From access and participation to student success: A decade of research on building Indigenous academic self-efficacy to close the gap in higher education

Abstract

The gap in higher education outcomes between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians remains one of the nation's most persistent educational challenges. This paper reports findings from a decade-long research program comprising two phases. The first (2012–2016) identified 19 psychosocial and socio-emotional factors associated with academic persistence, revealing that the capabilities required for formal learning are acquired rather than innate. The second (2017–2022) tested an intervention model centred on building these capabilities. Longitudinal tracking of over 750 undergraduate students at a regional Australian university demonstrated significant improvements: subject pass rates increased from 64% to 82%, course completions doubled, and outcomes were sustained beyond the project period. Analysis revealed that tutoring effectiveness was conditional upon students having developed sufficient underlying capacity—a finding with implications for how institutions design support services.