12 out of 38 meet equity targets 10 years ahead of schedule

All unis weren’t created equal – and the initial allocations from the Commonwealth’s new equity program prove it.

The University of Western Sydney is the big winner from the Higher Education Participation and Partnership Program (HEPPP), claiming a $2.6 million windfall from the initial $42 million allocation of the equity program's participation component. DEEWR data, which outlines how the payments are being distributed, shows that UWS will collect over 6 per cent of the national HEPPP allocation because around 5000 of its undergraduates are from low-SES areas, and almost as many receive Centrelink benefits. HEPPP participation payments are based on both of these measures, with home location given a...