The Military Academic Pathway Program (MAPP) and Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL)

The Military Academic Pathway Program (MAPP) is the first veteran entry pathway to an Australian university. The work expanded into a national study of veteran experiences at Australian universities and included other models of student veteran support funded by the National Centre for Student Equity in Higher Education. The MAPP was funded by a Department of Veterans’ Affairs (DVA) Supporting Younger Veterans Grant. To assess its effectiveness, participants were interviewed about their transition to civilian life via university studies.

In conjunction with the MAPP Flinders University student veterans established the Australian Student Veterans (ASVA) Flinders Chapter in South Australia. In 2022 DVA also funded the expansion interstate to Central Queensland University and the University of the Sunshine Coast.

The project also investigates Aboriginal veteran engagement in higher education and developed a plan to improve their access to and participation in post-secondary education, leading to positive employment outcomes.

Recently Open Door has been funded by DVA to build on this important work. The DVA RPL grants have been used to map veteran employment roles, with areas of high industry demand alongside Flinders University awards. The aim is to shorten the time that veterans need to spend studying to reach their next employment goal.

Find out more about the Military Academic Pathway Program here.

Corey Hayward, Bachelor of Health Sciences/MAPP alumni