Recentering Student Success: From Access to Achievement to Rightful Success

Professor Peter Anderson, PhD, SFHEA, MAIATSIS, FQA
Director Indigenous Research Unit, Griffith University

The Australian Universities Accord marks a transformative shift in higher education, moving beyond access to ensure rightful success for all students through the Higher Education Success Factor (HESF) framework. This keynote explores how HESF operationalizes the Accord’s vision by providing institutions with systematic approaches to implement and measure student success initiatives.

Central to this transformation is substantial government investment supporting integrating economic, social, and academic support systems. The HESF framework guides institutions in deploying these resources effectively through clear operational guidelines and measurable interventions. It enables universities to implement targeted initiatives, including enhanced HELP reforms, integrated student support networks, and comprehensive academic assistance programs.

The framework’s significance lies in transforming policy directives into actionable institutional practices while maintaining flexibility for contextual adaptation. Through the Australian Tertiary Education Commission (ATEC), Managed Growth Funding, and Needs-based Funding mechanisms, HESF creates pathways to achieve the ambitious target of 80% tertiary education attainment by 2050. This presentation examines how HESF’s systematic approach redefines student success as an achievable right rather than a privilege, establishing a new paradigm for Australian higher education.

Biography
Professor Anderson is an educational leader and academic who is currently the Director of the Indigenous Research Unit at Griffith University. With a passionate commitment to transforming Indigenous education from access to rightful success, he has established himself as a leading voice in driving authentic, evidence-based approaches to Indigenous student achievement in higher education.

Throughout his career, Professor Anderson has championed a rights-based, systematic approach to teaching and learning that aligns support systems with student educative needs. His expertise in developing integrated rights-based curricula and pedagogical frameworks has been recognised through extensive publications in well-regarded academic journals and invited speaking engagements.

His influence extends beyond academia through appointments to various government-sponsored positions, where he provides expert guidance on operationalising Indigenous education policy into effective practice.

A tireless advocate for educational equity, Professor Anderson views education as a fundamental human right and works persistently to create systems and structures that ensure Indigenous people and other marginalised communities can achieve rightful success in higher education.