{"id":56175,"date":"2021-02-26T00:00:56","date_gmt":"2021-02-26T08:00:56","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/world.edu\/?p=56175"},"modified":"2021-02-25T11:55:46","modified_gmt":"2021-02-25T19:55:46","slug":"odds-are-against-first-in-family-uni-students-but-equity-policies-are-blind-to-them","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/world.edu\/odds-are-against-first-in-family-uni-students-but-equity-policies-are-blind-to-them\/","title":{"rendered":"Odds are against \u2018first in family\u2019 uni students but equity policies are blind to them"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"<\/p>\n

It\u2019s that\u00a0time of year<\/a>\u00a0again when hundreds of thousands of Australian students start university for the first time. Commencing students account for about 40% of the more than\u00a01.6 million Australians<\/a>\u00a0enrolled in university (as at 2019, the most recent available data). It\u2019s an important step for many in pursuing their educational and occupational dreams.<\/p>\n

Those who are first in their families to pursue higher education can find this momentous step both exciting and daunting. \u201cFirst in family\u201d refers to students whose parents do not have a university degree. They are complete \u201cnewcomers<\/a>\u201d to higher education.<\/p>\n

University is uncharted territory for these students, their families and even their communities.\u00a0Our research<\/a>\u00a0shows \u201cfirst in family\u201d students often face complex and multiple forms of disadvantage that shape their transition to university. Despite this cohort of students now accounting for about\u00a0half of university enrolments<\/a>\u00a0nationwide, government and university policies often overlook the particular challenges they face.<\/p>\n

Only about\u00a0one in four Australian adults<\/a>\u00a0hold a bachelor-level or higher qualification. But if a young person has a university-educated parent that\u00a0almost doubles their odds<\/a>\u00a0of attending university.<\/p>\n

An overlooked equity category<\/strong><\/h4>\n

Australian universities are now often described as being\u00a0open to the masses<\/a>. However, the enduring relationship between parental education and university enrolment harks back to the days of an\u00a0elite higher education sector<\/a>.<\/p>\n

For the past three decades, the Australian government has invested heavily in programs to\u00a0widen participation<\/a>\u00a0in higher education. The aim has been to create a student body that more closely reflects the broader population.<\/p>\n

The government has\u00a0focused on a number of groups<\/a>\u00a0that are underrepresented in higher education, usually because of social, economic and\/or educational disadvantage. These \u201cequity target groups\u201d are:<\/p>\n