Reflections on Designing In-School Enabling Courses

Reflections on Designing In-School Enabling Courses

In early 2024, four Australian universities—Edith Cowan University, Murdoch University, University of Southern Queensland, and Southern Cross University—initiated a benchmarking project focused on in-school Enabling courses, as part of a broader ACSES-funded study examining the effectiveness of in-school Enabling programs. Guided by NAEEA’s benchmarking framework, this was the first national study of its kind. The project was developed in response to the Universities Accord Final Report (2024), which emphasised equitable access to higher education for under-represented groups. Its aim was to move towards standardising the educational experience of embedded high school Enabling courses, including alignment in holistic outcomes, assessment approaches, and grading practices. The benchmarking revealed strong similarities across courses in partnership models, goals, curriculum, programs of study, and learning outcomes. This presentation shares findings from the benchmarking report, as well as qualitative insights from students who have completed in-school enabling, and educators teaching the programs, and quantitative student outcomes. This is in order to highlight best practice in course design to ensure in-school Enabling courses are providing rigorous and supportive pathways to further education.

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