What is student equity at USQ?
Student equity is proactively providing accessible and equitable higher education opportunities to the diverse USQ student constituency, in particular to target groups identified as disadvantaged in their access to and participation in higher education. It reflects a concern by USQ to reduce unequal opportunities for education, often associated with membership in certain identified educationally disadvantaged groups. Equity is not equality. Treating everyone the same is not creating equity in education. Equity may mean that some things are done differently for one group of people in order to provide the same opportunities for success as for people who do not need this assistance.
Identified equity groups as defined by the Department of Education, Science and Training
· Student from low socio-economic status backgrounds
· Student from rural and geographically isolated areas of Australia
· Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students
· Students with disability
· Domestic students from a non-English speaking background
· Students disadvantaged as a result of their gender in accessing education
USQ also takes a special interest in the following categories of students:
· Offenders in custody
· First generation students (that is, the first in their family to attend higher education)
· Second chance learners (that is, students undertaking higher education for the first time as adults)