in using data for ongoing program improvement. Those completing the modules will earn a shareable digital badge to showcase their new skills.
An emphasis has been placed on practical tools and approaches and case studies from the sector. ACSES thanks colleagues from University of Technology Sydney, Deakin University, the University of New South Wales, and Swinburne University of Technology for sharing CQI examples and templates from their institutions.
You can enrol in this stream and other of the ACSES Evaluation Learning Program here.
New ACSES publications
Time for a rethink: Assessment policy to enable equity
This ACSES Small Grants report examines how barriers are being created for students from equity groups via assessment policies and practices around time. It calls for a re-evaluation on how assessment policies are framed to recognise systemic time inequities amongst students from equity groups.
The report outlines the problems surrounding time and assessment from the perspective of students from equity backgrounds by examining how Australian universities currently construct and consider student “timescapes” within assessment contexts, and by identifying potentially high-equity assessment policy and practices.
Led by Joanne Dargusch (CQUniversity), the report was developed as part of the ACSES Small Grants Program, and was co-authored by Lois Harris (CQUniversity), Jill Willis (QUT), Margaret Kettle (CQUniversity), Julie Arnold (QUT), Natasha Rogers (CQUniversity), Jeanine Gallagher (QUT), and Do Na Chi (QUT).
Read the full report here.
Pathway programs and Indigenous student completion: Building the evidence
This Indigenous-led ACSES research report focuses on success factors of pathway programs for Indigenous students and potential correlations to university completion. It highlights strategies to strengthen pathway programs for Indigenous student success.
The report outlines how pathway and enabling programs are central to preparing and transitioning Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students into university and how improvements such as peer-to-peer connections, Indigenous centres, and more Indigenous perspectives can increase success for Indigenous students in their university life.
Authored by Bronwyn Fredericks (The University of Queensland), Katelyn Barney (The University of Queensland), Tracey Bunda (The University of Queensland), Ashley Moor (UQ College), Kirsten Hausia (The University of Melbourne), Scott Parlett (University of New South Wales), Nisa Richy (The University of Queensland), and Daniel Taylor-Griffiths (The University of Queensland), the report was developed as part of the ACSES Small Grants Program.
Read the full report here.
Understanding school students' aspirations in uncertain times
This research report reveals anxiety and financial risk reshaping students' post-school choices. It examines how current circumstances are shaping post-school aspirations and explores changes over time in how young people articulate their hopes for the future.
The report outlines how a growing uncertainty of post-school futures particularly amplifies equity gaps, calling for an increase in support for rural, regional, and low socio-economic status areas and greater focus on student well-being.
Authored by Leanne Fray (The University of Newcastle), Sally Patfield (The University of Newcastle), Kristina Sincock (The University of Newcastle), Jenny Gore (The University of Newcastle), and Courtney Rubie (The University of Newcastle), the report was developed as part of the ACSES Small Grants Program.
Read the full report here.
Data Program updates
ACSES's Data Program have developed a range of tools and resources to help explore data in higher education, marking a pivotal start to 2026. This includes:
Interactive Data Tool
Dive into student equity data interactively. Filter by equity groups, institution, and outcomes to uncover trends.
Data Insights Reports
Turning raw data into key findings and visualisations, highlighting patterns in participation, success, and retention.
Student Equity Data Guides
Practical guides to help interpret and use equity data effectively—ideal for policy makers, researchers, and practitioners.
Education Data Sources
A curated list of official data sources for deeper analysis and reliable insights.
JANZSSA Special Issue — Addressing Gender-based Violence in Tertiary Institutions
A timely new Journal of the Australian and New Zealand Student Services Association (JANZSSA) special issue explores the research, policy, and practice shaping gender-based violence prevention and response in Australasia and beyond. The open access issue and launch event recording are now available on the JANZSSA website.
ACSES in the News
"'Easy' tweaks to university rules 'could save students thousands'", Times Higher Education
