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Indigenous Education Strategies in Higher Education 2001-2003

University of Newcastle

• Objectives
• Consultative Mechanisms
• Current and Continuing Activities
• Planned New Activities
• Performance and Review
• Appendix 1  
• Contact

Objectives

The University’s Strategic Plan for 2001 ­ 2003 includes the following among the things upon which the University places greatest value:

• Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people’s cultures and aspirations
• Ethnic and cultural diversity
• Equal opportunity, access and affirmative action.

In relation to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander education and training the University’s objectives are to:

• Become an exemplar in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander education, research and research training
• Provide research training and support for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander staff and research students, while developing Indigenous defined areas of research interest through income generation, publications and higher degree completions

within the context of respect for and recognition of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples’ cultures and aspirations.

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Consultative Mechanisms

The University’s commitment to the participation of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples in the University’s key decision-making processes is reflected in a number of ways including:

• The Board of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Education and Training is an advisory body to the Vice-Chancellor chaired by Dr Mick Dodson, and with Indigenous staff members as well as Indigenous representatives from community organisations
• There is specific provision for the membership of one Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander staff member on the Academic Senate (the peak academic decision-making body of the University) nominated by the Board of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Education and Training and appointed by the President Academic Senate
• The work and strategic directions of the Umulliko Indigenous Higher Education Centre are guided by the Umulliko Indigenous Higher Education Research Advisory Committee which includes Indigenous members from outside the University.
• Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander staff are encouraged to maintain regular community consultation through participation in key Indigenous community organisations like the NSW Aboriginal Education Consultative Group and the Local Aboriginal Land Councils.
• The Discipline of Aboriginal Health of the Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences has a national liaison network among Indigenous communities, including Aboriginal community controlled Health Organisations (ACCHO) and communities from which Indigenous students of the Faculty come.
• Indigenous staff members are always included in major staff consultative exercises. The Head, Department of Aboriginal Studies and the Director, Wollotuka both participated in the 2000 University Senior Executive Retreat ­ held annually, and attended by, amongst others, representatives of the University Council and all senior managers.
• In accordance with University subordinate legislation, the Department of Aboriginal Studies established a Departmental Board to assist the Head of Department to manage the Department. The membership of this Board is wholly Indigenous.

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Current and Continuing Activities

Major achievements

• In November 1999, the Gibalee Aboriginal Learning and Development Centre was formally opened on the Central Coast Campus. The Centre provides a range of services to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students and community including student academic support; course advice; referrals; and mediation. The Gibalee Centre is also responsible for the management and provision of Aboriginal cultural knowledge on the Central Coast Campus in terms of curriculum development and delivery; cultural awareness; resource development and cultural advice. The Centre is working closely with the Purrimaibahn Unit of the Hunter Institute of Technology to develop pathways from the TAFE sector into the University.
• The University conducted its first External Review of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Education and Research Training during 1999. The Report of the Review has been considered by the Board of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Education and Training (which will offer comment and advice to the Vice-Chancellor); and the Academic Senate (which will offer advice to the Council in relation to the Review recommendations).
• The Yapug Health Professions Enabling Program for Indigenous people was commenced with funds generously donated by Mr. Roger Riordan a Victorian businessman. This Program is designed to introduce Indigenous people who do not have higher school certificate qualifications to study and work experience in a variety of health professional situations including work in hospitals, community health centres and the like.
• Umulliko hosted the first National Indigenous Researchers Forum in March 1999.
• Indigenous student opinion was sought for the first time as a distinct sub-cohort of undergraduate students through the University’s annual Composite Student Questionnaire process. The outcomes of this Survey will be used to inform future planning for the support of Indigenous students.
• Building of a new Multi-Purpose Indigenous Centre, to house all Indigenous support activities on the Callaghan Campus under the one roof.
• A new program building upon the existing Diploma in Aboriginal Studies, and leading to the degree of Bachelor of Aboriginal Studies was introduced in 1999. Reflecting the University's objective of flexible delivery, a number of subjects for this program have been designed to be delivered through the Internet.
• Indigenous researchers working through Umulliko had a 60% success rate in the ARC - Indigenous Researchers Development Scheme, and a 50% success rate on tendered research grant applications
• The Discipline of Aboriginal Health Studies, School of Population Health Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences completed the CD-ROM "Healing…Our Way: Aboriginal Perspectives on Aboriginal Health", in collaboration with four Australian Aboriginal communities. The package, which took over two years to develop, was originally funded through the National Priority Reserve Fund. The CD-ROM establishes a cultural framework for non-Indigenous health professionals to better understand Aboriginal history and culture for the purposes of developing health services to Indigenous communities and individuals. Every university in Australia has now received a copy of this CD-ROM, which has been incorporated as core curriculum in the Bachelor of Medicine program. It is planned that eventually the CD-ROM will be incorporated into all health professional programs at the University. Of the initial group of students who have used the CD-ROM, 93.1% said they would recommend the material to other students; and 94.8% said the material increased their knowledge and understanding of Aboriginal history, cultural awareness and Aboriginal health.
• The Discipline of Aboriginal Health Studies, School of Population Health Sciences has also produced a video - Healing Our Way - from little things big things grow. This video introduces prospective Indigenous health professional students to the Newcastle region, the University and the Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences. It includes a series of interviews with Indigenous students currently in health professional courses at the University. Each student discusses their experiences of studying at the University and in particular their experience studying the health professional course. This includes reasons why they chose their course of study, moving away from home and living in an unfamiliar environment, financial difficulties, availability of support services and so on. The theme song for the video is "From little things big things grow" by Paul Kelly and Kev Carmody. Mr. Carmody, a well-known Aboriginal singer and songwriter visited the University and gave his personal support for the project.
• At the institutional level, the University agreed to commit to the national theme of Reconciliation by the establishment of a Working Party on Reconciliation chaired by the Deputy Vice-Chancellor. Other members of the Working Party include the Professor of Aboriginal Studies and Head of the Department of Aboriginal Studies, the Director, Wollotuka, the Head, Discipline of Aboriginal Health Studies, the Dean, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences and the Deputy President, Academic Senate. The Working Party has been responsible for drawing up a program of Reconciliation events.

