A presentation from the HEA's Research Conference: Promoting Equity in Higher Education 2010.
In early 2009 the Australian Government set "a national target that by 2020 20%of higher education enrolments at undergraduate level are people from low socio-economic backgrounds".
Victoria University in Melbourne already draws over 23% of its undergraduate students from low SES backgrounds. The paper focuses on the University's Access and Success partnership project with the Region's schools which grew out of research that identified serious concerns for students in Melbourne's west regarding their aspirations school attendance academic achievement and school completion rates.
Key research questions for the project included:
- How can a university increase the access and success of young people in its region in higher and vocational education?
- What university strategies partnerships and outreach activities can support young peoples' aspirations and capabilities in succeeding in higher and vocational education?
- How can recommendations emanating from this research be used to support an increase in the participation rates of people from low socio-economic status in higher and vocational education?
Through a review of the literature and of project research data this paper explores the role of collaborative school-university partnerships in widening participation in higher education.
