The Intersection of Geography, Topography and Mindset

A Nuanced Understanding of Regional, Rural and Remote Students’ Tertiary Participation in Australia

Authors

Keywords:

rurality, higher education, access, communities

Abstract

This paper explores the notion of rurality in Australian tertiary education as part of an investigation into the subtle but distinct differences in participation thinking and patterns among young people in regional, rural and remote (RRR) communities. Drawing on qualitative data gathered as part of a wider research project for the National Centre for Vocational Education Research, the paper examines whether student participation in tertiary education is shaped by factors more deeply related to a sense of connection to community, the relationality and reflexivity as related to context, as well the proximity to major tertiary education infrastructure, such as campuses. This analysis of place challenges traditional geographical lenses that emphasise RRR location in and of itself. Hence, the paper contributes to a more nuanced understanding of language in relation to RRR location as used in Australian policy, providing insights into the contested nature of the Australian term RRR, the concept of rurality in the wider literature, and concomitantly, investigating the impact of the same on youth participation in Australian tertiary education.

Author Biographies

Susan Christine Webb, Monash University

Sue Webb is a Professor of Education (adjunct) at Monash University, Australia and Professor Emeritus of Education at the University of Sheffield, UK. Her research interests encompass the policy effects and practices related to access and participation of students from under-represented groups in the field of further and higher education, including the experiences of migrants and refugees.

Reshmi Lahiri-Roy , Federation University

Reshmi Lahiri-Roy is a Scholarly Teaching Fellow within the Institute of Education, Arts and Community at Federation University. Her research interests meet at the intersection of sociology of education, pedagogy, and innovative methodology. They also include exploration of education policy and practice relating to diverse social inequalities and focus on the pedagogies and curriculum shaping inclusive education, gendered migration, equity and access to education.

Elizabeth Knight, Victoria University

Elizabeth (Lizzie) Knight holds an Honorary Senior Research Fellow position at Victoria University’s Mitchell Institute. Her key area of interest is equity of access to and in tertiary education, the provision of institutional information and support for transition into post-school education.

Paul Koshy, Curtin University

Paul Koshy is a Research Fellow at the Australian Centre for Student Equity and Success (ACSES), based at Curtin University in Perth, Western Australia. His research focuses on the influence of disadvantage (equity status) on participation and outcomes in higher education, and the development of policy and program measures to address it.  

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Published

23-07-2024

How to Cite

Webb, S. C. ., Reshmi Lahiri-Roy, Elizabeth Knight, & Koshy, P. (2024). The Intersection of Geography, Topography and Mindset: A Nuanced Understanding of Regional, Rural and Remote Students’ Tertiary Participation in Australia. Australian and International Journal of Rural Education, 1–18. Retrieved from https://journal.spera.asn.au/index.php/AIJRE/article/view/727

Issue

Online First

Section

JOURNAL PAPERS

License

Copyright (c) 2024 Susan Christine Webb, Reshmi Lahiri-Roy , Elizabeth Knight, Paul Koshy

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