ABSTRACT
This chapter considers the critical elements leading to the success of a partnership between the University of Southern Queensland (UniSQ) and several Australian corrections jurisdictions. Since 2013, through the Making the Connection project, UniSQ has offered higher education programs in prisons using bespoke digital technologies, making it the largest higher education provider in Australian prisons. A particular focus was addressing the overrepresentation of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians in the carceral space. Incarcerated learners are the fastest-growing cohort for UniSQ. Early on, the Making the Connection project team committed to making the initiative sustainable and scalable by using university staff already employed by the university, using existing business units and processes, and leveraging existing procurement arrangements. Fostering strong relationships was also key. Though all project personnel contributed to this aim, responsibility largely fell to two engagement leaders employed by the project. This chapter describes the critical success factors that enabled a digital higher education initiative to move from a funded project to business-as-usual.
