I research and teach in the areas of sociology, human rights and refugee education. I have a deep concern for issues related to education and justice which led me to working within the enabling education field and this informs my teaching approaches. I am committed to widening participation strategies and work to improve social inclusion and build strong educational initiatives that support student aspirations and their successful transition into higher education. My specific research interests include developing best practice approaches for teaching in super-diverse classroom. I am interested in making more visible the perspectives of culturally and linguistically students as well as refugee-background students who undertake... Read more
About me
I research and teach in the areas of sociology, human rights and refugee education. I have a deep concern for issues related to education and justice which led me to working within the enabling education field and this informs my teaching approaches. I am committed to widening participation strategies and work to improve social inclusion and build strong educational initiatives that support student aspirations and their successful transition into higher education. My specific research interests include developing best practice approaches for teaching in super-diverse classroom. I am interested in making more visible the perspectives of culturally and linguistically students as well as refugee-background students who undertake enabling courses; in 2022 I have won Education Research Fellowship with Dr Heidi Hetz, to pursue this research further. I am a lead academic in UniSA College Refugee Student Support group (see ‘UniSA Student Refugees’ journey to peace’ story on p.5) and I am committed to the provision of supports for culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) and students of refugee backgrounds (SfRBs) and their educators. I am a co-convenor of Culturally and Lingustically Diverse Student Support SIG for the National Association of Enabling Eductors of Australia (NAEEA). I have also delivered intensive preparatory courses providing educational pathways to women who have experienced homelessness and I am passionate about advancing educational initiatives for this vulnerable group of students (see 'Learner of the year' story). This program has been featured in UniSA news and other publications. My co-leadership with Mrs Tamra Ulpen and Dr Anthea Fudge 'for the development of supportive resources to enhance student learning of Academic Integrity (AI) in enabling education' was recognised by UniSA Award for Outstanding Contribution to Student Learning in 2018. These initiatives have received national recognition and were awarded with 2019 Australian Award for University Teaching.
About me
Centre for Research in Educational and Social Inclusion (CRESI)
Refugee Education Special Interest Group, Refugee Council of Australia
Pedagogies of Social Justice, School of Education
The National Association of Enabling Educators of Australia (NAEEA)
UniSA College Refugee Student Support group
About me
Doctor of Philosophy University of South Australia
Master of International Studies University of South Australia
Bachelor of Psychology University of South Australia
Research Projects
2022- current 'Developing best practice approaches for teaching and supporting students from refugee backgrounds in higher education'
Chief Investigator with Dr Heidi Hetz
2019 (Fostering Integration Grant) Building the capacity of students from refugee background and cultural competencies necessary to transition and succeed in higher education
Chief Investigator with Prof Dierdre Tedmanson and Ms Teresa Thai
2017
Project title: Engaging the disengaged and disenfranchised: 20 years on from ‘dropping out and drifting off’, to ‘turning back around’’
Chief Investigator with Dr Sarah Hattam and Ms Jennifer Stokes
2016
Project title: “Exploring 'sense of belonging' ... Read more
Research
Research outputs for the last seven years are shown below. Some long-standing staff members may have older outputs included. To see earlier years visit ORCID or Scopus
Open access indicates that an output is open access.
| Year | Output |
|---|---|
| 2023 |
Open access
|
| 2023 |
Open access
3
3
53
|
| 2022 |
Open access
14
10
4
|
| 2022 |
Open access
5
3
|
| 2019 |
Open access
|
| Year | Output |
|---|---|
| 2023 |
Open access
|
| 2023 |
|
| 2023 |
Open access
3
3
53
|
| 2022 |
Open access
14
10
4
|
| 2022 |
Open access
5
3
|
| 2019 |
Open access
|
| 2017 |
Open access
1
|
| 2013 |
|
| Year | Output |
|---|---|
| 2018 |
Open access
|
| 2013 |
Open access
|
| 2012 |
Open access
|
| 2008 |
Open access
|
Conference Presentations
Bilic S. and Hetz H., (2024), ‘Employing culturally responsive and enabling approaches to improve educational inclusion of students of refugee backgrounds at university’, UniSA Higher Education Research Network Showcase, 16th February, Adelaide.
