Mark Leach MBE的动态

Conservative students in the Top End of Australia face a complex academic environment that may not be welcoming to their perspectives due to the intersection of indigenous cultures, remote education, and global academic influences. This tension can lead to conflict but also provides opportunities for critical thinking, resilience, and effective communication. To create open discourse, students should identify areas of agreement before delving into contentious issues, embrace the complexity of issues, and seek out clubs, organisations, or informal groups that share their perspectives. Advocate for policies and practices that protect free speech and academic freedom for all students, and seek resources like debate clubs, guest lecture series, and workshops on effective communication and critical thinking. When engaging with professors and peers, present arguments in a reasoned and evidence-based manner, avoiding personal attacks or inflammatory language. Universities play a crucial role in facilitating an environment where diverse viewpoints can be expressed freely and explored critically, enriching the educational experience for themselves and their peers. #education #ideology #conservatism #importingconservatism #discourse #immigration #foreignstudents

Hugely thought provoking event on equity of opportunity in higher education for First Generation students run by FirstGens and Alaya Holloway Just some of those thoughts…. ?? the difficulty in verifying first in family status has often been an excuse used in HE *not* to contextualise admissions or on-course support…and students are being penalised as a result. UCAS provide the data: use it! ?? the student voice matters. Obvious, but often ‘forgotten’ in institutional policy making. ??students don’t experience barriers because they lack something - they experience barriers because of the behaviours of institutions. It was great to hear Prof. Sir Steve West CBE, DL from University of the West of England acknowledging that they have institutional racism: progress on removing barriers to equity of opportunity will only really be made when institutions recognise the central role they play in maintaining and reproducing dominant elite hierarchies.

In a significant shift, prestigious universities such as Oxford and Cambridge are moving away from traditional exams. This initiative aims to enhance academic outcomes for minority groups and economically disadvantaged students, as reported by The Telegraph. This progressive step could redefine educational assessment and equity in higher education. #EducationReform #DiversityAndInclusion

The article thoughtfully addresses the challenges of securing housing near universities in Australia, particularly the impact of international students on the housing market. It delves into the broader implications for the education sector, drawing parallels to similar trends observed in Canada. The proposal to cap the number of international students in Australia is presented as a simplistic and potentially harmful solution to the housing crisis. A more effective approach would be to advocate for increasing the housing supply. The article underscores the significant contributions of international students to Australia's universities, highlighting their role in sustaining high-quality education despite limited public funding. Their presence enriches academic institutions and promotes democratic values and critical thinking, a sentiment equally relevant to the Canadian context. The author argues that capping international student numbers would undermine one of the country's most successful sectors. They emphasize the broader societal benefits of robust universities, including stronger democratic institutions, enhanced professional skills, and improved critical thinking. A balanced approach to migration and housing is necessary, ensuring that the burden is distributed fairly across all sectors without compromising the educational sector. This perspective is crucial for informing policy decisions in both Australia and Canada.

To ensure access to higher education is equitable, we need to better understand the challenges faced by immigrant parents, and subsequently, how this affects their child’s choice to pursue a university degree, says UTS Business School's Rayan Merkbawi. Read more ? https://lnkd.in/gfipFrgs #HigherEducation #EquitableEducation #CulturalDiversity

It's disheartening to see the proposed cap on international students at universities being used as a solution for affordable housing issues facing major cities in Australia. International students greatly enrich the cities they move to, contributing diverse perspectives and cultural vibrancy to classrooms and campus life. Using this as a political maneuver undermines the true value they bring. It’s essential to recognize and appreciate their positive impact rather than politicizing their presence. #internationalstudents #culture #diversity #education #highereducation #housingaffordability https://lnkd.in/gbKVz-vn

I whole heartedly welcome and support this research with my fellow EBP friends up and down the country and here's why... After working in this sector for over 25 years and managing a local Education Business Partnership for most of this time, this still disturbs me but doesn't surprise me at all. Dr Elnaz K. (Speakers for Schools) research backs up completely what our national EBP (Association of Education Business Professionals) network has been striving for for many many years--every young person deserves access to all of these exciting opportunities with or without the social capital they were dealt. We will never break this cycle if we keep relying on young people and families to "sort their own" work placements with an unequal level, depth and quality of networks--the gap is widening. EBPs can help to ensure this isn't worsened for many young people by raising aspirations and exposure to positive business role models through our employer networks that are willing to support their future talent. Our “Work Experience Promise” here at Elevate Education Business Partnership goes further than any other service I have seen or heard of in my 25 years in this field... ? We place every student that accesses our programme no matter what social or geographic background they come from ? We ensure every placement goes through our assurance check model to support safeguarding and health and safety in the workplace ? We “hold the hands” of students, parents, teachers and schools/colleges throughout the whole process ? We minimise the administrative burden for schools and instil them with confidence in the process as they know we “have their back” ? We streamline and support the process for local employers/education sector that rely on our expertise, knowledge, over 25 years of experience in the field and being part of a national network of experts I can certainly go on but research like this not only backs up our cause as a local EBP and our reason for being established over 25 years ago but hits hard that all young people are still not getting access to our EBP services across the country. Our early years of existence saw 3 year service level agreements being delivered to 100% of schools in our patch as Government subsidised this and funded schools in this area to access quality services. Every young person accessed work experience and other exciting employer encounters—sadly this has not been the cases over recent years. Dr Elnaz Kashef’s research has highlighted areas we all collectively need to address not just for our young people but to address our skills gaps and productivity in our local economy. This has certainly given me more hope for the future of our young people and the massive impact our work can make on their aspirations and vision for life. Read the report below. ?? #CareersEducation #WorkExperience #SocialMobility #SocialValue Olly Anne Helen Anne Emma Beryl Laura Rebecca Steve Rotherham Dr Roy Williams

Further Reading For Discussion?????????????????????? Singha, Ranjit, Policy Reforms to Enhance Scholarship Accessibility for Economically Disadvantaged Students (June 11, 2024). Available at SSRN: https://lnkd.in/gNZwWsAH Could you access my previous post for the link for Discussion?

"A lack of access to these subjects can limit the skills and local opportunities for students – especially those from disadvantaged backgrounds. Disparities in subject provision also restrict the ability of universities to contribute to much-needed skills and knowledge bases in their region – an important part of their offering to their local communities." https://bit.ly/4fCiO2V

This past week I attended a conference where I presented a paper titled "Assessment of the barriers impacting the decolonization of stakeholders’ identities in higher education". Part of the discussions that ensued post the presentation were around: 1. Is it possible to decolonise higher education institutions in a colonial society? 2. Why are we "talking" decolonisation and not liberation, are we truly liberated or have we got a false sense of liberation? The first question got me thinking about how higher education institutions are often referred to as "microcosm's of society", and how most plans/ideas to decolonise/transform society mostly begin with the decolinisation/transformation of higher education institutions. However, would the other way around not be ideal seeing that higher education institutions are a cosmopolitan?