Success and University for Indigenous students: a review of Higher Education in Australia.

In 2008, the Bradley Review of Australian Higher Education highlighted the importance of ‘increasing the number of under-represented groups within Australia’s higher education system – including Indigenous people, people with low socio-economic status, and those from regional and remote areas’ (Bradley et al. Review of Higher Education in Australia: final report. Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations, Canberra, 2008). Building on over two decades of equity policy development in higher education in Australia, these ‘equity groups’ were subsequently afforded a more legitimate place in the future national higher education policy arena. One notable example was a greater focus on Indigenous higher education, including the commissioning of the Behrendt Review of Higher Education Access and Outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders (Behrendt et al. Review of Higher Education access and outcomes for aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people: final report. Department of Industry, Innovation, Science, Research and Tertiary Education, Canberra, 2012). This review, in tandem with incremental investments in Indigenous higher education over the previous decades, has led to dedicated funding streams for Indigenous higher education initiatives. We argue that the parallel policy focus on the broad national equity agenda and the more specific Indigenous higher education agenda can be both complementary and divergent. These contrasting positions are particularly evident in the implementation of respective equity and Indigenous programs in higher education institutions across Australia. In this chapter we discuss the unique theoretical dimensions and principles underpinning each of these higher education policy agendas and explore the synergies and tensions between them. We adopt a strengths-based perspective to explain what the future possibilities and opportunities might be in promoting greater cohesion, integration and interdependence between equity and Indigenous higher education agendas in Australia.

The need to address the substantial inequities that exist between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians in higher education is widely recognised. Those factors that affect the performance of Indigenous students in tertiary education have been reasonably well documented across different institutions, disciplines, and programme levels but there has, to date, been less consideration of the processes by which Indigenous students either persist or desist in higher education. This paper aims to present a conceptual understanding of academic persistence that can inform the delivery of tailored academic support interventions to Indigenous students who are at high risk of leaving higher education.

Purpose This chapter critically analyses the current participation of Indigenous Australian students in higher education and identifies new directions for seeding success and enabling Indigenous students to flourish in higher education contexts. Methodology Statistical reports, government reports and the scholarly literature were analysed to elucidate the nature of participation of Indigenous students in higher education, identify strategies that are succeeding, identify issues that need addressing and explicate potentially potent ways forward. Findings The findings have important implications for theory, research and practice. The results of this study demonstrate, that while increasing numbers of Indigenous Australian students are accessing higher education, they still are not participating at a rate commensurate with their representation in the Australian population. The findings also suggest new ways to enable Indigenous Australians to not only succeed in higher education, but flourish. Research implications The findings imply that more needs to be done to seed success in increasing the numbers of Indigenous Australian students in higher education to be representative of the population and ensuring participation in higher education enables Indigenous students to succeed and flourish. The findings also imply that there is a dire need for further research to identify key drivers of success. Implications The study supports the need for increasing the number of Indigenous Australians participating in higher education and enhancing higher education strategies to enable Indigenous students to succeed and flourish. Social implications Enhancing the participation of Indigenous students in higher education internationally can help to contribute to the well-being of individuals, Indigenous communities and nations. Originality/value This chapter provides an up to date analysis of the nature of Indigenous Australian participation in higher education and identifies potentially potent new ways forward to seed success that have international implications.

In 1990, the Australian Government published A Fair Chance for All, the first national framework for student equity in higher education. A Fair Chance for All declared that all Australians should have the opportunity to participate successfully in higher education, and that this objective could be met by ‘changing the balance of the student population to reflect more closely the composition of society as a whole’ (Department of Education Employment and Training, A fair chance for all: national and institutional planning for equity in higher education. Australian Government Publishing Service, Canberra, 1990, p. 2). The Framework identified six under-represented groups for policy priority: people from low socioeconomic backgrounds; Indigenous Australians; people from regional and remote areas; people with disabilities; people from non-English speaking backgrounds; and women in non-traditional areas. Ambitious participation targets were established for each group, and national and institutional strategies were outlined to help reach these targets. Twenty-five years on, the architecture of the Framework remains in place. The original objectives, strategies and categories have shaped how access to higher education is understood, funded and managed through the most significant period of growth in higher education in Australia’s history. Targeted strategies and a rapid increase in student numbers have opened the doors of university to more Australians than ever before. Yet despite progress across some of the six categories and broad systemic growth, the student population still does not reflect the composition of society (Koshy, Student equity performance in Australian higher education. National Centre for Student Equity in Higher Education, Perth, 2014). Inequality is persistent, and progress in widening participation has been slow. This chapter argues the need for comprehensive reform of student equity policy to drive systemic and cultural change.

