Our Centre

The Pathways Centre has a proud history of delivering flexible and supportive pathways for motivated and talented students. Pathways that not only help to gain entry, but students thrive in their field of study.

Equity of access to higher education has always been a fundamental part of the University of Newcastle’s ‘DNA’. Our origins began with a small pilot program of 80 students, ‘Open Foundation,’ run by the Department of Community Programs in 1974. Today we are home to one of the oldest and largest continuously operating enabling foundation programs in Australia.

Located within the Engagement and Equity Division, our Centre works with community partners to provide increased access to university programs for our community. Our governing board and staff work closely with university Colleges to deliver a fifth of the commencing undergraduate cohort across a range of degree programs. We are proud of the achievements of our students, many of whom go on to pursue further postgraduate and research higher degree qualifications, using those to further strengthen our community.

We believe in the power of sector-wide collaboration, and as the oldest continuing program of its kind in Australia, we work to support and share with others working in Enabling education. The Fee‑Free Uni Ready (FFUR) project is a recent example of our approach to this, bringing together universities from across the country, alongside government and sector partners to co‑develop shared frameworks, policy advice and best‑practice resources for enabling education nationally.

Pathway Programs

Our centre is committed to student-focused learning, with flexible and innovative delivery methods to ensure our students can find an option that is best suited to their educational goals, experiences and external environment. Our Pathway Programs are a major pillar in the University of Newcastle’s commitment to equity and excellence through widening participation, access, retention and success in Higher Education, particularly for students from low SES and first in family backgrounds who often suffer from social inequities and challenges.

We offer a variety of pathway programs that cater to all needs, including Open Foundation, Open Foundation Extended, the Elite Athlete's Pathway Program and Yapug, as well as credit-based pathways including our Diplomas. We are committed to teaching excellence, making our courses some of the most highly rated by students in the University.  They provide students with a means to access and succeed in a degree of their choice.

Preparatory Courses

In addition to our full enabling program, we deliver NUPrep Taster, Bridging and Refresher Courses for both undergraduate and enabling students designed to improve academic skills and subject knowledge prior to the commencement of semester.

Outreach

We’re here to support our local communities. Our outreach programs Children's University and UNI STEPS work with schools in communities to widen participation in higher education, and our Uni Next program provides opportunities for non-school leavers to engage with the university.

Research

The Centre has a proud history as a global research leader in the fields of access, equity and enabling education, and since 2013 the Centre has placed a considered focus on building research capacity, successfully doubling output during this time with academic staff who have become involved in, and led, successful research grant applications and important national research projects. In research and in teaching and learning, the Pathways and Academic Learning Support Centre strives for excellence, champions equity and serves our communities. We cordially extend an invitation to individuals and institutions both within Australia and abroad to connect and collaborate with the Centre.