availability and accessibility of professional and technical workforces required to build community capacity and wellbeing. However, these are outcomes reliant on the completion of quality education courses and clear employment pathways. Current Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander participation in the higher education sector is marred by low levels of completion. Despite increasing Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander nursing enrolments over the last few years, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander nursing students make up only 1.7% of student enrolments.1 Completion levels are even lower with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students making up only 1% of completions, a gap of 30% in the completion rates of the broader student nursing cohort. It must also be recognised that for universities increased participation by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students and staff builds a unique knowledge and capability base contributing to the quality of courses taught, the institutions teaching them and the higher education system more broadly. Equity of participation must be upheld as a quality principle within any review or reform of higher education. If we are to continue to grow Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander participation any higher education Commonwealth reform agendas must ensure optimal accessibility; this includes: cushioning Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people from any increase in fees • or HELP debt. ensuring a culturally safe education environment for Aboriginal and • Torres Strait Islander students; this includes organisational capability, staff capability and curricula. supporting regional and remote students through resourcing of regional • university campuses and investment in online technology and other alternative methods of course delivery. providing a suite of wrap around support services for Aboriginal and • Torres Strait Islander students including scholarships, mentoring, dedicated alumni, supported accommodation, tutorial assistance and student support centres. increasing the accountability of universities through establishing parity targets • and a quality evidence based framework to monitor and measure the Alford K, 2015, A approach to closing the gap in health, education an employment: 1
availability and accessibility of professional and technical workforces required to build community capacity and wellbeing. However, these are outcomes reliant on the completion of quality education courses and clear employment pathways. Current Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander participation in the higher education sector is marred by low levels of completion. Despite increasing Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander nursing enrolments over the last few years, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander nursing students make up only 1.7% of student enrolments.1 Completion levels are even lower with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students making up only 1% of completions, a gap of 30% in the completion rates of the broader student nursing cohort. It must also be recognised that for universities increased participation by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students and staff builds a unique knowledge and capability base contributing to the quality of courses taught, the institutions teaching them and the higher education system more broadly. Equity of participation must be upheld as a quality principle within any review or reform of higher education. If we are to continue to grow Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander participation any higher education Commonwealth reform agendas must ensure optimal accessibility; this includes: • cushioning Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people from any increase in fees or HELP debt. • ensuring a culturally safe education environment for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students; this includes organisational capability, staff capability and curricula. • supporting regional and remote students through resourcing of regional university campuses and investment in online technology and other alternative methods of course delivery. • providing a suite of wrap around support services for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students including scholarships, mentoring, dedicated alumni, supported accommodation, tutorial assistance and student support centres. • increasing the accountability of universities through establishing parity targets and a quality evidence based framework to monitor and measure the 1 Alford K, 2015, A approach to closing the gap in health, education an employment: