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University numbers growing fast, Indigenous even faster New data from the Australian Census shows that the growth in university students in Australia over the five years from 2006 to 2011 was the fastest recorded for at least the past 20 years, according to a research briefing by the Australian Council for Educational Research (ACER). The latest ACER Joining the Dots research briefing analyses data from the 2011 Census, released by the Australian Bureau of Statistics in August 2012, to provide insight into the characteristics of Australian university students and how they have changed since the previous Census and in the first decade of the 21st century. The analysis revealed that the number of Indigenous students enrolled at Australian universities has grown by over 40 per cent since 2006, and there has been substantial growth in the number of Australian university students born in developing nations. The analysis, by ACER Senior Research Fellow Dr Daniel Edwards and ACER Research Fellow Ms Eva van der Brugge, revealed there was a notable increase in the number of Indigenous students between 2006 and 2011 (from 7057 students to 10 128 students), with enrolments growing by about 43 per cent. However, Edwards and van der Brugge note that Indigenous students are still considerably underrepresented in Australian higher education. While Indigenous people made up 2.5 per cent of the Australian population in 2011, only 1.09 per cent of university students were Indigenous. Overall university student numbers grew by 25.1 per cent between 2006 and 2011 (from 745 445 students to 932 526 students). This increase contrasts with the previous five-year period (2001 to 2006) where the university student population only grew by 3.2 per cent. No other Census period in the past 20 years has recorded the rate of growth identified in this new Census data. Edwards and van der Brugge said that while the precise reason for this growth is not clear, changes in government policy aimed at increasing participation in university and a new emphasis on higher education which began with the Bradley Review of Higher Education in 2008 were likely to have had a positive impact on the appeal of university. The research briefing found that growth in the number of university attendees between 2006 and 2011 was recorded in all age groups, suggesting that the increasing appeal of university appears to be occurring across generations. The report also found that after a decline in the number of people aged 25 and above in university between 2001 and 2006, the growth in mature age students between 2006 and 2011 was as large as the growth in students aged below 25. The Census analysis also revealed interesting patterns in the birthplace of higher education students. Overall, the 2011 Census shows that just over one-third of all university students in Australia were born overseas. While the number of students born in Australia grew by about 24 per cent between 2006 and 2011, the growth rate for students born in other countries was almost 27 per cent. Among students born overseas, the largest growth between 2006 and 2011 was for those born in Africa and the Middle East. While their absolute numbers are still small, the African regions recorded an average of around 52 per cent growth in student numbers, equating to an increase of 8665 students between 2006 and 2011, and the Middle East recorded around 83 per cent growth with 7611 additional enrolments. The research briefing also reveals: growth in university student numbers was recorded in every age category, meaning the average age of university students remained similar between 2006, when the average age was 26 years and 10 months, and 2011, when the average age was 26 years and 11 months the share of women among university students continues to increase in Australia, comprising around 57 per cent of the student population, with the largest growth among part-time students where women make up almost 61 per cent of the population, and university students in Australia are most likely to be living with their parents (29 per cent) or with a partner (27 per cent), while 15 per cent are living in share houses and 7 per cent live alone. Joining the Dots is a subscription-based resource provided by ACER to those with an interest in Australian higher education. Details for subscriptions are available at www.acer.edu.au/jtd or by emailing .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) « Back to eNews
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New data from the Australian Census shows that the growth in university students in Australia over the five years from 2006 to 2011 was the fastest recorded for at least the past 20 years, according to a research briefing by the Australian Council for Educational Research (ACER).

The latest ACER Joining the Dots research briefing analyses data from the 2011 Census, released by the Australian Bureau of Statistics in August 2012, to provide insight into the characteristics of Australian university students and how they have changed since the previous Census and in the first decade of the 21st century.

The analysis revealed that the number of Indigenous students enrolled at Australian universities has grown by over 40 per cent since 2006, and there has been substantial growth in the number of Australian university students born in developing nations.

The analysis, by ACER Senior Research Fellow Dr Daniel Edwards and ACER Research Fellow Ms Eva van der Brugge, revealed there was a notable increase in the number of Indigenous students between 2006 and 2011 (from 7057 students to 10 128 students), with enrolments growing by about 43 per cent. However, Edwards and van der Brugge note that Indigenous students are still considerably underrepresented in Australian higher education. While Indigenous people made up 2.5 per cent of the Australian population in 2011, only 1.09 per cent of university students were Indigenous.

Overall university student numbers grew by 25.1 per cent between 2006 and 2011 (from 745 445 students to 932 526 students). This increase contrasts with the previous five-year period (2001 to 2006) where the university student population only grew by 3.2 per cent. No other Census period in the past 20 years has recorded the rate of growth identified in this new Census data.

Edwards and van der Brugge said that while the precise reason for this growth is not clear, changes in government policy aimed at increasing participation in university and a new emphasis on higher education which began with the Bradley Review of Higher Education in 2008 were likely to have had a positive impact on the appeal of university.

The research briefing found that growth in the number of university attendees between 2006 and 2011 was recorded in all age groups, suggesting that the increasing appeal of university appears to be occurring across generations.

The report also found that after a decline in the number of people aged 25 and above in university between 2001 and 2006, the growth in mature age students between 2006 and 2011 was as large as the growth in students aged below 25.

The Census analysis also revealed interesting patterns in the birthplace of higher education students. Overall, the 2011 Census shows that just over one-third of all university students in Australia were born overseas. While the number of students born in Australia grew by about 24 per cent between 2006 and 2011, the growth rate for students born in other countries was almost 27 per cent.

Among students born overseas, the largest growth between 2006 and 2011 was for those born in Africa and the Middle East. While their absolute numbers are still small, the African regions recorded an average of around 52 per cent growth in student numbers, equating to an increase of 8665 students between 2006 and 2011, and the Middle East recorded around 83 per cent growth with 7611 additional enrolments.

The research briefing also reveals:

growth in university student numbers was recorded in every age category, meaning the average age of university students remained similar between 2006, when the average age was 26 years and 10 months, and 2011, when the average age was 26 years and 11 months
the share of women among university students continues to increase in Australia, comprising around 57 per cent of the student population, with the largest growth among part-time students where women make up almost 61 per cent of the population, and
university students in Australia are most likely to be living with their parents (29 per cent) or with a partner (27 per cent), while 15 per cent are living in share houses and 7 per cent live alone.

Joining the Dots is a subscription-based resource provided by ACER to those with an interest in Australian higher education. Details for subscriptions are available at www.acer.edu.au/jtd or by emailing .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)

University numbers growing fast, Indigenous even faster