Rhetoric and reality how universities in Australia realise equity

The concept of equity in higher education has been part of a global discussion in the literature for the past fifty years. As university participation has increased over time, equity in access and opportunity for all socioeconomic groupings have not been evenly achieved. In this study I focus on the contexts and factors affecting equity in higher education in Australia. First, this study investigates how equity is broadly embedded into the core values and strategies in Australian universities, then it focuses on four specific universities. next, i document the efforts of leaders to deliver equitable outcomes at one university by exploring the ways that equity is understood and actioned. This thesis analyses the challenges and successes participants experienced who are part of complex interactions inside and outside the university, the changing composition of the contemporary student cohort and the influence of social pressure in a changing economy in regional Australia. Based on the findings of the study, I propose a series of considerations that could assist university leaders in reflecting upon, and acting on, equity agendas.