The Australian Centre for Student Equity and Success (ACSES) is committed to developing the skills and capacity of the next generation of researchers on Australian higher education equity issues.
This includes engaging, collaborating with, and funding research students to undertake projects on equity issues through its Higher Degree by Research (HDR) Stipend Scheme.
The 2026–27 round of the scheme invited Master and Doctor of Philosophy students with an interest in student equity in higher education to participate. Students from all disciplines were invited to apply, but research projects must be on a topic related to equity in Australian higher education practice and policy.
Recipients will each receive $10,000 to undertake a research project which will lead to the publication of journal articles and other research outputs.
In total, ACSES received 15 applications and all funding spots were successfully allocated.
ACSES would like to commend all applicants on the high standard of research proposals submitted.
We are pleased to announce the following four Higher Degree by Research students who have been selected as part of the ACSES HDR Stipend Scheme 2026–27:
Awardee: Suvasish Das Shuvo
Institution: University of Wollongong
Project: Generating policy-ready evidence on food insecurity among Australian university students
Awardee: Christine Gallagher
Institution: The University of Sydney
Project: First generation scholars in higher education in Australia
Awardee: Rovini Rathnayake
Institution: Queensland University of Technology
Project: Equity and mathematics preparedness: Impacts on first-year engineering student success in Australia
Awardee: Musha Shi
Institution: Curtin University
Project: “From utility to affective inclusion”: Leveraging generative AI to support the emotional well-being of low SES students.
