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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.

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You are reading: 2019–20 Equity Fellowship Snapshots

Since 2016, the NCSEHE Equity Fellows Program has supported 12 Fellows to undertake high-impact projects, specifically to improve higher education access, participation and success for students from disadvantaged backgrounds.

The 2019/20 Equity Fellows, Mr David Eckstein, Associate Professor Tim Pitman, Dr Janine Delahunty, Dr Andrea Simpson, Dr Katelyn Barney and Dr Nicole Crawford focused variously on regional and remote students, students with disability, and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders.

The release of these six reports during 2021 and 2022 is complemented by a series of Snapshots print and digital publications, showcasing the Fellows’ work in unique and eye-catching formats.

Building a stronger evidence base to support effective outreach strategies for Indigenous students

Dr Katelyn Barney

Katelyn Barney’s Fellowship identified success factors and highlights areas to strengthen outreach initiatives for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander school students.

Read the final report

“On the radar”: Supporting mental wellbeing of mature-aged students in regional & remote Australia

Dr Nicole Crawford

Nicole Crawford’s Fellowship investigated proactive approaches to support the mental wellbeing of mature-aged university students in regional and remote Australia.

Read the final report

‘You going to uni?’ Explore how people from regional, rural & remote areas navigate higher education

Dr Janine Delahunty

Janine’s Fellowship explored how regional and remote people navigate into and through higher education and what challenges they face in realising their goals.

Read the final report

Meaningful jobs for students with disability: From luck to business as usual

Mr David Eckstein

David Eckstein’s Fellowship investigated the provision of targeted careers support for students with disability, as well as barriers to service provision.

Read the final report

Supporting persons with disabilities to succeed in higher education

Associate Professor Tim Pitman

Tim Pitman’s Fellowship looked at how universities can best support people with disability, particularly regional, rural and remote students.

Read the final report

Indigenous students’ journeys to & through allied healthcare programs

Dr Andrea Simpson

Andrea Simpson’s Fellowship investigated pathways to higher degree allied health coursework programs for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.

Read the final report

NCSEHE Fellows Reports Fellowship Reports Publications
Featured publications
First Nations students’ progress into and through university
J Beaufils, R Taylor, and D Edwards​ , 2026
A Small Grants Research Program final report. The study provides insight into the pathways and approaches to university by First Nations students and the role that a university centre designed specifically to support First Nations students can have on building success for students.
Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander
Indigenous
Navigating the cultural interface: Indigenous PhD scholars’ experience of working toward equity in health research across Australia, Turtle Island Canada, and Aotearoa New Zealand
S Andrews, T Eastman, E Munro-Harrison, and O Mazel​ , 2025
A Small Grants Research Program final report. The study explored the ways in which Indigenous PhD scholars in Australia, Turtle Island Canada, and Aotearoa New Zealand are championing community-informed and Indigenous-led research at the cultural interface in higher education.
Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander
Indigenous
Time for a rethink: Assessment policy to enable equity
J Dargusch, L Harris, J Willis, M Kettle, J Arnold, N Rogers, J Gallagher, and D N Chi​ , 2026
A Small Grants Research Program final report. The study examined how assessment policies and practices around time are creating barriers for students from equity groups including First Nations people, migrants and refugees, people with disabilities, and those from low socio-economic backgrounds and regional and remote areas.
Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander
Disability
Evidence-based pedagogies to support online engagement of low SES, and regional, rural, and remote students
F Fan, D Hicks, and S Fischer​ , 2026
A Small Grants Research Program final report. The study sought to explore how to support engagement for online students, thereby addressing issues of disengagement and attrition.
Low SES
Low socioeconomic status
More publications
First Nations students’ progress into and through university
Tomasz Zając​ , The University of Queensland (UQ)​
A Small Grants Research Program final report. The study provides insight into the pathways and approaches to university by First Nations students and the role that a university centre designed specifically to support First Nations students can have on building success for students.
Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander
Indigenous
Research Reports
Navigating the cultural interface: Indigenous PhD scholars’ experience of working toward equity in health research across Australia, Turtle Island Canada, and Aotearoa New Zealand
Tomasz Zając​ , The University of Queensland (UQ)​
A Small Grants Research Program final report. The study explored the ways in which Indigenous PhD scholars in Australia, Turtle Island Canada, and Aotearoa New Zealand are championing community-informed and Indigenous-led research at the cultural interface in higher education.
Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander
Indigenous
Research Reports
Time for a rethink: Assessment policy to enable equity
Tomasz Zając​ , The University of Queensland (UQ)​
A Small Grants Research Program final report. The study examined how assessment policies and practices around time are creating barriers for students from equity groups including First Nations people, migrants and refugees, people with disabilities, and those from low socio-economic backgrounds and regional and remote areas.
Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander
Disability
First in Family
Indigenous
Low SES
Low socioeconomic status
Migrants / refugees
Regional and remote
Research Reports
Evidence-based pedagogies to support online engagement of low SES, and regional, rural, and remote students
Tomasz Zając​ , The University of Queensland (UQ)​
A Small Grants Research Program final report. The study sought to explore how to support engagement for online students, thereby addressing issues of disengagement and attrition.
Low SES
Low socioeconomic status
Online students
Regional, rural and remote
Regional and remote
Research Reports