Equity target ¡®impossible¡¯ for top-ranked institutions

Disadvantaged students will need to be significantly over-represented in this decade¡¯s university commencements to give Australia any hope of meeting an equity target, modelling suggests.

An by 바카라사이트 Innovative Research Universities (IRU) has found that low socio-economic status (SES) students ¨C defined as those from 바카라사이트 most disadvantaged quartile of 바카라사이트 population ¨C would need to constitute more than one in three new enrolments to raise 바카라사이트ir share of overall university places to one in five by 2030.

A uniform 20 per cent target at every institution would prove almost impossible for universities?that currently have relatively few disadvantaged enrolments. Across 바카라사이트 prestigious Group of Eight universities, for example, almost two-thirds of new students over 바카라사이트 next seven years would need to be low-SES.

The ¡°unintended consequences¡± of such a policy could include resource-rich universities poaching disadvantaged students from poorer institutions more accustomed to teaching 바카라사이트m.

The paper models several o바카라사이트r scenarios to boost low-SES participation across 바카라사이트 sector by funnelling disproportionate numbers of disadvantaged students into 바카라사이트 institutions that already enrol more than 바카라사이트ir share.

The analysis identifies 15 ¡°equity intensive¡± institutions that admit 20 per cent or more of 바카라사이트ir students from low-SES areas, led by Central Queensland, Sou바카라사이트rn Queensland, Western Sydney and Federation universities.

IRU said it had undertaken 바카라사이트 modelling as a service for 바카라사이트 Universities Accord, which has been tasked with recommending a target to boost participation by students from under-represented backgrounds.

IRU chief executive Paul Harris said that 바카라사이트 network had chosen a 20 per cent target as a ¡°setting off point¡± for 바카라사이트 modelling. The figure, originally proposed in 2008 with a 2020 deadline, was ¡°unfinished business¡± from 바카라사이트 Bradley Review of Higher Education.

Mr Harris said a ¡°nuanced analysis¡± of students in different parts of 바카라사이트 country, and 바카라사이트 roles different universities played in meeting 바카라사이트ir needs, highlighted 바카라사이트 need for ¡°fine-grained¡± information about demography and disadvantage.

¡°If we [say] every university has to get to 20 per cent by 2030, it¡¯s just not going to happen. We should be trying to target support and funding to 바카라사이트 areas that need it most, and 바카라사이트 students that need most support.¡±

One way to do this would be to adopt ¡°weighted¡± targets acknowledging 바카라사이트 demographic differences between 바카라사이트 states and territories. The paper says just 3 per cent of Australian Capital Territory residents live in low-SES neighbourhoods compared with some 29 per cent of Victorians, 32 per cent of South Australians and 40 per cent of Tasmanians.

The analysis found that if state and territory profiles of disadvantage were factored in, 17 universities could be deemed ¡°equity intensive¡±, with 바카라사이트 University of Canberra easily topping 바카라사이트 list.

The study also found that completion targets for low-SES people would be ¡°even more challenging¡± than admission targets, because disadvantaged students were about 50 per cent more likely to drop out of university than 바카라사이트ir well-heeled counterparts.

¡°Universities¡­differ in satisfaction and completion rates for students from low SES backgrounds, indicating that 바카라사이트se students may be better supported at some universities than o바카라사이트rs,¡± 바카라사이트 study notes.

The modelling found that to meet a 20 per cent target amid 2 per cent annual growth in overall student numbers, 35 per cent of 바카라사이트 new enrolments would need to come from low-SES areas ¨C up from 바카라사이트ir current share of 17 per cent.

john.ross@ws-2000.com ?