Access, Achievement, Accord 2024:

The Australian Student Equity Symposium

Dear colleagues

I am pleased to share some updates with you as we mark an important milestone for the Australian Centre for Student Equity and Success (ACSES, formerly known as the National Centre for Student Equity in Higher Education).

Our shift to ACSES one month ago signifies a renewed dedication to our mission of equity and success in Australian universities. We're committed to ensuring every student, regardless of background, can thrive.

In line with this vision, I am delighted to announce the launch of our inaugural event: the Access, Achievement, Accord 2024: The Australian Student Equity Symposium.

Featuring addresses by The Hon. Jason Clare MP (Minister for Education), Professor Mary O’Kane (Ministerial Accord Panel Chair), The Hon. Fiona Nash (Regional Education Commissioner), Dr Omar Khan (Chief Executive at Transforming Access and Student Outcomes in Higher Education, UK), the Hon. Ken Wyatt AM (Former Minister for Indigenous Australians), among other leaders, this Symposium will serve as a crucial platform for bringing together Australia’s university leaders, experts, policymakers, youth representatives, and practitioners from the field of higher education.

We'll explore vital topics on student equity, drawing from the Australian Universities Accord report. It's more than a conference—it's a chance to share ideas, best practices, and address sector-wide challenges in promoting equity in higher education.

In other news, our Research and Policy Program is accepting applications for its ACSES Visiting Scholarships until May 24, 2024. Deadlines are also rapidly approaching for our Large Grants (27 March) and Higher Degree by Research Stipend (29 March) scheme. Details for each can be found on our website.

Some other recent ACSES highlights include:

• Informative webinars on student equity best practices.
• Panel discussions on inclusivity and diversity in education.
• Participation in the WA Regional Higher Education Exchange to improve access in rural areas.
• Release of the Critical Interventions Framework Part 3, a collaborative effort funded by ACSES.

Thank you for your continued support and dedication to our shared vision. We look forward to continuing to share our developments with you.

Yours sincerely
Professor Shamit Saggar
Executive Director
Australian Centre for Student Equity and Success

WA Regional Higher Education Exchange 2024

ACSES was delighted to join WA Education Minister Tony Buti and Curtin University VC Harlene Hayne to attend and present at the WA Regional Higher Education Exchange on Friday.

This important event discussed how we can co-create opportunities to improve higher education access and success in rural, regional, and remote WA.

In a statement released on Monday the Australian Government Department of Education announced welcome news of the locations of 10 new Regional Study Hubs across Australia.

Read the full story. 

Critical Interventions Framework Part 3

The Critical Interventions Framework Part 3 (CIF 3) focuses on evaluative studies which provide details of the impacts of specific interventions on equity groups in relation to access to and success in higher education. The CIF 3 provides three major tools:

• An Equity Initiatives Impact Studies Guide, which provides an overview of the impact studies across the student life cycle stages;
• An Equity Initiatives Framework 2.0 (EIF 2.0), which is an update of the original framework produced as part of the Critical Interventions Framework Part 2 (Bennett et al., 2015); and
• An Equity Studies Library providing information about the impact studies identified and other useful literature, which can be filtered by student life cycle, equity group, and other categories.

For more information please visit our website. 

Expressions of Interest closing tomorrow for ACSES’s Large Grants Research Program 2024-25

Expressions of Interest (EOIs) are closing tomorrow for our 2024-25 round of the Large Grants Research Program.

The Program will fund proposals on one of the following three research priorities:

1. Alternative pathways to university and impact on academic outcome
2. Student wellbeing for success
3. Collaboration for student equity and success—intra-sectoral (within higher education) and inter-sectoral (higher, vocational, and secondary education)

ACSES will be funding up to three projects to the value of $150,000 (excluding GST) each.

Proposals are sought via a two-stage process. The EOI stage opened on Thursday, 7 March 2024 and submissions are due before 4pm (AWST) on Wednesday, 27 March 2024.

The Large Grant EOI Guidelines and EOI Proposal Template are available on our website.

Deadline approaching: ACSES HDR Stipend Scheme

Applications are invited from Master and Doctor of Philosophy students with an interest in student equity in higher education to participate in the ACSES Higher Degree by Research (HDR) Stipend Scheme.

The ACSES HDR Stipend Scheme is an opportunity for the Centre to help develop Australia’s next generation of researchers. Successful applicants will receive $10,000 to scope out a research project that will lead to the development of a journal paper manuscript suitable for submission to a peer-reviewed journal in the field of higher education.

For more information, including details on how to apply, please visit our website. Applications close at 4pm (AWST) on Friday 29 March 2024.

Practising Inclusion: Working and Teaching for Social Justice

Enrolment is now open for the April intake of the University of Technology Sydney microcredential ‘Practising Inclusion: Working and teaching for social justice’.

Whether you're a professional or academic staff member, this microcredential offers a deep dive into inclusion, equity, and social justice in higher education.

With the recent launch of the Universities Accord, which places equity at the core of higher education, there's never been a better time to explore these vital concepts.

For more information please visit the website. 

In the News

A snapshot of ACSES in the media:

• National student equity rebrand, Business News
• How Tertiary Education Commission could reshape Australian sector, Times Higher Education
• Equity research grants open, Campus Review
• Geraldton Universities Centre to contribute to deep dive into Regional University Centres as key stakeholder, The West Australian
• Appointments and Achievements - Paul Harpur OAM, Future Campus