What are equity groups
Definition of equity groups as recommended in Equity and General Performance Indicators in Higher Education (Martin 1994) and used by DEST (Department of Education, Science and Training):
Students from low socio-economic backgrounds (Low SES)
Those students whose postcodes of home location fall within the lowest quartile of the population of a given catchment region (national, state or urban), determined by the value of the ABS Index of Education and Occupation (EdOcc), are regarded as being disadvantaged as a result of their socio-economic status. (The allocation of each postcode in Australia in the 1991 census to each of the SES categories for the national, relevant state and urban ranking is available from the Planning Unit of the University of South Australia.)
Students from rural and geographically isolated areas of Australia
Students' geographic status is determined from postcode of home location and identified as one of three groups, urban, rural and isolated. Those students from rural and geographically isolated areas of Australia are deemed educationally disadvantaged. The 1993 classification of postcodes devised by the Department of Primary Industry and Energy is used to group postcodes into these three categories.
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students
Indigenous Australian students are defined through self-identification by a positive response to the following question used to collect the DEST student data at enrolment;
‘Are you an Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander?'
Students from a non-English speaking background (NESB)
Those students who were born overseas and arrived in Australia less than 10 years ago, and who speak a language other than English at home. This group is also known as Culturally and Linguistically Diverse (CALD).
Students with disability
Those students who respond positively to the following questions (on the higher education enrolment form) are considered disadvantaged in education as a result of their disability:
‘Do you have a disability, impairment or long term medical condition which may affect your studies?'
‘If yes, please indicate the area of impairment:
-
hearing
-
learning
-
mobility
-
vision
-
medical
-
other
‘Would you like to receive advice on support services, equipment and facilities which may assist you?'
Women in non-traditional areas of study
Female students enrolled in ‘any category such as field of study or type of course for which the percentage of female enrolments is less than 40 per cent' is regarded as women in non-traditional areas of study. Currently these fields of study are Agriculture, Architecture and Building, Business, Administration and Economics, Information Technology, Engineering and Surveying and Science. In relation to ‘type of course' research degrees have also been identified as a disadvantaged group in education.