Bilic S. and Hetz H., (2023), Developing best practice approaches for teaching and supporting students from refugee backgrounds in higher education. UniSA Teaching and Learning Symposium, 18th November, Adelaide.
Bilic S. and Hetz H., (2022), Teaching students from refugee backgrounds in the classroom and online: Investigating culturally responsive pedagogies and tailored learning resources and technologies. EPHEA/NAEEA Conference, 5-6 December, Adelaide
Bilic, S., Hattam S., Weiler, T, Hattam, R (2022), Changing pedagogical spaces in HE through community of praxis in action research projects. Symposium, AARE conference, Adelaide, 27 Nov-1 Dec, Adelaide.
Bilic, S. (2021) ‘Enhancing Agency and fostering hope in a Global Sociology course’. Education Futures : Showcase of Scholarship of Teaching Symposium, 19th November, UniSA, Adelaide.
Bilic, S. Fudge A. and Ulpen, T (2021) ‘Educative culture of Academic Integrity: professional development and new initiatives at UniSA College’, NAEEA Webinar Conference, 22 October.
Bilic, S. (2019) ‘Students of refugee backgrounds in higher education: aspirations and challenges’ . MARRNet Refugee Alternatives Pre-Conference Academic Forum. 18 February, Adelaide.
Bilic, S., and Ulpen,T (2019) ‘Language, literacy and support mechanisms for students of refugee backgrounds in enabling pathway programs’, MARRNet Refugee Alternatives Pre-Conference Academic Forum. 18 February, Adelaide.
Bilic, S. (2019), ‘The Populist Challenge To Cultural Diversity’ CEEISA-ISA (International Studies Association) International Conference, 17-19 June, Belgrade, Serbia
Bilic, S. (2019), “Enabling pathways: refugee background students in higher education’., 2nd International Conference on Social Science, Humanities and Education, 21-23 June, Vienna, Austria
Bilic, S. and Hattam, S. (2019), Transformative pedagogies in enabling education to empower recently homeless women, UniSA Teaching and Learning Symposium, 8th November, Adelaide.
Bilic, S., Ulpen, T and Fudge A., 2018, ‘Fostering a culture of academic integrity: Supporting and encouraging student involvement in AI practices at UniSA College’, UNISA Teaching and Learning Symposium, University of South Australia, Adelaide.
Bilic, S. Hattam, S. and Stokes J. 2018, ‘‘I’ve always wanted to come back’: turning-back-around to education for early school leavers at UniSA College’, UNISA Teaching and Learning Symposium, University of South Australia, Adelaide.
Bilic, S. Hattam R, Hattam S, Stokes, J, Wilson N, Oldham P, Ng J, 2018 Sustaining enabling pedagogies through action research project at UniSA (Panel Discussion) UNISA Teaching and Learning Symposium, University of South Australia, Adelaide.
Bilic, S. Hattam, S. Hetz H, Sulaiman M and Wetherall, S (2018) ‘Teaching Global Citizenship and Critical Thinking in the Trump era’ (Panel Discussion) UNISA Teaching and Learning Symposium, University of South Australia, Adelaide.
Bilic, S. 2018, ‘The rise of populism in liberal democracies and its challenge to cultural diversity, International Journal of Arts and Sciences Conference’, 10-13 July Munich, Germany.
Bilic, S. Hattam, S. and Stokes J. 2018, ‘Just don’t give up on me’: Exploring the lived experience of early school leavers and factors which lead them to ‘turn back around’ to education’, HERDSA Conference, 2-5 July, Adelaide.
Bilic, S., Picard, M., Fudge, A., & Cooper, S. (2018). Academic Integrity: An Educative and Equitable Approach in Enabling Pathway Programs, HERDSA Conference 2-5 July, Adelaide.
