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Indigenous Education Strategies in Higher Education 2001-2003

The Australian National University

Objectives

The Australian National University’s overall objectives for Indigenous Australian Education were incorporated in Volume 2 of its Strategic Plan 1995-2004, under "Teaching and Learning Management"1. Following an annual review, the objectives have been refined and are as follows:

  1. To increase Indigenous Australian student enrolment and access to the University
  2. To increase enrolment in discipline areas in the University in which Indigenous Australian students are under-represented.
  3. To develop appropriate links with Indigenous Australian communities in order to encourage and enhance positive attitudes to University study generally and the ANU in particular
  4. To increase appreciation of the Indigenous Australian cultures throughout the University.
  5. To encourage and nurture Indigenous Australian scholarship and excellence in scholarship.
  6. To develop an Indigenous Australian Higher Education Centre of Excellence.
1 The JABAL Centre is the main focus for Indigenous Australian students in the University

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Consultative Mechanisms

As a result of a review and recommendations from the JABAL Centre Head, the Director Student Administration and Support Services and the Deputy Vice-Chancellor, the Vice-Chancellor approved in 1999 the establishment of the University’s Indigenous Australian Education Consultative Committee, an important new initiative. This Committee provides policy advice to the Vice-Chancellor and provides strategic advice or support to the Head of the JABAL Centre, when requested.

The JABAL Indigenous Australian Centre and the new ANU Indigenous Australian Education Consultative Committee are the principal consultative mechanisms now in place for the effective planning, review and evaluation of the University’s Indigenous Australian education goals and strategies. The JABAL Centre is a part of the Division of Student Administration and Support Services; and the Centre relates closely with the Deputy Vice-Chancellor and to those areas of administration and support most closely concerned with students.

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Current and Continuing Activities

Detailed strategies for implementation over the period 1995-2004 have been specified and the University remains committed to them. For the Triennium period 2001-2003 particularly, the strategies are as follows:

  • An Indigenous Australian students’ recruitment strategy is implemented each year by the Head of the JABAL Centre; and this strategy is monitored and evaluated by the JABAL Head and the Director and Deputy Director of Student Administration and Support Services. The JABAL Centre also participates in the University’s mainstream recruitment program, working with the Promotions Unit.
  • The University will continue to implement its Indigenous Australian Admissions Scheme. Following a review in late 1998, the JABAL Centre has proposed a number of improvements to this Scheme, which are currently under consideration in The Board of The Faculties.
  • The JABAL Centre will also continue with its evolving pre-orientation and orientation programs for commencing Indigenous Australian students.
  • A JABAL Centre Academic Coordinator advises students on an individual basis as to course structure and the skills necessary for each unit. The Coordinator monitors each student’s progress and discuss areas of concern with relevant academic unit coordinators.
  • The Law Faculty endeavours to incorporate Indigenous content as appropriate into the compulsory Law units offered by the Faculty, to increase prospective lawyers’ awareness of Indigenous Australian issues. The graduate program in Law continues to offer three units with an Indigenous Australian focus.
  • An Indigenous Australian Harvard Law graduate and ANU Indigenous Postdoctoral Fellow, has recently been appointed by the University’s Law Faculty to a position at the ANU.
  • The JABAL Centre continues to fund two part-time Law School Academic Advisers to assist Indigenous Australian students, resulting in corresponding success in retention and graduation rates for Indigenous Australians studying Law. During 2000, the Law Faculty has again funded just over one half of the salary and on-costs of these part-time positions.
  • The ANU Aboriginal Tutorial Assistance Scheme continues to be co-ordinated and operated effectively from the JABAL Centre. The JABAL Centre has commenced a data file to enable better monitoring of the relationship between ATAS support and student outcomes. Experience indicates that ATAS continues to have a tremendous effect on students’ abilities to cope with the content of their studies and it is believed that it increases the potential of students to achieve success at higher levels. ATAS is the subject of a separate more detailed annual report to DETYA. Appropriate cultural awareness courses for ATAS tutors are arranged by the JABAL Centre each year.
  • The University will take every opportunity to expand specific academic interests that have particular relevance to Indigenous Australian scholars and students. New initiatives over the past year are described below, together with others planned, each aimed at expanding opportunities for Indigenous Australian students.
  • The Department of Forestry offers an Indigenous Australian Scholarship, worth $1000. Together with the benefits arising out of the Fellowship within the School of Resource Management and Environmental Science, of which the Department of Forestry is a part, the JABAL Centre is seeking to attract suitable Indigenous Australian applicants who are looking to improve their career prospects.
  • Collaboration continues between the JABAL Centre and ITA to provide more inclusive admissions procedures and greater support for Indigenous Australian students. An ITA Indigenous Australian graduate enrolled and commenced studies in 2000 for the PhD course in Visual Arts.
  • The Graduate School continues to provide one scholarship each year for award to an Indigenous Australian student to undertake a PhD, Masters degree or Graduate Diploma course. The scholarship provides a tax-free stipend of $17,267, which is reviewed each year. Fares to Canberra and an establishment allowance are also provided.
  • The National Centre for Epidemiology and Population Health (NCEPH) introduced the Master of Applied Epidemiology (Indigenous Health) course in 1998. Eight students were recruited into the program that year, and all eight students graduated in February 2000. In 1999 six students were enrolled, three of whom graduated in April 2001. The remaining three from that cohort are expected to graduate in July 2001. In 2000 four students enrolled in Program, however one student deferred for personal reasons, and tow students withdrew in early 2001. Six students are enrolled in the 2001 cohort, one of whom is the deferred student from the previous years cohort. Students spend 21 months of the two-year program in placement organisations, working full time with supernumerary status. Field placements can be in Aboriginal Health policy units in State Health Departments, academic institutions or community controlled health services. A graduate of the program from the first intake was appointed as a full-time lecturer in the program in March 2000. An Indigenous student enrolled in the Masters in Population Health recently passed the examination in that program.
  • An Indigenous Australian Asian Studies undergraduate, successfully completed the ANU Year in Vietnam program in 1999.
  • The JABAL Centre has initiated and continued with a program of volunteer academic advisers to assist Indigenous students in the Faculties of Asian Studies, Arts, Economics/Commerce and Science, and in the Institute of the Arts.
  • Establishment of the ANU Mastech Asia Pacific Information Technology Scholarships for either a person from a ‘disadvantaged background’ or of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander descent is welcomed. The two scholarships are available for the minimum full-time duration of the Bachelor of Information Technology or Bachelor of Software Engineering degree are valued at $3,500 per annum.
  • The JABAL Centre continues to provide suitable social, administrative, and academic support, recognising the vital relationship between this kind of support and the academic progress of students.
  • The JABAL Centre also investigates, plans and assists Indigenous Australian students with the provision of appropriate and affordable family and single accommodation on campus and in the Canberra region.

