In 2017, UNE Business School continues to undertake several projects funded by the Department of Education & Training’s Higher Education Participation and Partnerships Program (HEPPP). HEPPP aims to ensure that Australians from low SES backgrounds who have the ability to study at university have the opportunity to do so.

A pilot study utilising experience-based co-design to reduce withdrawal and improve retention of students in the UNE Business School is underway, co-ordinated by Dr Donella Piper and involving contributions from Mr Adam Edwards, Dr Carolyn-Dung Thi Thanh Tran, Associate Professor Josie Fisher & Dr Lou Conway.

The study has been approved for HEPPP funding based on the intention to investigate why students withdraw from UNE Business School units. While students are currently able to indicate in a broad sense their reason for attrition, the project team is seeking more in-depth data from students. As a HEPPP-funded research project, the team is also taking particular interest in students who are identified as being from a low-SES background, and will seek to compare the experiences of low-SES students with non low-SES students.

The investigation intends to procure in-depth data from interviews with students, noting

Obtaining foundational data of this nature would serve two main purposes: First, it will provide an evidence base to begin to understand any differences between current Business School student experiences based on SES classification; and secondly, it differences are identified, it will facilitate changes in the School’s practices, thereby increasing retention of students.

The project team anticipate their findings to have some impact on the design and delivery of macro, meso and micro level solutions and recommendations to the UNE Business School and beyond,  where the intention will be to address retention of students in UNE Business School undergraduate programs.

This project is currently underway, and UNE Business School blog will keep up to date with progress on our HEPPP funded projects as the year progresses.