Access and Equity: A Case Analysis of Local Implementation under the Higher Education Equity Programme

The Access and Equity Programme at the University of Southern Queensland is an example of a program supported by the Commonwealth Government's Higher Education Equity Programme. The characteristics of this program are discussed in terms of its context, focus and rationale, structure and components, and outcomes. The program is seen to be successful in fulfilling the aim of such programs to promote greater access to higher education from disadvantaged groups. However, it is also concluded that: the required focus on defined target groups can itself be inequitable by ignoring cases of individual disadvantage; the need for quota selection leaves the least capable without any support for their aspirations; and the almost exclusive concentration on prerequisite academic knowledge leaves some without sufficient awareness and adaptability to cope with the demands of higher education.