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The Australian Centre for Student Equity and Success acknowledges Indigenous peoples across Australia as the Traditional Owners of the lands on which the nation’s campuses are situated. With a history spanning more than 60,000 years as the original educators, Indigenous peoples hold a unique place in our nation. We recognise the importance of their knowledge and culture, and reflect the principles of participation, equity, and cultural respect in our work. We pay our respects to Elders past, present, and future, and consider it an honour to learn from our Indigenous colleagues, partners, and friends.

You are reading: 2016 Equity Fellows Programme

The Australian Government Department of Education and Training (“the Department”) is funding an Equity Fellows Programme (“the Programme”) under the Higher Education Participation and Partnerships Programme (HEPPP). The National Centre for Student Equity in Higher Education (NCSEHE) at Curtin University has been charged with managing the Programme.

Six Fellowships will be awarded between 2015 and 2017. The value of each Fellowship will be up to $215,000, covering engagement of a Fellow for a period of 12 months (full-time equivalent).

The aim of the Programme is to support Fellows to undertake strategic, high-impact, high‐profile leadership projects targeted, sector-wide, at improving the access, participation and success in higher education of students from disadvantaged backgrounds. As part of the Fellowship, Fellows will spend a period of time working in and with the Department of Education and Training facilitating mutually beneficial engagement between the Department and the sector.

Equity Fellows, through their projects, are expected to have direct influence and impact on equity in the higher education sector. Applicants must demonstrate how their Fellowship and proposed project will advance the following objectives of the Equity Fellows Programme:

  • identification of equity issues that affect the Australian higher education system, and the development and facilitation of approaches to address these issues;
  • sector-wide leadership in promoting, enhancing and developing good practice in improving access, participation and success in higher education for students from disadvantaged backgrounds;
  • the development of a collaborative arrangement for the ongoing exchange of knowledge between the sector and the Department to inform the delivery of government programmes and policy concerned with equity in higher education.

Projects may also be designed to:

  • raise the profile in higher education institutions of efforts to widen participation among students from disadvantaged backgrounds;
  • establish and build on national and international partnerships and collaboration in widening participation.

The inaugural three Equity Fellows commenced their work in January 2016. The subsequent three Equity Fellows will be expected to commence in January 2017 or as negotiated in contract. All applications are assessed on merit by a dedicated Selection and Reference Committee.

Individuals who are employed by an eligible higher education institution may nominate for an Equity Fellowship. A list of eligible higher education institutions is available below. Nominees must have the strong support of their home institution.

Please email your nominations to ncsehe@curtin.edu.au by 5pm (WST) Friday 2 September 2016.

For more information please contact the NCSEHE.

2016 Equity Fellows Programme Information Package (215Kb)

2016 Equity Fellows Nomination Form (119Kb)

Equity Fellows Programme List of Eligible Institutions (35Kb)