Building Institutional Capacity to Enhance Access, Participation and Progression in Work-integrated Learning

The Office of Learning and Teaching project aimed to translate inclusive education principles into the work-integrated learning (WIL) context in order to improve student access, participation and progression. The project used a strategic approach across four levels: principles, policies, guidelines, and procedures to support students from diverse backgrounds in the disciplines of built environment, business and health.

Project recommendations include:
Institutions should review current policies, practices, curriculum design and delivery to determine how the Principles, Guidelines and Strategies for Inclusive WIL are actioned.
Institutions should identify barriers to Inclusive WIL and support implementation of the Principles, Guidelines and Strategies for Inclusive WIL through targeted resources and training.
Institutions should make available relevant student profile data to assist in the design and delivery of Inclusive WIL. Where this is not available relevant systems should be set up to gather this data.
The higher education sector should collaborate with external bodies to address specific issues related to professional standards, accreditation requirements, student self-disclosure, confidentiality, duty of care, and reputational impact.
Higher education institutions should work collaboratively with ACEN to ensure that The National WIL Strategy informs the development of a sector-wide framework for Inclusive WIL.
The higher education sector should work collaboratively with industry partners to ensure the Principles, Guidelines and Strategies for Inclusive WIL are enacted to support student learning in the workplace.
Institutions and relevant funding bodies should support further research to better understand and support Inclusive WIL.