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Planned New Activities

  • The Vice-Chancellor approved a matching grant of $100,000 from the University’s Endowment for Excellence for the new Nugget Coombs Indigenous Australian Scholarships. One ANU Indigenous Australian undergraduate and one postgraduate student will benefit from these new scholarships from 2000. The new North Australia Research Unit (NARU)/JABAL Aboriginal Fieldwork Program, to be launched during 2000, will be funded from the Nugget Coombs Indigenous Australian Scholarships. This program will involve ANU Aboriginal students travelling to the Northern Territory to undertake research and fieldwork from NARU, Darwin.
  • Following on the work of the previous short term Visiting Indigenous Fellowship in the School of Resource Management and Environmental Science, there will be discussions between the Centre, the School and others on a proposal for a full-time Indigenous Australian Fellow to assist staff and students on Indigenous culture and resource management issues and practices.
  • Planning and developing appropriate new information and promotional brochures, especially for the guidance of Indigenous Australians contemplating postgraduate studies or research at the University, is being finalised. The Centre is also finalising the new information brochures about the Centre and the ANU Indigenous Australian Admissions Scheme.
  • Extending the cultural awareness seminars to all staff of Student Administration and Support Services Division and other ANU centres in 2000.

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Performance and Review

The figures quoted below are the performance indicators for Indigenous Australian students at this University for 2000 using the Lin Martin indicators. The University continues to have a problem in ensuring that all Indigenous Australian students have identified themselves for statistical purposes. It should be noted that some postgraduate students have commenced their courses after the 31 March census date on which these performance indicators are based.

Access The percentage of the Indigenous Australian students of the total commencing students in 2000 was 1.03, that is 29 students. The comparable figure for 1999 was 0.90 per cent and for 1998 it was 0.95 per cent. The National Indicator for 1999 was 1.80 per cent. The slight increase suggests that the targeted recruitment plan is beginning to have an effect.

The participation rate for 2000 is 1.16 compared with 1.38 in 1999 and 1.50 in 1998. The National Indicator for 1999 was 0.78. This decline in the University’s participation rate for Indigenous Australians is of concern.

The success ratio, that is ratio of success rate of Indigenous Australian students to that of other students, for 1999 is 0.87 compared with 0.93 in 1998 and 0.97 in 1997. The National Indicator for 1998 was 0.74.

The retention ratio for Indigenous Australian students in 2000 is 0.89 compared with 0.898 in 1999 and 0.923 in 1998. The National Indicator for 1999 was 0.767.

These performance indicators are reviewed each year by the Centre in consultation with the senior staff of Student Administration and Support Services, the Planning Office and from this year will be placed before the ANU Indigenous Australian Education Consultative Committee for planning and for the checking of performance against the University’s objectives.

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Contact

Mr Ribnga Green
Head of JABAL Centre
Tel: (02) 6125 3520
Fax: (02) 6125 3658
Email: Ribnga.Green@anu.edu.au

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