Matt Brett (Deakin U) and colleagues reviewed the performance of students from equity groups in uni courses delivered by other providers and higher education programmes from non-university institutions. Their  new report is funded by the National Centre for Student Equity in Higher Education.

Among a mass of detailed (and that is cap D for detailed) findings, they point to an analysis of equity group, and all, students in third party providers working with five universities which found success and retention rates were lower than in the same courses taught in-house by unis. Retention rates for students from equity groups are also worse in non-university providers than public unis.

However, while there is a wider range of performance than among equity-group students in universities,  quality institutions reviewed have; “a commitment to student-centred learning combined with learning environments that have smaller cohorts and a strong sense of community.”