Going further for equitable access to education

UNSW commits to a more equitable future through our Widening Participation Strategy to 2035.

In a significant milestone toward expanded educational opportunities, UNSW has launched the Widening Participation Strategy to 2035 – a whole-of-university strategy to further drive access and student success.  

The strategy is built around five pillars: expanding access; enhancing inclusive teaching and learning; improving the student experience for equity cohorts; sharing best practice and capacity building for student equity at a national level; and elevating programs that focus on co-design and partnering with current students at UNSW.

Professor Attila Brungs, Vice-Chancellor and President said, “This work will support faculties and divisions across the University in ensuring access to a UNSW education and the opportunities it provides are ever more inclusive, equitable and far-reaching.

“We know that equity, diversity and inclusion are the wellspring of individual and institutional excellence, bringing expansive experiences and talents together for the benefit of all.”

Mary Teague, Director, Student Equity, said, “The strategy represents the next phase in embedding the needs of equity cohorts into the core business of UNSW, reinforcing inclusive education as a key institutional priority.”

The measures encompassed by the strategy, tailored by specific faculties, include multiple access pathways, reducing financial barriers to education, enhanced access to academic learning, drop-in spaces with free after-hours tutoring and onboarding packs.  

Addressing systemic barriers

The strategy builds on UNSW’s ongoing work to address systemic barriers. The objectives are connected to curriculum transformation and the eight Pedagogical Principles that articulate a University-wide commitment to an educational experience that is inclusive, future-focused and socially engaged. As an example, Student Equity in partnership with the Portfolio of the Pro Vice-Chancellor Education have secured a grant from the Australian Centre for Student Equity and Success to conduct a large evaluation of inclusive teaching and Universal Design for Learning (UDL) in UNSW undergraduate courses in 2026.  

Other initiatives stemming from the strategy are new approaches to academic support that work at scale, specifically in numeracy and embedding academic literacies, with dedicated resources to support this work.

Going forward, the Numeracy Working Group, which guides and implements the strategy, has endorsed a variety of recommendations, including establishing a Numeracy Support website and a Numeracy Learning Hub.

Professor Christine Mathies, Pro-Vice Chancellor Education, said the ongoing development of the strategy around numeracy demonstrates how robust its implementation is.

“The goal is to provide students with the required support to ensure their numeracy skills align with the requirements of their degree and set them up for continued success,” she said.

Underpinned by consultation

The Widening Participation Strategy has been developed through extensive consultation with faculties, schools, divisions and students, and reflects the shared commitment of our UNSW community to transforming lives through education.  

It delivers on UNSW’s commitment to advancing economic and social prosperity through inclusive education and equitable opportunity.

Beyond programs and participation targets, the strategy emphasises structural and cultural change through equity in admissions, curriculum, teaching and institutional practice.  

UNSW will measure the strategy’s success using a range of KPIs, including outputs set out in the triennium Operational Plans such as participation and success rates.

You are encouraged to engage with the strategy, explore how your work contributes to widening participation and collaborate through new initiatives.  

Read the Widening Participation Strategy to 2035.