Social inclusion
Some people think the University of Sydney is only for those from a privileged background. Actually, our academic and teaching excellence has always been founded on principles of diversity and equity.
Diversity makes good ideas better and enriches our University community. We will only continue to excel in our classrooms, and laboratories – in fact across every corner of our campuses – by bringing together people from all social backgrounds.
We welcome promising students regardless of their background, and we invest time and money into making sure they are properly supported while they study.
As a leading Australian university, we have a responsibility to do even more. Here are some of the initiatives we're currently pursuing to attract, develop and retain the most promising students and researchers regardless of their cultural or social background and to ensure that the University is an inclusive and welcoming place.
Supporting students to come to Sydney and succeed
By 2015 we aim to raise the level of undergraduate students who come to the University from a low socioeconomic background to 12 percent of all undergraduates.
We already know that students who come here from a low socioeconomic background are at least as successful as other students. Although we have above average retention rates, we're looking at how we can do more to help students from low SES backgrounds get used to university life, and better support them once they're here. That's why we're conducting a thorough review of the courses we offer students to make sure we provide the best possible educational experience, but also to help students adapt to university study.
We also aim to diversify our student population to increase the participation of students from Indigenous, rural and remote backgrounds. Up to 80 percent of students from low socioeconomic backgrounds are also from an Indigenous, remote/rural or non-English speaking background.
Read our Strategic Plan 2011–2015 to find out more about how we are pursuing these objectives.
Working with our local and rural communities
We value our diverse partnerships with our local and rural communities, particularly the positive impact they can have on the members of those communities.
For example, our rural health and agricultural programs are important to the communities in which they operate, and some faculties rely heavily on rural sites for student placement and research.
Our Glebe Community Development Project is an example of faculty involvement with our immediate neighbours, providing learning opportunities for students as well as professional development for community leaders and educators.
Building aspiration
In June 2009 we launched our Compass program which encourages primary and secondary school children to participate in higher education.
Since launching, more than 8000 students, teachers and parents from our primary and secondary partner schools in Sydney and south-west Sydney have participated in a range of programs and activities aimed at supporting academic progress, building school capacity and increasing aspiration to attend higher education.
The program also gets our University students involved, encouraging them to volunteer on the literacy and numeracy programs we're supporting in partner schools.
Compass is driven by our Social Inclusion Unit, which has also taken a lead role in building a coalition of six universities in the Sydney basin to develop projects and programs that work with younger school children to raise aspiration and attainment.
Partnerships for change
The Smith Family
Sydney was the first university to partner with The Smith Family, supporting the Learning for Life program, which provides students and their families with financial, personal and mentoring support to help them get a good education and prevent future hardship. The University provides scholarship funding for primary and high school Learning for Life students as well as on-campus experiences and activities to encourage them to consider higher education.
Australian Indigenous Mentoring Experience
The Australian Indigenous Mentoring Experience (AIME) was established at the University of Sydney. The University continues to provide funding to AIME and last year more than 800 Sydney students put their hands up to be involved in the program which links university students in a one-on-one mentoring relationship with Indigenous high school students.
