Removing the barriers from higher education

Monash University is hosting a new initiative aimed at increasing the number of students from low socio-economic status communities undertaking tertiary education.

Learn, Experience, Access Professions (LEAP), a joint initiative of the Victorian universities and school sectors, aims to remove the barriers to higher education participation for students from low socio-economic status (SES) communities.

The new program, funded through a federal government grant under the Higher Education Participation and Partnership Program will be officially launched by the Hon Sharon Bird, Parliamentary Secretary for Higher Education and Skills on Thursday 21 February.

Pro Vice Chancellor for Social Inclusion at Monash University and LEAP Steering Committee Chair Professor Sue Willis said the University’s involvement in the new initiative highlighted its commitment to engaging all students in an inclusive environment.

“The university is committed to improving the access, participation and success of students from low SES backgrounds at Monash,” Professor Willis said.

“It is important that tertiary education is available for all Victorian students, no matter what their situation. The ultimate aim of LEAP is to increase low SES undergraduate participation at all Victorian universities.”

Director of the LEAP Program John McDonald said the program aimed to demystify the links between school, university and the professions to a group within the community that would not automatically consider higher education as a viable pathway to the workforce.

“LEAP will offer access to a range of campus, workplace and school-based activities to help students from low SES communities and their families learn more about pathways into professions,” Mr McDonald said.

“It will introduce students to the wide variety of careers associated with the professions and looks to raise students’ aspirations and learner confidence to see higher education as a valuable part of their career journey.”

LEAP will operate across Victoria giving priority to identified low SES schools. It will initially start with four targeted professions; design, engineering, health and law, with other professions to be added over the next two years.

Lead by MonashUniversity, the LEAP program is offered though a partnership of the Australian Catholic University, Deakin University, La Trobe University, RMIT University, Swinburne University of Technology, The University of Melbourne, University of Ballarat, Victoria University, Department of Education and Early Childhood Development, Independent Schools Victoria and the Catholic Education Commission of Victoria.

The Learn, Experience, Access Professions program will be launched at Quantum Victoria, part of Charles La Trobe P-12 College, 235 Kingsbury Drive, Macleod West on Thursday 21 February at 11.45am.