Student equity post-election: Priorities, possibilities, and policy

Hear from sector leaders as they unpack the post-election landscape for student equity in higher education.

With the potential for policy shifts on the horizon – will student equity remain central to the Accord’s legacy, and federal government priorities?

This discussion will offer critical analysis of the policy landscape and implications, including HEPPP and needs-based funding, community co-design, and the role of the Australian Tertiary Education Commission (ATEC). 

Now is the time to align our collective efforts, spotlight emerging opportunities, and advocate for inclusive reforms that support access, participation, and success for equity cohorts. Join us to identify practical opportunities for universities, researchers, and community partners to shape the future equity agenda.

Agenda

1.00 PM: Welcome and introduction

1.05 PM: Presentation and Q&A with Danielle Donegan (Australian Government Department of Education)

1.25 PM: Panel session

2.00 PM: End event

Speakers:

Danielle Donegan is the First Assistant Secretary of the Higher Education Stewardship and Funding Division, at the Australian Government Department of Education. With over twenty years’ experience in the Australian Public Service, Dan has worked across numerous portfolios, including the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet and the Department of Social Services. She has also worked as a Senior Adviser and Chief of Staff for a former Minister for Social Services. Dan has overseen policy development and implementation across diverse sectors, including research, tertiary education, Indigenous affairs, housing and welfare.

Professor Leanne Holt is a Worimi/Biripi woman and a nationally recognised leader in Indigenous higher education. She is Deputy Vice-Chancellor Indigenous at UNSW and has over 28 years' experience working in the tertiary sector to advance Indigenous education, leadership and research. Professor Holt is the author of Talking Strong, which showcases the development of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander education policy in Australia, from early childhood to higher education.

Professor Ian Li is Director of the Research and Policy program at the Australian Centre for Student Equity and Success. He is an applied economist with recent research work focused on the determinants of academic outcomes, student experience, and graduate outcomes in Australian higher education, particularly from an equity perspective. Ian’s work has been funded by nationally competitive schemes including the NHMRC, MRFF and NCSEHE. Ian is co-editor of the Australian Journal of Labour Economics and editorial board member of the Journal of Higher Education Policy and Management.

Dr Nicola Cull is the Associate Director of Equity and Inclusion at Australian Catholic University (ACU) and Co-President of Equity Practitioners in Higher Education Australasia. She leads ACU’s Equity and Inclusion Unit and plays a key role in driving the university’s Widening Participation Plan and strategy. Nicola has extensive experience in equity strategy, program design, evaluation, and research, including cross-institutional projects. Her work is informed by an interest in the interplay between structures and agency, especially within higher education.

Chris Ronan is the CEO of the Country Universities Centre – a network of 28 community-run Regional University Study Hubs across QLD, NSW, Victoria Tasmania and Australian Pacific Territories. He has worked in the higher education and not-for-profit sectors across the United States, New Zealand, and Australia, focusing on Regional, Rural and Remote higher education policy, student equity, widening participation and rural student transitions. Chris is also the National President of the Society for the Provision in Education in Rural Australia. 

Professor Kylie Readman is the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Education and Students) at UTS. In this role, Kylie focuses on creating the institutional conditions for building staff and student capacity in learning, teaching, and the student experience, centered around academic engagement, belonging, well-being, and partnerships. Ensuring student equity is a central theme of her work, including several research projects that investigate the experience of students from a range of diverse backgrounds which are under-represented in higher education.

Sonal Singh (MC and moderator) is the Vice-President of Equity Practitioners in Higher Education Australasia and Head of Equity Pathways at UTS. Sonal has worked in higher education and the social services sector in Fiji and Australia with a focus on inclusive communities, widening participation, student success, and community engagement. Sonal has led national research projects on refugee-educational outcomes, culturally inclusive research methodologies and equity partnerships and has been the recipient of the NSW Humanitarian Award 2023.