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National Centre for Student Equity in Higher Education

Students climbing stairs

"Ensuring that every Australian, no matter how wealthy or poor, has a fair chance [to graduate from university] is one of the most important challenges for Australian universities... Our reputation as an egalitarian nation and our future prosperity rests on the outcome... The task now is to expand access and opportunity to everyone, regardless of the family or community they come from."

The Hon Julia Gillard MP, Deputy Prime Minister
'Address to the Sir Robert Menzies Oration 2008'
6 November 2008, Melbourne.

Looking for information about the recent 2nd Annual Student Equity in Higher Education National Conference, Melbourne, 11-12 October 2010, convened by the NCSEHE?

New report available:

Interventions early in school as a means to improve higher education outcomes for disadvantaged students.

About the Centre:

Founded in 2008, the National Centre for Student Equity in Higher Education (NCSEHE) is a research centre funded by the Australian Government Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations (DEEWR) and hosted by the University of South Australia. The work of the National Centre informs student equity policy and practice in Australian higher education.

The National Centre is directed by Professor Edgar Carson. Ed commenced in the position of Director: National Centre for Student Equity in Higher Education on Monday 23rd January 2012. He is also Professor of Social Policy in the School of Psychology, Social Work and Social Policy. His research interests are in the area of government/third sector relationships, with particular reference to human services, and he has a long history of the evaluation of policy and programs that aim to alleviate social disadvantage.

Profiles of all National Centre staff are available here and contact details are available here.

The National Centre's research program is informed by three themes: Aspiration, Mobility and Voice. For more information on NCSEHE's research focus, please visit our research page.

In consultation with key stakeholders, the National Centre for Student Equity in Higher Education has developed www.equity101.info, a site supporting dynamic collegial networks and providing opportunities to better locate information and scholarship for this growing community.

The equity101 site is also a place to access the latest news, events and research from the NCSEHE. Please follow these links to access a constantly updated stream of NCSEHE activities, including:

Further information about the National Centre is available on the equity101 website, including information regarding Honours and PhD scholarships and NCSEHE staff.  Podcasts of NCSEHE events are available here.

Centre launch

The National Centre for Student Equity in Higher Education was officially launched on 25 February 2009 by Emeritus Professor Denise Bradley in the Hawke Building, City West Campus. Prof Peter Høj, Prof Denise Bradley and Prof William Tierney (from the Center for Higher Education Policy Analysis at the University of Southern California) spoke at the launch. Download a podcast of the launch here.

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