Summary of findings

Success is subjective, but completions are the goal

In regard to what constitutes a successful transition for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students into higher education, it became clear from the evidence that success exists on a spectrum defined by individual (personal) and collective (community) terms, as well as a range of measures utilised by universities and government departments.

A growth of new higher education pathways for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Students

The Project Team found a growth of new investment in student success through pathway development and community engagement with the higher education sector. These initiatives remain primarily engaged through IEUs, but increasingly involve a regionally and contextually responsive mix of partnerships between universities, Indigenous community leadership, philanthropic and not for profit organisations, and new policy developments at the university executive level. A new and key development is the engagement of new technologies and Indigenous youth culture in the dissemination of information, development of mentoring programs and sharing of skills and knowledge in readiness to undertake university studies.

Under-represented groups require more focused actions

In regard to the identified under-represented groups (women as primary carers, young men, people in the prison system and people with disabilities), the Project Team found a number of specific programs in operation or development, but little real focus on these groups as separate identifiable cohorts with special needs within universities and the wider transition sector. All respondents identified the need for more targeted programs for these groups; yet few were able to implement such programs to meet this need, relying instead on mainstream support mechanisms. These issues are discussed in Chapter 2: Project findings Part 1 and Chapter 3: Project findings Part 2 of the final report.

Family and Community relationships are vital

The research identifies that individual family and community relationships are vital determinants of successful transitioning for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders into higher education. Targeted pathway programs that rely on family and community support, while mutually enhancing wider community relationships through breaking down myths and barriers and achieving outcomes, are increasingly effective.

Skills development, early intervention and good monitoring and evaluation are key

Collectively, respondents spoke of success not being measured by the transition, retention and completion of one Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander student, but by the ripple effect of many small successes and a diversity of effective support mechanisms and pathways. The majority of respondents identified early intervention and targeted skills development as crucial enablers of successful transition.

Elements of leading practice have been identified

Overall, the report finds that a diversity of new technologies, targeted programs, pathways and models are becoming available to enhance Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander student opportunities to transition to higher education. The Project Team chose not to identify a single model of best practice as was tasked in the original terms of reference for this project based on respondent evidence. Through an examination of the constraints and the enablers to achieving successful transition, as well as past, current and transforming models of IEUs, the report identifies 14 elements of leading practice (a framework of leading practice) that can be utilised to achieve successful transition.

Specifically, the report finds that the identified elements of leading practice should be regarded as core elements of evolving and changing patterns of opportunity that, when implemented appropriately across the diversity of student, community and university contexts and opportunities, will enable and enhance successful transitions to university.

Significant scope for increasing and enhancing Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students into higher education by building on the assets already in place

On the evidence of numbers alone, there has been a steady increase in Indigenous student numbers over time and this has led to a general increase in the overall Indigenous student population. Enhancing transitions for all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students, and for other under-represented groups, will require a greater focus on targets for increasing student higher education completions and the appropriate resources and governance to work with community based and IEU based assets that are already in place. The research finds that there is significant scope for increasing and enhancing Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students into higher education by building on the assets already in place and supporting IEUs to be able to engage in leading practice actions toward this end.

Better and more relevant statistics are vital 

In 2012 the total number of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students in university increased by 7% from 2011 but were only 1% of all enrolments (Australia. Department of Industry Innovation Climate Change Science Research and Tertiary Education, 2013). These statistics place Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students well below the population parity rate applied by various agencies. However, the measurement, collection and reporting of statistics relating to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples' engagement in higher education has varied over time and continues to vary. The measurement of statistics from different baselines renders analyses and trend predictions difficult. Such variations in reporting practices and requirements, population categorisation, data gathering and representations mean it is difficult to portray an accurate statistical reality of the higher education experiences of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students.

VET should not be overlooked as a pathway

Enrolment of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students in Vocational Education and Training (VET) is higher than in university higher education, although there are variations in this pattern around the states and territories, especially those with a dominant mining sector. However, from VET to higher education is not a strong pathway with 4.9% of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students making the transition in 2012.

Targeted investment in skills, knowledge and pathway via Indigenous Education Unit support yields results

There has been a lack of ongoing funding for programs designed to encourage successful transitions for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students into higher education. Many are short term, often pilot programs with limited follow up, and not integrated, holistic or coming from an evidence base, and are often one-off research projects.

With one or two exceptions, university course completion rates are lower among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students than for non-Indigenous students, signalling a need for targeted investment in skills, knowledge and support if they are to negotiate higher education cultures successfully. The literature also reveals that the recent new growth of pathway and aspirational programs is likely to reverse this trend if the partnerships underpinning the development of these targeted programs can be appropriately supported. Continued success will require dedicated and agreed terms of engagement over the long term to enable the wedge to become a growing cohort toward the norm of parity with non-Indigenous student transitions to higher education.