Lisa Andrewartha

Dr Who? Equity and diversity among university postgraduate and higher degree cohorts

Lack of equitable access at the higher levels of university is detrimental to individuals and more broadly to economic productivity and social cohesion. This paper considers the nature and extent of under-representation in postgraduate and higher degree study and proposes responses at both the institutional and policy levels. Particular focus is given to low socio-economic and regional students within the Australian context. Major causes of postgraduate inequity include the pipeline effect, which is fuelled by institutional stratification and low levels of institutional mobility. Moreover, the influence of financial barriers and limited cultural capital does not ‘wash out’ during undergraduate study. Proposed institutional strategies include redirecting a proportion of equity scholarships to postgraduates, giving consideration to need in the allocation of postgraduate scholarships, and offering funded postgraduate places to selected disadvantaged students. At a policy level, suggestions include government targets for postgraduate participation, undergraduate debt remission, and increased postgraduate Commonwealth-supported places.

A forgotten cohort? Including people from out-of-home care in Australian higher education policy:

People from out-of-home care backgrounds are largely absent from Australian higher education equity policy. Compared with the UK, Australia has moved slowly to consider legislative and programme incentives for young people who leave state, foster or kinship care and who wish to access higher education. One major reason for the relative inaction of the Australian higher education sector towards this cohort is the rigidity of the national equity framework established in 1990. This article argues that policy reform is required to improve the participation of people from out-of-home care backgrounds in Australian higher education. Effort could be directed into revising the national equity framework, in particular by including out-of-home care as a specific group to be monitored. In addition to revising the national policy architecture, further devolution of equity policy to institutional level may enable greater engagement with the out-of-home care cohort.

Employability and student equity in higher education: The role of university careers services:

There is a pressing need to redress inequities in university completion rates and graduate outcomes. Students from low socio-economic status, regional, and Indigenous backgrounds have lower completion rates than their peers. Graduates from non-English speaking backgrounds and graduates with a disability have consistently worse employment outcomes. Despite these concerning trends, student equity remains marginal to most university employability strategies, including the provision of careers services. University careers services are a central resource for improving student employability. These services provide a range of activities such as careers education, job interview training, resumé preparation, and the sourcing of employment opportunities. Research suggests that students from equity groups underutilise careers services, despite often having the most to gain from them. We captured the professional perspectives and expertise of university careers specialists to explore: the role of careers services in improving employability and equity; and broader university strategies to redress inequitable graduate outcomes.

Out of Reach? University for People from Low Socio-Economic Status Backgrounds

Low socio-economic status (SES) background remains the most prevalent marker of disadvantage and is often compounded by other factors. Regional and Indigenous students, for example, are much more likely to be from low SES backgrounds than other Australians. Despite the massification of the system, the introduction of the Higher Education Contribution Scheme (HECS), and the establishment of targeted funding to support A Fair Chance for All (also referred to hereafter as the Framework) objectives, inequality has remained stubborn. Throughout the past 25 years, the number of low SES university participants has risen substantially, but the overall low SES proportion of the university share has not.

Towards a National Policy Framework for Care Leavers in Australian Higher Education

International research has found that care leavers rarely transition to higher education in the UK, Europe and the USA. In Australia, however, there has been a paucity of research into the under-representation of care leavers in higher education. This chapter reviews the findings of a national research project into the university access and achievement of care leavers. The project was led by La Trobe University and involved four key stages: a global literature review; analysis of relevant data sources; an online survey of public universities; and interviews with community service organizations. Findings and recommendations are considered in the context of international research and policy initiatives.