Early entry to university – Opinion Piece by Prue Car

It is that time of year again in the school calendar when thousands of year 12 students across the country are preparing to sit for their final high school exams.

Those few crucial hours of exams mark the culmination of 13 years of schooling, with many students inevitably viewing them as the gateway to the next chapter in their lives, whether it is university, vocational education, or direct entry to the workforce. Little wonder then that as the day approaches so many experience varying degrees of stress.

So when universities throw students an early offer for a place (or even better, one without any conditions, such as an ATAR) it should come as no surprise that many leap at the opportunity.

Unfortunately, principals see declining levels of engagement in the critical final weeks of school among pupils who have received offers with few strings attached. The impact of that drop in engagement isn’t just limited to the student; principals have told me that a cohort and therefore a school’s overall performance can be warped because a statistically significant number of students have taken their foot off the gas.

Conservative estimates show 40,000 NSW students are forecast to apply for an early offer, the largest cohort yet. The true figure, which won’t be known until early next year, is likely to be even higher, driven in part by the Commonwealth’s decision to cap the number of international students.

Up to 50 per cent of students now enter university via this route and yet we have scant guidelines around the process, making it something of an educational free-for-all as universities offer places earlier and schools, in good faith, focus on supporting their students in making numerous applications.

Unless we – that is the Commonwealth, the States and Territories and our universities – act now as one, then I fear we will be entering an arms race, with students becoming pawns in the quest for greater university market share.

Earlier this year I was proud that NSW led a collective response for a temporary solution. Universities agreed to suspend giving out places to HSC students for entry into 2025 and 2026 until September in the preceding year. It marked a significant departure from the ridiculous practice of some universities – particularly those in Western Australia and the Australian Capital Territory – in making offers in March, a full seven months before students sit their exams.

I am not alone in believing that it is vital students get the most out of their education and we should encourage them to complete their studies to the best of their ability. And while getting an early offer can reduce a student’s stress levels, the job of an educator is to help prepare our young for adult life, including valuable life skills such as resilience and perseverance.

Early offers have played a role in increasing university access for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students, those from low socio-economic backgrounds or from regional or remote areas.

Research has found that while those cohorts were less likely to apply for university, those that did were more likely to accept an early offer than their counterparts.

However, my concern is that the lack of transparency around the admissions process is leading to a system where only those who work the system can benefit from it. Applying to universities directly is more of an art than a science. Some advantaged schools that have mastered the process – from ensuring their students are participating in extracurricular activities to get extra credits, to assisting them in developing their applications – are more likely to succeed in attracting more early offers. By contrast, less advantaged schools don’t always have the time or resources for this.

This imbalance can result in students from more privileged backgrounds receiving multiple offers, while those who may have additional responsibilities at home (like helping with the family business or caring for relatives) are left out, despite their potential.

Education should be the great social leveller, open to everyone with transparent pathways that reward those students who work hard and make the most of their potential. More than two decades ago the Higher School Certificate was reformed in NSW to ensure students were assessed against pre-defined standards of performance for each course.

We have the best part of a year to come up with a fairer system that protects that hard won equity, and ensures early entry doesn’t become a university arms race. Failure to do so risks turning the clock back to a two-tiered system that rewards privilege over potential.

This opinion piece was originally published on page 25 of the Australian on Wednesday, 2 October 2024.

GROUNDED: A New Exhibition Celebrating Bundjalung Cultural Knowledge and Creative Wellbeing

Lismore City Council through Lismore Regional Gallery and the Quadrangle are proud to present a new First Nations-led creative wellbeing program launching with multi-sensory exhibition ‘Grounded’ this October.

GROUNDED explores native bush plants endemic to the Northern Rivers in an innovative exhibition featuring the works of Widjabul-Wiabul/Yaegl sound and performance artist Mitch King and socially engaged artist and filmmaker Karenza Ebejer.

The exhibition brings together film, sound installations and interactive artworks created in collaboration with Bundjalung community Elders. King’s sound installation features recordings of native species integral to a regenerative ecology project led by Namabunda farm, while Ebejer’s film “Ecosphere” meditates on the interconnection of life-forms, inspired by local native plants.

The exhibition is a continuation of King and Ebejer’s 2022/23 collaborative project, “Our Place, Our Species”, which celebrates Bundjalung cultural knowledge and connection to Country.

Lismore City Mayor Steve Krieg said: “Lismore City Council is committed to investing in native bushland restoration and regeneration projects though our Rural Landholder Initiatives and Urban Landcare programs. This increasingly involves working with traditional owners to bring culturally informed restoration.”

Through the voices of Elders and Custodians, the exhibition offers audiences a unique opportunity to engage deeply with Bundjalung stories and the regenerative power of native bush plants.

“Through this work, we are creating space for conversations about the interconnection between people and place, and the deep cultural knowledge that informs our understanding of these relationships,” King explains. “We want to highlight how these plants are more than just flora; they are integral to our community’s identity and wellbeing.”

Ebejer adds: “Our work is about honouring the wisdom of Elders and sharing these stories in a way that fosters awareness and hope for a future where native bush plants are revitalised, and connection to Country is celebrated.”

