معرفی
Professor Sarah O’Shea holds dual roles as Honorary Professorial Fellow in the School of Education at the University of Wollongong and Distinguished Professor & Dean of Graduate Research at Charles Sturt University. Her research focuses on educational equity, higher education access, and sociological analyses of student transitions. She has secured over $3.8M in research grants exploring equity in higher education and led the National Centre for Student Equity in Higher Education, managing budgets exceeding $6M. Recognized for teaching excellence, she received a 2012 Australian Award for University Teaching and a Churchill Fellowship (2018). Her work bridges academic research with policy influence, addressing systemic barriers faced by underrepresented student groups.
Leadership roles include:
- Dean, Graduate Research (Charles Sturt University)
- Director, National Centre for Student Equity in Higher Education
- Member, Australian Research Council College of Experts
Key research interests include:
- Educational inclusion & equity
- First-in-family student experiences
- Cultural capital theory
- Online learning accessibility
- Gendered challenges in higher education
Her publications (128+ since 2013) emphasize:
- Student transitions to university
- Family dynamics in educational decisions
- Policy impacts on equity
Professional recognitions include:
- UOW Women of Impact (2016)
- Principal Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (UK)
- Australian Learning and Teaching Fellow
Led interdisciplinary teams across government, community, and institutional stakeholders to advance equity initiatives. Current projects include international collaborations on student belonging in post-pandemic universities.
