Charles Sturt University (CSU) has launched a massive open online course (MOOC) to build students' pre-tertiary achievement levels and explore aspects of the transition to university.

CSU project manager Mr Craig Billingham said the What's Uni Like? MOOC is being promoted to Australian universities, other higher education providers, and to high schools and TAFEs across the nation with the aim that stakeholders will use it as a resource to broaden participation in Australia's higher education sector.

"What's Uni Like? was launched at the recent Students Transitions Achievement Retention and Success (STARS) conference in Melbourne," Mr Billingham said. "The MOOC is free-of-charge, accessible, and self-paced, and addresses the key areas of academic writing and reading, student expectations, digital literacy, and online learning skills."

The project was funded by the federal government through its Higher Education Participation and Partnerships Program (HEPPP) to help increase participation in tertiary education by students from low socio-economic status (SES) backgrounds.

What's Uni Like? is informed by current research and best practice, and in particular by the national  Office for Learning and Teaching-funded project on the  Effective Teaching and Support of Students from Low SES Backgrounds. It involves collaborative work with partners in the HEPPP-funded CSU Future Moves program, including government and independent schools and the Department of Education and Communities.