The Higher Education Participation and Partnerships Program (HEPPP) provides funds to eligible universities to undertake strategies that improve access to undergraduate courses for people from low socio-economic status (low SES) backgrounds, those from regional and remote areas, and Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander peoples. An evaluation of the HEPPP in 2017 concluded that while it had demonstrated effectiveness in improving certain outcomes, there was a lack of consistent, rigorous and systematic data collection across HEPPP funded projects. It was recommended that a Student Equity in Higher Education Evaluation Framework (SEHEEF) be developed to measure and monitor the impact of HEPPP-funded projects, and to inform future strategies.

This report describes the development of the SEHEEF in consultation with the Higher Education (HE) sector. The framework is intended to structure and guide three levels of evaluation:

• Overall national program evaluation of the HEPPP and its outcomes.
• Quality improvement evaluations of HEPPP-funded university projects.
• Evaluations of the effectiveness and impact of HEPPP-funded university projects.

The development of the SEHEEF was informed by evidence and insights obtained through a range of activities, including a literature review, stakeholder workshops, expert input, an audit of administrative datasets, a data linkage review and interviews. The scope and design of the SEHEEF was underpinned by key principles: credible, implementable, flexible, useful, transparent, and inclusive and culturally appropriate. These principles were intended to guide the implementation phase of the SEHEEF and provide a basis for decision making for universities and government when planning, managing, and conducting evaluation activities, and when reporting and disseminating findings.