This article presents a number of possibilities that digital technologies can offer to increase access for Indigenous people to higher education in Australia. Such technologies can assist Indigenous high school students acquire the knowledge and skills they require to be accepted into higher education courses. They can also assist Indigenous students to be more successful in their higher education studies. While this article is contextualised to the Australian higher education setting specifically, the principles derived within may be applied to other disadvantaged groups worldwide. It may be concluded that the despite the barriers to the uptake of digital technologies, the potential offered holds much promise for such groups. In Australia, Indigenous people are the most severely under-represented in higher education, with access rates that have been declining over the past 6 years. Therefore, this issue has been classified as a matter of the highest national priority (Bradley, Noonan, Nugent, & Scales, 2008, p. 16). Concurrently, evidence is mounting that digital learning environments are able to produce positive learning outcomes for Indigenous students, albeit with a number of barriers to their uptake. This literature review explores: current trends in digital technologies and tertiary instructional practices, barriers to the uptake of digital technologies for Indigenous learners in Australia, and the potential of digital technologies for accommodating Indigenous learning styles. A number of implications for practice are discussed, based on the review of the literature.

The study of foreign experience is necessary for innovative modernization of domestic higher education. Education in Australia guarantees successful studying, mastering of the latest technologies, promising development, and successful employment of graduates in the future. That is why interest in the development trends of higher education in this country is justified. The purpose of the article is to outline the main trends in the development of higher education in Australia. In the preparation of the article a number of theoretical methods were used. Among them are general scientific (analysis, synthesis, comparison, generalization, specification, which contributed to the identification of the main ideas for determining the key trends in the development of higher education in Australia) and specific scientific (cause and effect analysis, which helped to study the influence of international and state educational policies on the development of higher education in the country). The following main trends in the development of higher education in Australia have been identified: higher education sector is developing with state funding and on the basis of forward-looking government laws, improving conditions for the provision of educational services; the Australian system of higher education successfully cooperates with the European Higher Education Area, whose integration is based on thorough observance of national traditions and trends; there is close cooperation among enterprises and universities, support and development of scientific research; The National Workforce Strategy (2022–2027) defines a coordinated approach to solve the problem of personnel control (student employment and further professional development); lifelong learning is a link to educational success. Highlighting the main trends in the development of higher education in Australia will help to further determine the specifics of the professional training of specialists in English Philology at the country’s universities.

This paper provides an overview of disability support in higher education in Australia. Adopting metasynthesis method in doing literature review, we highlight the need for continued research on disability support in higher education in Australia. The authors synthesise eight purely qualitative studies and a case-study article. Disability support focusing on creating a learning support plan that documented a student’s requested reasonable adjustments was also identified as a complex process. Integrating disability supports into student life involves four key processes: locating and accessing disability services, identifying appropriate learning supports, negotiating the implementation of these supports among students, disability services staff, and teaching staff, and applying reasonable adjustments and supports in practice. However, there are a wide range of reasons for non-disclosure or delaying disclosure and not accessing disability support. This metasynthesis article identifies a variety of disability supports in higher education in Australia, highlighting four essential steps that disability supports that can be integrated into student life. The authors also mention some factors contributing to delayed disclosure and the underutilisation of disability support.

For many years, the university sector has been the dominant provider of higher education in Australia. However, recent changes in government policy which have broadened access to publicly-funded subsidised student loans have resulted in the emergence of small and large private higher education providers and consortiums offering English language, vocational and higher education courses. This new entrant into the higher education sector has experienced consistent growth of more than 20% in the years 2007–2009, with predictions of ongoing expansion in coming years. This article is based on the perceptions and experiences in undertaking quality assurance reviews in three diverse private provider institutions offering both vocational and higher education courses in Australia. The reviews focused on the provision of higher education programs and the authors are of the view that private higher education providers have played a key role in diversifying participation in higher education in Australia. Specifically, they have opened up access, opportunity and pathways for many students who previously may not have pursued higher education studies. The authors characterise this new entrant as the ‘silent provider’, because it has largely been ignored by the academy. The jury is still out on whether this oversight will present significant competition and threat to universities, which have traditionally enjoyed a monopoly in higher education. While reviewing the private providers the authors were heartened by the evidence of outstanding learning and teaching taking place within the institutions. While improvements need to be made in terms of developing systematic quality assurance processes and embedding professional development for staff, the reviewers found the private providers to be worthy participants in the sector. They recommend that rather than seeing the private providers as competitors, university leaders need to find ways to collaborate with private providers by initially focusing on the learner and their needs.

Indigenous Australians represent 2.2% of the working age population, yet account for only 1.4% of all university enrolments. In relation to higher degree research students, Indigenous Australians account for 1.1% of enrolments, but only 0.8% of all higher degree research completions. This paper reports on findings that emerged from an Australian Research Council-funded study which aimed to establish a model of best practice for the supervision of Indigenous doctoral students. The project identified the dissertation examination as one of the critical factors underpinning the success of doctoral candidates. Whilst research into the examination process for doctoral students is limited, the research that specifically explores the examination of dissertations submitted by Indigenous students is entirely inadequate. Our research identified key epistemological concerns that impact approaches to the examination process, to demonstrate how the dominance of Western methods of research impact the examination process for Indigenous doctoral students. This paper explores the experiences of 50 successful Indigenous Australian doctors with a specific focus on their examiner preference and disciplinary requirements. It highlights the limitations that some Indigenous students and their supervisors experience in finding an appropriate examiner.

