Beyond Bars: University Preparation within Prison’

Flinders University, with the assistance of the DCS (Department for Correctional Services and TAFESA (Technical and Further Education South Australia), ran its nationally renowned Foundation Studies Program in South Australia's Mobilong Prison in 2013. The aim of the program is to prepare students for university study through teaching them about academic literacy and numeracy and allowing them to experience university-style lectures and tutorials. How the pilot program came about and how it was received are examined. The success of this initiative is illustrated through the words of the prisoners (10 of whom graduated from the program). The logistical challenges posed by technology and other restraints are also explained. Recommendations are provided on how this type of program can be run in the future, thereby giving prisoners the opportunity to be university-educated and dramatically reducing their recidivism rates.