The Review of Aboriginal Education and Research Training was conducted in 1999 by four Indigenous academics from other universities (UNSW, UNE, Queensland and Southern Cross). The Report made 40 recommendations which are currently being considered by the Academic Senate prior to that body giving advice to the Council. The adoption of the recommendations - whether in whole or in part - will impact upon the way the University currently supports Indigenous students, research training and research.

The performance indicators for assessing the effectiveness of any strategy arising from the Review will be analogous to those already in use to evaluate other University activities. The Board of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Education and Training will play a key role in reviewing performance against indicators and advising the Vice-Chancellor thereon.

The current Admissions criteria for Indigenous applicants for courses of the Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences are currently under review. The committee undertaking the review comprises both Faculty and Aboriginal community members. It is anticipated that the review will be completed by August 2000, and that a pilot will be implemented for the 2001 admissions round.

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Planned New Activities

• Review of the Bachelor of Aboriginal Studies program with a view to improving the availability of elective options to non-Indigenous students and to ensure career training options are maximised for Indigenous students
• Development of a comprehensive business plan for Umulliko to improve its financial autonomy
• Feasibility study of implementation of local Aboriginal languages through the University in collaboration with the local Aboriginal community and educational providers
• Implementation of Indigenous environmental study options
• Establishment of honours and coursework master's programs in Aboriginal Studies
• Maintain the level of Indigenous research higher degree student enrolments at 2% of total University research higher degree enrolments
• Develop a Recruitment Plan to encourage Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people to enrol in courses which currently have low Indigenous representation. In respect of health professional courses, to encourage Indigenous applicants from NSW rural communities through targeted recruitment and advertising programs
• The Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences proposes to establish a mentor program for Indigenous students, which involves senior Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students and recent medical graduates who live in the area.
• Encourage organisations and individuals to donate funds for Indigenous student scholarships/prizes/trust funds

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Performance and Review

Performance Indicators Used

• Numbers of Indigenous students enrolled; numbers of commencing Indigenous students
• Progress rates, attrition
• Satisfaction of students with their course, the support available
• Graduate outcomes

(Please refer to Appendix 1)

Progress rates, attrition, graduation

(Please refer to Appendix 1)

A further four Aboriginal people graduated with the Bachelor of Medicine degree in Semester 1 2000. This brings the total number of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander graduates from the University of Newcastle to 22 - over half the total number of Indigenous medical graduates in Australia.

Satisfaction

Indigenous Students' Composite Student Questionnaire: 41.7% of commencing Indigenous students; and 51% of continuing Indigenous students responded to the specially mailed out questionnaire. This is disappointing and makes it difficult to make reliable inferences of the views of the group as a whole. However those who did respond indicated a high level of satisfaction with their courses.

"Student Evaluation of Teaching" (SET) is one of the instruments in the University's suite of quality assurance processes. The University's target is for the teaching of each subject to be reviewed at least once every two years. In respect of subjects of the Department of Aboriginal Studies and the Discipline of Aboriginal Health Studies, and research training through Umulliko, students surveyed indicate a greater than average satisfaction with the teaching of those subjects.

Graduate Careers Council of Australia's Graduate Destination Survey: Of the 1998 cohort, 57% of Indigenous graduates indicated they were in full-time work. Ninety-six percent of all Indigenous graduates indicated they were in some kind of work, or were unavailable for work at the time of the survey.

Appendix 1  Enrolments 1996-2000

Table 1a 1996-1998

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Table 1b 1999-2000

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Institutional Contact

Ms. Gem Cheong,
University Secretary and Registrar
Tel: (02) 4921 6520
Fax: (02) 4921 6948
E-mail: gem.cheong@newcastle.edu.au or
usr@newcastle.edu.au

Umulliko Indigenous Higher Education Centre

Professor John Lester
Director, Umulliko and Head, Department of Aboriginal Studies
Tel: (02) 4921 5388
Fax: (02) 4921 6368
E-mail: jlester@mail.newcastle.edu.au

Wollotuka, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Education Centre

(Vacant - currently being advertised)
Support Coordinator
Tel: (02) 4921 7088
Fax: (02) 4921 6985

Discipline of Aboriginal Health, School of Population Health Sciences,

Ms. Gail Garvey,
Head of Discipline
Tel: (02) 4921 6532
Fax: (02) 4921 7166
E-mail: ggarvey@mail.newcastle.edu.au

Gibalee Aboriginal Learning and Development Centre

Mr Fred Maher
Centre Coordinator
Tel: (02) 4349 4501
Fax: (02) 4348 4505
Email: fmaher@newcastle.edu.au

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