Rate My Professor Suzi Syme

Associate Professor Suzi Syme is the Associate Dean (Education) of SCU College at Southern Cross University and Coordinator of the award-winning Preparing for Success Program. She holds a Doctor of Education from the University of Wollongong, Master of Education from the University of Wollongong, Bachelor of Arts and Diploma of Education from the University of Sydney, and CELTA. With more than 30 years of teaching experience, her work focuses on student success and student voice through curriculum and enabling pedagogies that empower students to reach their potential. Syme is an active member of the National Association of Enabling Educators, the peak body for enabling education in Australia. Her main interests include developing curriculum and pedagogy to give students a voice and empower them with academic skills for university participation.

Her research specializations encompass enabling education, internationalisation of curriculum and pedagogy, immersive scheduling in pathways programs, benchmarking enabling programs, student engagement, and access to university for non-traditional students. She has designed a new framework for teaching in enabling programs, co-leads benchmarking Australian enabling programs for national academic standards, and her doctorate explored curriculum internationalisation with a critical theoretical framework and transformative strategies for culturally inclusive practices. Key publications include "Excellence through diversity: Internationalisation of curriculum and pedagogy" (2003), "Transforming lives: The power of an Australian enabling education" (2022, Higher Education Research & Development), "The impact of immersive scheduling on student learning and success in an Australian pathways program" (2024), "Benchmarking Australian enabling programmes: Assuring quality, comparability and transparency" (2021, Assessment & Evaluation in Higher Education), "Enabling success at university: The impact of an Australian programme to provide access to university" (2020), and "Widening participation and enhancing academic success: The impact of university diplomas on non-traditional students' academic lives" (2026). Syme led research on the Preparing for Success Program, published in leading journals, demonstrating completers achieve GPAs comparable to or higher than traditional entrants. Her work has supported over 6,500 participants since 2006 and influences national enabling education standards.