IHEPP providing more than just a pathway for Indigenous students

IHEPP graduates are now enrolled in a number of different undergraduate programs

USQ lecturer Maree Toombs sees the benefits of the Indigenous Higher Education Pathways Program (IHEPP) in her students every day.

IHEPP is a tertiary preparation program, which gives Indigenous students the opportunity to gain direct entry into University and Mrs Toombs, who lectures at the University’s Centre for Australian Indigenous Knowledges (CAIK) and is USQ’s IHEPP Program Manager, knows that the students are gaining more than just a guaranteed entry into university through the initiative.

'In recent years numbers in IHEPP have increased considerably and more importantly, successful transition into mainstream courses has improved,' Mrs Toombs said.

'The program now encompasses a more holistic approach to teaching and learning for participants and an emphasis is placed on developing the social and emotional wellbeing of the students through embedding cultural experiences and content delivery into the program.

'Academics and USQ’s Student Relationship Officers (SRO’s) work together to provide a program that promotes and aims to produce self-confident, self-directed learners who are prepared for mainstream studies.

'Currently we have 35 students enrolled in IHEPP for this Semester, with the completion rates for the program improving considerably over the past two years and has a retention rate of over 95 percent.'

As well as the continued success of the program, Mrs Toombs recently also had another reason to celebrate with a number of her students graduating from IHEPP.

'On March fourth CAIK had their graduation ceremony for IHEPP graduates who completed the program in Semester 2, 2009,' she said.

'There are now nine graduates who are enrolled in undergraduate programs including Psychology, Education and Business.'

Next Semester will also see the enrolments of year 11 and 12 students into IHEPP, following a pilot program with local high schools including Glennie, Oakey and Toowoomba State High school.

'This initiative is designed to pathway Indigenous students into the university experience.

'The emphasis is to target students who are first in the family to attend university and had not considered it as an option.

'This is the result of an 18-month collaborative project with Oakey State High School.'

With this latest initiative and interest in IHEPP growing significantly, Mrs Toombs is expecting an enrolment of around 70 students in Semester two this year.

Contact Details:
Josh Ada, USQ Media, +61 7 4631 2559 or 0400 025 429