Universities can better support today’s increasingly diverse student population by applying lessons already learned through Indigenous education and regional study models, according to a new national report.
Published by the Australian Centre for Student Equity and Success (ACSES) at Curtin University, Equity Insights 2026: Understanding student realities and redesigning systems for success brings together university leaders, students, regulators and equity specialists to examine the pressures affecting students and practical ways the sector can respond.
The report was released alongside the announcement of the 2026 ACSES Awards, which recognise individuals and initiatives advancing equity and student success across Australian higher education.
One of Equity Insights 2026’s contributions comes from Curtin University Deputy Vice-Chancellor Indigenous Professor Jonathan Bullen, who said many of the challenges long experienced by Indigenous students were increasingly being felt across the wider student population.
He said Indigenous students had long balanced study alongside financial pressures, cultural obligations, community responsibilities and experiences of exclusion, providing insights into how university systems can better respond when students face complex lives and competing demands.
“The Indigenous student experience shows the sector what happens when university systems do not reflect the conditions in which people actually live and study,” Professor Bullen said.
“The approaches developed in Indigenous education should not be viewed simply as specialised support for one cohort: they represent valuable knowledge about how universities can create more flexible, responsive and inclusive conditions for all students.
“This is not about lowering academic standards, it’s about ensuring the challenge comes from learning itself, rather than avoidable barriers created by the way study is structured.”
The report explores issues including financial hardship, food insecurity, racism, disability, mental health, caring responsibilities and regional disadvantage, while also highlighting practical initiatives designed to improve participation and success.
A recurring theme throughout is that many challenges once considered unique to equity groups are becoming mainstream student experiences.
The report also highlights the value of regional support models in helping students overcome barriers to higher education participation.
National Regional University Study Hub data cited in the report shows 42 per cent of registered students are first in family to attend university, 10 per cent are First Nations students, 57 per cent are aged over 25 and one in five have parent or carer responsibilities.
The report also notes that 20 per cent of students surveyed had considered stopping their studies because of workload, employment, health or caring pressures.
Geraldton Universities Centre Director Natalie Nelmes outlined the unique challenges facing regional students and said local support networks can play a critical role in helping students stay engaged and complete their studies.
“Regional students are every bit as capable and ambitious as metropolitan students, but they often face additional pressures that universities may not see from a central campus,” Ms Nelmes said.
“Regional study hubs provide trusted, local support that helps students navigate complex systems, stay connected to their studies and access assistance when they need it most.
“By working more closely with regional communities and support networks, universities can design services that better reflect how regional students actually live and learn.”
ACSES Research and Policy Program Director and report editor Professor Ian Li said the report showed improving student success required understanding the realities students faced beyond the classroom.
“This publication brings together evidence, lived experience and practical examples from across the higher education sector,” Professor Li said.
“While the pressures facing students are significant, the report also shows there are effective responses already emerging across Australia.
“The experiences of Indigenous and regional students do more than identify disadvantage: they help reveal where systems create unnecessary barriers and point towards practical solutions that can benefit all learners.”
Equity Insights 2026: Understanding student realities and redesigning systems for success is available here.
The 2026 ACSES Award winners are available here.
