Opportunities to achieve
'The Government will pursue vigorously the ambition that by 2020, 20 per cent of higher education enrolments at undergraduate level should be of people from low socio economic backgrounds... the additional low SES enrolments in 2020 required to meet our goal is approximately 55,000.'
The Hon. Julia Gillard, MP
Deputy Prime Minister
Access to higher education
Equality of opportunity has always been a central Australian value. The Government is investing $437 million over four years* to boost participation in higher education by people from disadvantaged backgrounds.
Additional funding of about 2 per cent of teaching and learning grants will be provided in 2010, rising to around 4 per cent in 2012.
This will fund a two‑pronged strategy to encourage universities to take a greater leadership role in providing higher education to all groups in society with the aim of lifting low socio economic status (SES) enrolments by 55,000 in 2020.
$325 million will be invested in a new loading to reward institutions for attracting and retaining low SES students.
Universities will also be given $108 million over four years to build long‑term partnerships with schools and communities in disadvantaged areas to lift participation in higher education.
The Government's effort and funding aims to lift the aspirations of students who would previously never have considered university as an option.
Proportion of higher education students from low SES backgrounds
*Including $4 million of departmental expenses, and offset by $43 million of savings.