(Left to right): Teacher Joseph Lloyd and students Aubree-Rose Egan and Audrey Neate at the UniPrep Schools On Campus Experience Day
More than 100 Western Australian high school students were given a firsthand experience of university life at Edith Cowan University's (ECU's) Joondalup campus as part of the UniPrep Schools Program, On Campus Experience Day.
The Year 11 and 12 UniPrep Schools students from partner high schools, including Ballajura Community College, Bullsbrook College and Duncraig Senior High School, took part in discipline-specific workshops, toured ECU facilities, and engaged with student ambassadors.
The cohort also included students from Lake Joondalup Baptist College, Mater Dei College, Northshore Christian Grammar School and Swan Christian Grammar School.
This was the first-time regional students from Hedland Senior High School, and the second time Derby District High School took part in the On Campus Experience Day, which was made possible thanks to a generous donation from the Bendat Family Foundation.
UniPrep Schools is a nationally recognised program which provides a direct pathway to university. It is delivered by teachers as part of the senior school timetable to support students and the wider community.
A first for many students
ECU UniPrep Schools Engagement Lead Glynne Bartle said the On Campus Experience Day provided students with an in-depth and broad experience of ECU.
"It focused on tertiary learning, which is deeply human, intentional in design of curriculum, learning environments and supports," she said.
"More than 60 per cent of students had never visited ECU Joondalup before.
"Some of the key takeaways from students were that they enjoyed exploring the campus, learning about the different opportunities ECU offers and the hands-on workshops, particularly the fun nursing workshops."
Students collaborating in the lecture theatre at ECU Joondalup Campus
A worthwhile and interesting student experience
Derby District High School Year 11 student Audrey Neate followed in the footsteps of her older sister when she enrolled in UniPrep Schools.
She described her on campus experience as interesting and fun, where she learnt a lot at the Nursing sessions, particularly the hands-on activities involving checking heart rates and blood pressure.
Fellow Derby District High School Year 11 student Aubree-Rose Egan, who hopes to study hospitality, tourism or business at university, said collecting her very own ECU student card was a highlight.
She encouraged other students considering UniPrep Schools to give it a try.
"There's no harm in doing it. It's extra work, but at the end of the day, you can do it at home," she said.
"It's literally a program to support you in uni."
Derby District High School UniPrep Schools Teacher Joseph Lloyd said despite the distance of his school from ECU, it was great to be included in the community and for his students to have an experience of life on campus.
"It's the reality check for them to see what university is going to be like in terms of the level of academia that's required," he said.
"The opportunity is huge, it'll take away the huge learning curve at the start of uni during that first semester or so to get all of your referencing and paraphrasing, your academic sources understood," he said.
Students in the midst of a scavenger hunt at ECU Joondalup
Hedland Senior High School Year 11 student Vedmund Acheampong enjoyed seeing the sites of Perth for the first time, and his tour of ECU City.
"I have aspirations to do psychology, and I feel like this is a pretty inviting space and a calming place to do that here," he said.
"I have seen some pretty cool things here that I thought couldn't be done with buildings.
"And I really do appreciate being able to see such beauty as where we come from its not really a place of big, cool buildings."
Alumni of the UniPrep Schools program – who are now undertaking undergraduate degrees at ECU - were part of a panel where they shared their experience of university life with the students, and how the program helped them with tertiary study.
Additionally, students took part in a campus wide scavenger hunt to get familiar with the grounds of ECU Joondalup and learnt from ECU academics.
For more information, please visit the UniPrep Schools program page.
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