Pilbara Kimberley University Centres (PKUC) partnered with Curtin University’s AHEAD team to strengthen higher education outreach into some of the remotest school communities in the Pilbara and Kimberley. PKUC was already supporting schools with pathways information; AHEAD added a structured, university-agnostic model, tailored resources and staff training that made this work stronger, more consistent and more scalable. PKUC then delivered the program in school communities too often missed by metropolitan outreach.

In 2025, PKUC delivered 22 sessions across five remote communities, reaching 499 students. Of 304 survey responses, 93% said the program covered different or somewhat different ideas from their regular classes. Students particularly valued practical study skills, clearer pathways information, reassurance that ATAR is not the only route to university, and guidance on scholarships and costs. One student captured the impact simply: “you don’t have to leave Broome to go to uni.”

The PKUC-AHEAD partnership has continued to grow in 2026, including delivery at Roebourne District High School, where all participants were Aboriginal. Student feedback directly informs future sessions, creating a sustained, locally delivered and replicable model that is expanding equitable access to higher education across regional, rural and remote Western Australia.

Highly Commended 2026 Category: Demonstrating a successful partnership for students outcomes in a RRR community of praxis
https://www.pkuc.edu.au/study/school-community-programs/ahead-high-school-program/