Breaking down barriers to uni

“Following the Minister for Education’s call to give more Australians the chance for ‘a crack’ at tertiary education, the Albanese government has launched a guide for universities to establish Fee-Free Uni Ready (FFUR) courses. The courses are designed to be a pathway into higher education for cohorts who are traditionally underrepresented at universities, including those from regional areas, First Nations people, people with disability, and educationally disadvantaged students. The University Accord attainment target goal of 80 per cent of the workforce to have a tertiary qualification by 2050 led to its recommendation for a major increase in funding for short courses that help prepare people for university, acting as a bridge between school and university. “These free bridging courses are part of that [recommendation]. They give you the skills you need to succeed when you get to university,” Education Minister Jason Clare said. Developed by the University of Newcastle with $1.5 million in Commonwealth funding, Fee Free Uni Ready Pathways combines evidence-based ideas with best practice to help universities design new FFUR courses or improve their offerings. “At the University of Newcastle, one in five students do one of these bridging courses first. I want to see this happen in more places. This Best Practice Guide will help more universities do this,” Minister Clare said. “This is all about breaking down that invisible barrier that stops a lot of people getting to uni.” Last year the government invested $173 million into the program, with 36 providers receiving funding, and 25,000 students undertaking courses. This year a further 25,000 are expected to attend. By 2030, this is expected to reach 30,000, representing a 40 per cent increase from 2023. By 2040, the numbers are expected to be double 2023 levels. “We're incredibly proud of our sector-leading pathway programs, which have supported more than 70,000 students from diverse backgrounds to access higher education over more than 50 years,” University of Newcastle vice-chancellor Professor Alex Zelinsky said. “People from all walks of life can succeed at university when the right settings are in place. Sharing what we've learnt, and contributing to a national approach that expands opportunity, is an important part of that work.” The Best Practice Guide website is now available at feefreeuniready.edu.au

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