Go8 Response to the Measuring the Socio-Economic Status of HE Students Discussion Paper 2009

The Group of Eight supports a move to measure the real   socioeconomic characteristics and background of students by exploring   additional, relevant, directly measured variables (subject to validation of   quality), rather than relying on the present use of imputed values, based on   postcode areas. Group of   Eight encourages the   development of improved data sets, to better understand the interaction of   factors which lead to success in higher education, and to support data-based   evaluation of policy initiatives and programs.

The Group of Eight supports analysis at Population Census   Collector’s District (CD) level, rather than postcode (recognising that CDs are   generally more homogeneous and smaller, and more stable). However, the   fundamental problem remains that relatively advantaged students coming from   particular areas will be counted as low SES because of the disadvantages of   others who live in the same geographical area. The government’s low SES   initiatives will be measured in terms of whether more students come from those   and similar areas, and not in terms of whether more truly disadvantaged students   enrol.

The Group of Eight also supports the inclusion of   relevant Centrelink data related to students and their parents, subject to data   validation and timeliness, on the basis that those students have an evident,   data-verified disadvantage in having to meet eligibility criteria.

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Go8 Response to the Measuring the Socio-Economic Status of Higher Education Students Discussion Paper, 2009