Student Equity 2030

Book excerpt: The National Centre for Student Equity in Higher Education (NCSEHE) seeks contributions from key stakeholders in preparation of a strategic long-term vision for student equity in Australian higher education. It is a decade since the last major review of the role that equity plays in Australian higher education was undertaken, the Bradley Review of Higher Education, and over 30 years since the core framework for equity was first defined in the 1990 White Paper A Fair Chance for All. It is time to take stock and rethink the vision for student equity in the context of the contemporary Australian higher education system and economy. This paper aims to outline the key concepts, challenges and contradictions associated with achieving student equity in higher education in an era of near universal participation, and point out possible options for resolving these challenges and contradictions. Eight big questions are articulated to prompt discussion and feedback from the sector. Written submissions are invited in response to these, and feedback is also welcome beyond the specific questions on broader or other issues of relevance. In addition to written feedback, a series of roundtables will be held in major capital cities and regional centres where these questions can be explored in a collaborative and constructive conversational form. Feedback from written submissions and face -to -face workshops will inform the development of a long-term vision statement, Student Equity 2030. [Introduction, ed]