World Access to Higher Education Day – Online Event Series

Tue 28 Oct 2025 12:00 pm – 1:45 pm AEDT

Online

Event details

From policy to practice: Student equity at global, national and local levels

World Access to Higher Education Day (WAHED) is a global day of action dedicated to raising awareness of inequalities in access to and success in higher education.  

EPHEA (Equity Practitioners in Higher Education Association), ACSES (Australian Centre for Student Equity and Success) and the UTS Centre for Social Justice & Inclusion are proud to host a compelling three-part online event. In this free series of online panel sessions, our speakers will explore student equity from global, national, and local perspectives, highlighting the shared challenges and innovations.

Global session: Student equity across borders 

On-demand session available from 28 October

The global session brings together international experts to explore higher education equity across regions, sharing lessons from Africa, the UK, and globally to inform policy, practice, and advocacy. You can submit your questions to the panellists.

Confirmed speakers:  Shamit Saggar (Chair), David Mills (East/West Africa), Jamil Salmi (global), Samina Khan (UK), with an Australian context included.

National session: The future of student equity policy in Australia 

12.00–12.45 pm AEDT 

The national session provides an update on Australian funding and policy directions, outlining what policymakers are doing to enable equitable access and success in higher education. Speakers will explore ways to leverage policy as an opportunity to drive a cohesive and connected tertiary education system.

Confirmed speakers: Sonal Singh (Chair), Professor Barney Glover AO (Jobs and Skills Commissioner) and Professor Peter Anderson (Pro Vice-Chancellor Indigenous, UNE)

Local session: Understanding and amplifying your impact

1.00–1.45 pm AEDT 

The local session showcases innovative approaches to widening access and success in higher education from a local perspective. Through lightning talks and interactive polls, speakers will explore challenges in achieving impact, present new evidence, and highlight practical initiatives that support underserved students. 

Confirmed speakers: Tim Pitman (Chair), Patricia Vermillion Peirce (ACSES), and the full speaker panel to be confirmed.

Further information and registration details

Event times in your timezone