The Strong Beginnings (Excellence) Fund Round 1 supported initiatives focused on classroom management, professional experience placements, assessment and mentor feedback practices, recognition of prior learning, and improving outcomes for First Nations teaching students.
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Round 1
Eligibility
Australian higher education providers offering accredited ITE courses were eligible to apply. This included Table A providers or bodies corporate specified in the Higher Education Support (Other Grants) Guidelines 2022.
Priority Areas
For Round 1, the Priority Areas were:
- Supporting Providers to Deliver Core Content in ITE Programs
- Enhancing Selection and Retention of ITE Students
- Improving the Quality of Practical Experience
- Attracting Mid-Career Professionals through Best Practice Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL)
Application Process
- Opening Date: 19 December 2025
- Closing Date: 6 February 2026 at 5pm (AEDT)
- Total Funding Available: $1.56 million
The following key documents were developed to support the 2025-26 application round:
Outcomes
Round 1 was highly competitive, with applications exceeding available funding of $1.56 million. Applications were assessed in line with assessment criteria outlined in the Administrative Information for Applicants.
Six projects were selected for funding, involving 21 ITE providers and encompassing a range of innovative projects that address all 4 priority areas above.
The six funded projects cover multiple jurisdictions, a spread of locations (metro/regional), and public and private providers, as detailed in the table below.
Round 1 Grants
| Grantee | Priority Area/s | Project Summary |
|---|---|---|
| Griffith University | 2 & 3 | Indigenous-led initiative designed to improve the selection and retention of Indigenous ITE students during professional experience placements. |
| Melbourne Polytechnic in consortia with: Eastern College Australia; Alphacrucis University College; Avondale University; Australian College of Physical Education; Excelsia University College; and Christian Heritage College. | 1 & 3 | Develop artificial intelligence (AI)-enabled scenarios to rehearse putting core content into practice and support management of challenging classroom behaviours under pressure during professional experience placements. |
| Queensland University of Technology in consortia with: Adelaide University; Australian Catholic University; Charles Darwin University; Charles Sturt University; Edith Cowan University; Monash University; RMIT University; University of New South Wales; University of Southern Queensland; and University of Tasmania. | 4 | Produce a resource to support consistent and effective assessments of Recognition of Prior Learning and Recognition of Practice in ITE. |
| RMIT University in consortia with: Monash University; Queensland University of Technology; and University of Tasmania. | 3 | Develop guidelines and tools to improve student learning and mentor feedback during professional experience placements. |
| University of New England in consortium with Charles Sturt University. | 3 | Develop an Initial Professional Experience Assessment instrument to support best practice assessment of the initial in-classroom professional experience placement. |
| University of Melbourne | 2 & 3 | Develop behaviour escalation scenarios using generative AI to develop trauma-informed practices for classroom management and parent-teacher conferencing and deliver a targeted pilot of early professional experience opportunities. |