GROUNDED will feature a series of interactive workshops designed to deepen public understanding of the importance of connecting with nature. These workshops will include hands-on experiences with native bush plants and discussions on ecological regeneration, inspired by the cultural knowledge shared through the exhibition.

WHAT’S ON

Exhibition Opening: Wednesday, 9 October 2024
Location: Event Space, Lismore Regional Gallery

Thursday, 10 October:  

• 3-6pm: Weaving with the Healing Hub in the Quad

• 5pm: Welcome to Country, Official Exhibition Opening

Saturday, 12 October:  

• 11-1pm: Nature Photography Workshop with Karenza Ebejer and Dr Jenny Fraser
  A creative workshop for young women between the ages of 14-18 years to explore native bush foods and plants in the local area.

Thursday, 17 October:  

• 3-6pm: Weaving with the Healing Hub in the Quad

Saturday, 19 October:  

• 11-1pm: Jeticaco Art Workshop with Jenny Smith
  Come along to an all-ages session of creativity, where we can explore nature through the use of water colours, on paper.

• 2-4pm: Grounded Movement with Mitch King
  Immerse yourself in a workshop that will look at how we can acknowledge the beauty and power of nature while also becoming more grounded through our own movement and mindfulness.

Launching a Broader Creative Wellbeing Program

GROUNDED is the first step in a broader First Nations-led creative wellbeing program aimed at strengthening community cohesion and wellbeing through a series of small-scale creative placemaking events. Led by an appointed First Nations Project Officer, the program will engage First Nations and youth communities throughout 2025, fostering resilience and a sense of belonging by connecting people to place.

This program will be delivered in partnership with Southern Cross University and funded by the Foundation of Regional and Rural Renewal. This collaboration leverages SCU’s strong focus on environmental science and Indigenous knowledge to enhance the exhibition’s educational impact. Through research, workshops, and community engagement, the partnership aims to deepen public understanding of the ecological and cultural significance of native bush plants.

“Southern Cross University is committed to advancing community wellbeing and ecological sustainability through education and research,” said the University’s Senior Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Professor Mary Spongberg. “Partnering with Lismore City Council through the Lismore Quadrangle aligns with our mission to support cultural and environmental stewardship in the Northern Rivers.”

About Lismore Quad 

The Quad is a central public greenspace in the heart of Lismore CBD. The Quad is a public meeting place, a performance venue, a children’s play space, a creative hub and a space for community expression. The Quad provides a safe space and gathering point for the community to enjoy free activities and performances, hold community events, take part in creative workshops and installations, or simply relax on the grass.

Laith McGregor Wins 2024 Jacaranda Acquisitive Drawing Award

By Ian Rogers

Grafton Regional Gallery is thrilled to announce Laith McGregor as the winner of the prestigious 2024 Jacaranda Acquisitive Drawing Award (JADA). McGregor secured the $35,000 first prize for his compelling sculptural charcoal drawing, Untitled (support).

Nix Francia, an emerging artist based in Sydney, was also celebrated, receiving the $5,000 Early Career Award for their evocative work Love at Midnight: Blood Edition.

The 2024 JADA was judged by Michelle Newton, Deputy Director at Artspace, Sydney. Newton commended the interdisciplinary approaches many artists took to drawing this year, noting the innovative spirit that challenged conventional ideas of the medium.

“Laith McGregor’s work is a prime example of this. There is something very primary and dynamic in his mark-marking and the way he builds up the surface. His drawing creates an atmosphere charged with emotion, blurring traditional portraiture with abstraction. Similarly, Nix Francia’s work plays with light, texture and bodily materials, drawing on personal narratives to create a sense of intimacy.”

Grafton Regional Gallery Director Sarah Gurich and 2024 JADA Judge Michelle Newton with 2024 JADA winner, Laith McGregor ‘Untitled (support)’, 2024. Photograph: Chloe Van Dorp, Simon Hughes Media.

Laith McGregor, based in the Northern Rivers region, has gained national and international recognition with his works exhibited across Australia, including major institutions like the Museum of Contemporary Art (NSW), GOMA (QLD), MONA (TAS), and the National Gallery of Victoria (VIC). McGregor is represented by Station Gallery, with locations in Sydney and Melbourne.

Nix Francia, a recent graduate of the National Art School, explores the complexities of everyday life through a unique lens. Francia was previously a finalist in the 2023 Burwood Art Prize and Blacktown City Art Prize.

The JADA, with its substantial $35,000 acquisitive prize and $5,000 early career award, continues to be Australia’s leading regional drawing prize. It showcases innovative and exceptional drawing practices, reaffirming the importance of the medium in contemporary art. The 2024 exhibition features 65 artists, including 14 from the Northern Rivers and Clarence Valley regions, with works ranging from traditional to experimental and performative approaches.

Grafton Regional Gallery extends its gratitude to the Friends of the Gallery, the major sponsors of the Jacaranda Acquisitive Drawing Award.

The 2024 JADA exhibition will be on display at Grafton Regional Gallery until Sunday, 8 December 2024.