Bilic, S. 2018, Teaching Critical Literacy as an equity strategy: A case study of a literacy course in an enabling pathways program, International Conference for Academic Disciplines, 26-29 June, Florence
Bilic, S. 2017, “Exploring 'sense of belonging' in culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) students at UNISA College”, Re-imagining Education for Democracy Summit Conference (REDS), 13-15 November, Brisbane.
Bilic, S. Hattam, S. and Stokes J. 2017, ‘Engaging the disengaged and disenfranchised: 20 years on from ‘dropping out and drifting off’, to ‘turning back around’’ Re-imagining Education for Democracy Summit Conference (REDS), 13-15 November, Brisbane.
Bilic, S. 2017, ‘Now I view the world differently’: A case for Constructivist Approach to teaching Critical Literacy, 9th annual International Conference on Education and New Learning Technologies, 3-5 July 2017, Barcelona.
Bilic, S. 2017, "Diversity in peril: cultural rights in multicultural settings?", International Congress on Social Sciences, 12 July 2017, Madrid.
Bilic, S. Ulpen, T and Fudge A. 2016, ‘“Teaching students to take charge: Educational approaches to academic integrity at UniSA College’, NAEEA Southern Symposium, 23 September, Adelaide.
Research
Research Projects
2022- current 'Developing best practice approaches for teaching and supporting students from refugee backgrounds in higher education'
Chief Investigator with Dr Heidi Hetz
2019 (Fostering Integration Grant) Building the capacity of students from refugee background and cultural competencies necessary to transition and succeed in higher education
Chief Investigator with Prof Dierdre Tedmanson and Ms Teresa Thai
2017
Project title: Engaging the disengaged and disenfranchised: 20 years on from ‘dropping out and drifting off’, to ‘turning back around’’
Chief Investigator with Dr Sarah Hattam and Ms Jennifer Stokes
2016
Project title: “Exploring 'sense of belonging' in culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) students at UNiSA College”
Chief Investigator
Memberships and Engagement
Centre for Research in Educational and Social Inclusion (CRESI)
The National Association of Enabling Educators of Australia (NAEEA)
Migration and Refugee Research Network (MARRNet)
Refugee Education Special Interest Group (SIG) - Australia-based Education Advocacy Network
The Pedagogies for Justice Research Group, UNISA
Amnesty International Australia
Settlement Action Network (SAN)
Australian Migrant Resource Centre (AMRC)
Catherine House - Solution for women experiencing homelessness
External engagement & recognition
| Organisation | Country |
|---|---|
| Curtin University | AUSTRALIA |
| Murdoch University | AUSTRALIA |
| University of Newcastle | AUSTRALIA |
| University of South Australia | AUSTRALIA |
External engagement & recognition
| Engagement/recognition | Year |
|---|---|
Citations for Outstanding Contributions to Student LearningOffice for Learning and Teaching, Department of Education and Training, Australian Government |
2020 |
Associate EditorThe International Journal of Interdisciplinary Cultural Studies |
2014 |
Peer Reviewer
UniSA Peer Reviewer
Higher Education Research and Development Journal (Q1);
Feminist Media Studies Journal (Q1);
Australian Educational Researcher Journal (Q1);
National Association of Enabling Educators of Australia (NAEEA) Conference proceedings
Teaching awards:
2023 Education Futures Sustained Impact Mid Career Teaching Award
2023 Nominee for UniSA Unstoppable Awards (Teaching and Learning awards)
2022 Education Research Academy Fellowship
2019 Australian Award for University Teaching (AAUT)
2018 UniSA Award for Outstanding Contribution to Student Learning
2017 Pro Vice Chancellor's Commendation Student Engagement & Equity SEE Staff Recognition Awards
Category: Innovation in Academic Integrity practices at the College
Teaching & student supervision
Teaching & student supervision
Supervisions from 2010 shown
| Thesis title | Student status |
|---|---|
| Abu Dhabi education reform cultural social and educational factors influencing the reform | Current |
| The role of women's non-government organisations in building peace in the Republic of Macedonia | Completed |
