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RMIT researchers win international essay prize
Three RMIT University researchers have won the internationally-renowned
International Association of Universities (IAU)/Palgrave Essay Prize.
The three, Dr Jennifer Gidley, Gary Hampson and Dr Leone Wheeler, collaborated
with Elleni Bereded-Samuel of Victoria University to win the 2009 competition.
The IAU holds its Essay Prize in Higher Education Policy Research competition
every two years with Palgrave Macmillan UK, the publishers of its research and
reference publications.
The group’s winning entry was entitled “From Access to Success: An Integrated
Approach to Quality Higher Education informed by Social Inclusion Theory and
Practice”.
IAU Secretary-General and Executive Director Eva Egron-Polak thanked the
winners for their “efforts in shedding new light on the topic of equitable access,
success, retention and other related issues.”
The essay-writing team featured a diverse collection of talents. Lead researcher,
Dr Gidley, from RMIT’s Global Cities Research Institute, is President of the World
Futures Studies Federation. Dr Wheeler directs the RMIT Learning Community
Partnerships Group and Mr Hampson was a London therapist, before becoming a
PhD candidate at Southern Cross University and researcher at RMIT. Ms Bereded-
Samuel is also a member of the Australian Government Social Inclusion Board.
The IAU is the UNESCO-based worldwide association of higher education
institutions. It brings together institutions and organisations from some 150
countries for reflection and action on common concerns and collaborates with
various international, regional and national bodies active in higher education.
The winning article will be published in 2010 in the first issue of IAU’s academic
journal Higher Education Policy (HEP), the Association’s quarterly research
journal, and in full on the journal’s website when released.
For interviews or comment: Dr Jennifer Gidley, 0437 867 527.
For general media enquiries, RMIT Communications, Louise Handran, (03)
9925 9088 or 0411 261 469.
26 October, 2009
NEWS 