Private for-profit higher education has grown rapidly in many parts of the world. This growth is attributed to many factors, including a broadening of the student population and the recognition that wider access to higher education will be economically beneficial to individuals, governments and society as a whole. In Australia, the number of students in private for-profit higher education is rising, with dramatic projections for the next 10 years. The Australian government has set a target to increase the participation of students in higher education, with a focus on increasing the access and success of students from disadvantaged backgrounds. It is unclear, however, what role the burgeoning private for-profit institutions will play in meeting the government's targets, and what incentives will be provided for them to increase the access and participation of students from disadvantaged groups. This paper analyses the key drivers of growth in private for-profit higher education in Australia, and discusses issues around quality and standards. It examines the strengths and limitations of the sector, and the extent to which it contributes to diversity, access and the participation of students from disadvantaged backgrounds. It argues that the sector needs clear government directions to improve levels of access, and new government policies to encourage public-private collaborations to help ensure sustainability. The paper also briefly touches on the need for a review into the current structure of Australia's higher education sector as a whole, and whether higher education would benefit from the formation of public community colleges with the explicit aim of widening access for disadvantaged student groups. Further, the paper suggests that encouraging such public-private collaboration may be beneficial to ensure access and participation of students from all walks of life, including disadvantaged groups.

The article examines and analyses legislative support of higher education in Australia and compares it with the educational legislation of Ukraine. It is defined that Australia is a federal country and its education legislation is provided by the National and State Governments. The national government develops the national education policy and substantiates its guiding principles. The federal government is responsible for funding higher education and provides additional funding to the states. State and territory governments control all aspects of education except universities. The laws in this country are effective. In education, they are focused on improving the quality of professional training, forming such competences of higher education students that employers expect and that are appropriate for workplaces. Higher education in Australia is provided by universities and colleges, as well as institutions of the state-controlled TAFE (Technical and Further Education) system. Universities in Australia provide theoretical training for higher education applicants. Vocational education, focused on the development of specific skills for activities in a specific workplace, is provided by TAFE institutions. Their programmes are developed in partnership with business and industry communities. In addition to the public TAFE system, there are also private vocational colleges. The legislative framework of higher education in Australia includes: Australian Education Act, Higher Education Act, Higher Education Support Act, Australian Qualifications Framework, Training Packages. The latter outline the standards of professional skills that can be used to train and assess the competences of education seekers. Training Packages were developed in the process of national consultations with industry. Their goals are to determine the match between the demand for qualifications and the supply; encourage the development of a flexible and relevant workforce and training; ensure national recognition of professional and technical training results; support people in the choice of education and career.

Qatar has gone through an educational reform in year 2000; its educational and particularly schooling system went through a major overhaul from K-12 reaching higher education providers. The major reasons for the educational reform were to increase the level of student academic achievement. Concomitantly, the rapid growth of Qatar's economy over recent decades has created a situation in which the demand for skilled labor far exceeded the supply of qualified Qatari nationals. The Qatar National Development Plan identified acute needs for highly educated and skilled Qatari nationals in the areas of health and biomedical sciences, engineering, energy and environment, and computer and information technology (Qatar National Development Strategy, 2011). Two significant higher education providers' serve post-secondary students, being Qatar University (QU) and American Branch Universities at the Qatar Foundation have grown tremendously over the years. Understanding the factors that affect Qatari students' post-sec...

Mental health, climate change, and bushfires: What's colonization got to do with it?

Chapter 4 - Supporting Indigenous Students Through the University Journey: The Elder in Residence Program

PurposeService marketers are increasingly aware of inequalities triggered by service systems and the need to prioritize practical strategies for reducing inequalities. A priority area for the Australian Government is reducing university education inequities for Indigenous Australians. This paper aims to examine how Indigenous Australian university students build and leverage their capabilities and strengths, harnessing service providers’ efforts towards enhancing participation (and completion) in university education – an essential transformative outcome for reducing inequalities.Design/methodology/approachA three-stage qualitative research process explored student retention/completion and capability building among a sample of Indigenous Australian university students, typically under-represented in the higher education sector.FindingsApplying a manual thematic analysis, the findings reveal Indigenous students’ value co-creating capabilities (summarized in three dimensions) harness multi-actor processes extending beyond the service provider. Five dimensions summarize the service provider’s transformative service activities that strengthen capabilities for Indigenous Australian university students. Networks of place (a structured Indigenous Centre); processes (university systems); and people (social support), including peer-to-peer networks, are important service assemblages.Practical implicationsThe authors present implications for supporting Indigenous students in persisting with and completing higher education. More broadly, the authors provide recommendations for service marketers to resolve barriers to service equality and enhance strengths-based approaches to value co-creation.Originality/valueUnderpinned by a strengths-based approach, the authors contribute towards an agenda of sustainable transformative services. Although considerable research reviews the experiences of Indigenous students, little research has taken a transformative service research perspective. Addressing this, the authors propose a conceptual framework linking consumers’ agentic capabilities with transformative service mediator practices.