Enrolments of Indigenous students, students with a disability, students from low SES backgrounds and women in non-traditional areas all grew considerably in the six years to 2021.
However, growth in equity groups as a proportion of the total student population shows much slower growth, or little change, according to data from the National Centre for Student Equity in Higher Education. Students with disability was the exception, growing four per cent as a proportion of enrolments.
National figures record growth in most categories between 2015 and 2021:
- Low SES: 115,000 to 132,000
- Students with disability: 44,856 to 81,338
- First Nations: 11,845 to 16,702
- Women in non-traditional areas: 125,888 to 139,840
- Regionals: 149,001 to 144,792
- Remote: 5,911 to 5,906
- Non English-speaking backgrounds: 26,661 to 24,690
Last year, Education Minister Jason Clare briefed the NCSEHE, to “work with universities and other education institutions to evaluate and improve their equity programs.”
First Nations students grew from 1.6 to 2.1 per cent of enrolled students, but the regional Indigenous student population declined by 2 per cent. The share of enrolments made up of Low SES students grew marginally between 2015 and 2021 to 16.6 per cent – still well short of the 2020 target set by the then Education Minister Julia Gillard in 2010.
Group of Eight enrolments of students with a disability and from First Nations increased substantially 2015-21 but regional and remote enrolments declined. Overall, total equity enrolments were up just 1.9 per cent (to 173,000).
In contrast, the approximate ATN universities increased enrolments in all groups, (except NESBs) for a 15 per cent lift to 171,000.
