Enabling more equitable access to university for a more socially just, connected and sustainable tomorrow
School of Education
Published on the 18 December 2025
Addressing structural inequities in higher education demands a holistic approach that spans students’ learning journeys.
Jessica Littler had always planned to move from her hometown of Wollongong to study after she finished school. She was the first in her family to go to university. The desire to attend university out of area was rare among her peers.
She applied through UNSW’s Gateway program. The Gateway program supports eligible students from Years 10, 11 and 12 as they transition to university, through workshops, mentoring and academic support. It offers an alternative pathway which fast-tracks entry into UNSW, recognising students’ achievements in Years 11 and 12 to make early offers.
Like many of her peers, Ms Littler worked part-time, juggling the pressures of Year 12. In fact, she received her offer from UNSW while at work. “I remember so clearly … opening my phone on my break at KFC at like 10 o'clock at night … and it saying you've been given a conditional [early] offer.”
It was a huge relief and hugely exciting, the fourth-year UNSW Bachelor of Social Work (Honours)/Criminology & Criminal Justice student says. “I went back inside to tell everyone on shift.”
Enhancing students’ academic attainment and reducing barriers to entry enables young people to expand their options post-school, says Professor Stephen Doherty, Deputy Dean (Education) at UNSW Arts, Design & Architecture (ADA).
“UNSW Gateway improves students’ understanding of university and helps them make more informed decisions,” says Prof. Doherty, a beneficiary of alternative entry pathways himself. “It builds their confidence so they can successfully navigate their educational journey.”
The program acknowledges that educational and career opportunities are strongly linked to systemic socio-educational (school) advantage and socio-economic (home) status, with the two often interrelated. It makes university more accessible to both, improving educational outcomes for students from underrepresented groups.
UNSW’s Gateway Equity Target, established in 2022, set out that by 2027, 25% of commencing domestic undergraduate students would be from a low-socioeconomic background (based on the Australian Bureau of Statistics’ Socio-Economic Indexes for Areas (SEIFA) criteria) and/or a socio-educationally disadvantaged school (Gateway partner school).
UNSW ADA exceeded this target reaching a 29.6% intake T1 2025, evidencing its commitment to equity in higher education. The faculty will continue to build on its leadership in advancing educational equity within an evolving landscape.
The Federal Government’s Australian Universities Accord recognises the need to “build a better and fairer education system”. The Final Report, released in 2024, recommended significant reform to enable all Australians to foster the knowledge, skills and intellectual ambition required for contemporary socio-economic and environmental challenges and for the long-term security and prosperity of the sector and the nation.
“UNSW ADA is committed to ensuring its undergraduate community reflects the broader Australian population,” says Prof. Doherty. “Enabling access, participation and graduate success for students from underrepresented groups is integral to our vision of a more socially just, connected and sustainable tomorrow.”
The target also supports students from other equity groups who attend these schools at higher rates, he says. “These include students from regional and remote areas, culturally and linguistically diverse migrant and refugee (CALDMR) communities, and students who identify as Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander.”
Fostering supportive pathways that span students’ learning journeys
The ADA educational leadership team is invested in evidence-driven innovations, even conducting research on student belonging and wellbeing in tandem with co-designing and co-delivering iterative educational programming inside and outside the classroom. “We’re leveraging the literature on best practice to promote a sustained systematic improvement in participation but also learning and graduate outcomes.”
UNSW’s theory of change – its research-led approach to driving greater equity – is holistic, says Ms Jennifer Perkins, ADA’s Education Excellence and Innovation Manager.
“It starts with educational outreach in high school, then assisting throughout the application process and transition to university, ensuring students have academic, financial and well-being support,” she says.
“But we also focus on participation during university, including through internship and careers support, to ensure success beyond graduation, promoting productive career pathways.”
Research has consistently shown that working with students early improves their educational outcomes, she says. “Year 10 is a great time to start thinking about what the future holds.”
“Students learn how to navigate their final exams, explore their interests and identify their strengths and aligned career paths through workshops, on-campus days and online learning.”
Gateway participants explore pathways to university success
Webinars guide students through the application process. These helped Ms Littler reflect on her degree choices, ensuring they aligned with her strengths, interests and goals.
She was drawn to “looking at society, but also looking at people on the ground and how to work in those [more marginalised] spaces, from homelessness to aged care to hospitals to justice.” When she learnt that UNSW partnered social work with criminology that sealed the deal.
The Gateway program provides students with academic enrichment opportunities that help them prepare for university. “We offer learning experiences that support students’ self-efficacy and help them identify their learning strengths and values-led career choices,” Ms Perkins says.
Students experience lectures by discipline-specific experts and participate in small group work in their areas of interest. “Students make TikTok videos and do hands-on activities, including K-Pop dancing, language learning and VR [virtual reality]. It's something different every time.”
A significant part of the approach is providing students with trusted information from trained student ambassadors, including current university students from equity backgrounds; this helps “students see themselves in the university setting,” she says.
Prioritising an inclusive student experience
The ADA support programs are the culmination of years of iteration, demonstrating our long-term commitment to a more inclusive student experience informed by evidence-based practice. Staff are supported by ADA’s Inclusive Teaching Toolkit and mentored in Universal Design for Learning: research-driven insights to optimise teaching and learning for all people.
“While many students won’t need additional support, it’s important to ensure we cater for different needs throughout students’ learning journeys,” Prof. Doherty says.
ADA’s onboarding packs are co-designed with current students identifying the information needed during their transition to university. “Students provide invaluable feedback and are paid for their input,” Ms Perkins says.
“We also ask students what we can help with – what would be the most impactful? Then, we iterate every year to enhance those services and support the student journey.”
The program runs student check-in calls and peer mentoring, pairing new students with student mentors to share questions and concerns. For example, they looked at the difference between marking at university and high school, dissecting a rubric.
ADA also offers a textbook/materials access scheme, which includes Art & Design resources and Built Environment model supplies, and stipends for work integrated learning. “These stipends enable students to participate in meaningful activities that are key to employability and graduate success,” Prof. Doherty says.
Ms Littler recently completed her Level 3 social work placement at Youth Justice NSW in a policy position. It provided an opportunity for her to see the institutional frameworks in action with changes to the Bail Act brought in during her tenure. She has also been on exchange to the United Kingdom.
The experience has come full circle with Ms Littler now working as ADA’s Senior Student Ambassador in the faculty’s Student Experience Team. “I love getting involved with anything to do with Year 12, because I know exactly what it's like and how terrifying it is, how hard the process [can be],” she says. “[Gateway] isn’t just getting into uni and that’s the end of it. The support is all the way through which is massive.”
Enrolment figures quoted are correct as of time of publication.
- Overview
- News
- Our team
- References