Adelaide University Pathways College

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Welcome to the Pathways College

Adelaide University Pathways College is a place where equity and excellence come together, offering opportunities to enter university regardless of previous experience. With our two flagship preparatory programs, we provide tailored support, innovative learning experiences, and inclusive pathways that empower every learner to succeed. We ensure that access, achievement, and progression can be a reality for all.

Discover the college

Explore our programs

The Pathways College offers two academic programs specifically designed for university preparation: Foundation Studies and the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Pathway Program. Both programs have a block model approach that provides students with the support they need to enter their chosen pathways.

Foundation Studies and the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander programs support students to develop academic literacy and discipline-specific skills and knowledge for success in undergraduate studies. The Pathways College directly supports Adelaide University’s equity vision by increasing participation from a diverse range of students, with many of the students at the College coming from backgrounds that have historically been underrepresented in higher education. Our preparatory programs help break the cycle of social inequality by making higher education qualifications accessible to all students.

Additionally, in partnership with Adelaide University Online, the Pathways College offers UniStart, a fully online preparatory pathway program, as well as the Diploma in Health, a one-year fully online program that provides students with a route to undergraduate study in health-related fields.

How we work beyond the university

Adelaide University Pathways College works extensively in the outreach program space, with initiatives including:

Playford Hub – Pathways to Study, Skills and Opportunity

The Playford University Hub pilot represents a targeted initiative to expand access to higher education in Northern Adelaide, with the Adelaide University Pathways College delivering a locally embedded Foundation Studies program from Semester 2, 2026.

Through this pilot, the Pathways College will offer a suite of three core Foundation Studies courses—Introduction to Academic Writing, Problem Solving and Numeracy, and Critical Thinking: Media and Academia. These courses provide students with the essential academic skills, confidence, and critical capabilities needed to transition into further study, training, or employment.

Technical Colleges

The Regional Technical Colleges initiative represents an innovative approach to widening participation in higher education by providing Year 11 students in regional South Australia with early access to university-level study. Delivered through a partnership between Adelaide University Online and the Adelaide University Pathways College, the program will be piloted across Technical Colleges in Port Augusta and Mount Gambier from 2026.

Through this initiative, students will undertake a tailored Foundation Studies experience via the UniStart program, combining core courses such as Introduction to Academic Writing, Numeracy and Problem Solving, and Critical Thinking: Media and Academia, alongside elective options aligned to their interests and aspirations. This early exposure to university learning is designed to build academic confidence, raise aspirations, and strengthen readiness for higher education pathways.

University Makes a Difference Outreach program

A partnership for students in non-mainstream schools, the Pathways College offers a fee-free short course titled "Understanding the Social World of Generation Z" to students in Tailored Learning Programs. Through the UMaDOP program, students investigate research topics that matter to their own communities, interview researchers, and present their findings at a professional Showcase event.

National Association of Enabling Educators of Australia (NAEEA)

The Adelaide University Pathways College is an active and influential contributor to NAEEA, reflecting its strong commitment to equity, access, and excellence in enabling education. This connection is exemplified through leadership, with two senior members of the College serving on the NAEEA National Executive, including the College Director, who holds the position of Chair.

Discover our research

At Adelaide University Pathways College, our Enabling Educators team is at the forefront of higher education research and the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SoTL). Our work is grounded in Critical Enabling Pedagogy, an approach that recognises students’ diverse experiences as strengths and actively challenges structural barriers to participation and success.

We design and research transformative teaching practices that expand access, foster belonging, and build students’ confidence as capable learners. Through rigorous research and reflective scholarship, we generate evidence-based insights that shape inclusive curricula, empower educators, and support equitable pathways into and through higher education. The academic team also brings a strong commitment to scholarly inquiry and has extensive experience as postgraduate supervisors. Individual supervisors can be found through the researcher profile pages.