Breaking down the barriers to university is the focus of a program of masterclasses in Launceston today that will give Year 11 and 12 students a taste of uni life.
Students and staff from Grade 11 and 12 from Newstead College, Don College, Hellyer College, St Helens District High, Scottsdale High and the Launceston Big Picture School will attend today’s UniHUB Masterclasses.
The 27 Masterclasses will be held across the Newnham and Inveresk campuses, and at the QV Mag Planetarium. They included diverse topics such as Sustainability, Astrophysics, Drones and VR, Gender Studies, Nursing, Pharmacy and Seafaring.
Today will be the first visit to a university campus for many of the Year 11 and 12 students, who will be able to experience workshops, laboratory pracs, lectures and tutorials. They can also informally connect with current university students – in some cases those who attended their own school.
The UniHUB program, in which a coordinator works in each school community to provide information and experiences to students to support decisions about post-Year 12 pathways, complements the University of Tasmania’s Schools Recommendation Program (SRP) in taking the uncertainty out of applying for university.
The SRP is the preferred avenue for Year 12 students applying for university in Tasmania. Under the program, teachers and principals recommend students’ readiness for university rather than the ATAR score being the determining factor. Students still need to complete Year 12.
This is the fourth year for the SRP, which is open to all Year 12 students applying to the University of Tasmania. Last year 85% of Tasmanian Year 12 students who applied for entry to the University did so through the SRP.
Professor Natalie Brown, one of the architects of the SRP, said applying for university can feel like a big step. “We want Year 12 students to know that the doors are open for them, and programs like our UniHUB Masterclasses are all part of our effort to break down the barriers that might have existed in the past.
“It’s our aim to build confidence in students and make this a smooth transition as they move into the next stage of life and learning.”
Last week record numbers of students from throughout Tasmania attended the University’s School Leaver Expos, which are another way for Year 11 and 12 students to find out about courses and life at uni. Almost 300 students attended the School Leaver Expo in Burnie, more than 460 in Launceston and more than 740 in Hobart.
About the UniHUB Masterclass project
The University of Tasmania has been funded by the Australian Government - Department of Education to support and expand its place-based partnership work with the Tasmanian Department for Education, Children and Young People (DECYP).
The funding, part of the Emerging Priorities Program (EPP), supports projects that assist school communities to respond to emerging priorities in school education, including to meet the ongoing challenges of COVID-19.
Based on a highly successful model of school- university engagement at Newstead College, the project works directly with four Tasmanian DECYP Colleges and Schools in regional/rural parts of the state (Don Hellyer Colleges and St Helens District High School) and their feeder schools to provide information about post-school educational opportunities. It delivers targeted activity to inspire, inform and support the successful transition of students to higher education.