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Indigenous Education Strategies in Higher Education 2001-2003

University of the Sunshine Coast

• Objectives
• Consultative Mechanisms
• Current and Continuing Activities
• Planned New Activities
• Performance and Review
• Report on Expenditure
• Contact

The University of the Sunshine Coast is committed to an Indigenous education strategy aimed at improving access to, retention and successful participation of Indigenous students in tertiary education. The University will take all practicable measures to demonstrate this commitment in all aspects of the University’s activities.

The University draws Indigenous students from its catchment area, defined as the rural Sunshine Coast region bounded by Gympie in the north and Caboolture (including Burpengary, Deception Bay and Morayfield) in the south. Western towns such as Murgon/Cherbourg, Kilcoy and Kenilworth are also targeted. There are relatively low numbers of Indigenous people living within the catchment area. The priority is to implement community liaison and outreach to encourage eligible adults to consider enrolment at the University of the Sunshine Coast. The University will also focus on support services to aid in retention and successful outcomes for Indigenous students.

Indigenous students at the University are all enrolled in mainstream degree programs, and their performance closely matches or exceeds the performance of their non-Indigenous colleagues. The retention and success rate of Indigenous students at the University exceeds both the Queensland and National averages.

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Objectives

Objective 1

To develop and implement policies and programs for access, participation, retention and success of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students and staff in conjunction with appropriate resources, facilities, staff and curricula.

Objective 2

To develop processes for planning, review and evaluation within the University on curricula, academic support, research, inclusiveness and cross-cultural awareness.

Objective 3

To consult with Indigenous groups and individuals, education providers, government officials, business organisations and other relevant stakeholders regarding Indigenous education, economic development issues and research, particularly within the catchment area of the University.

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Consultative Mechanisms

Over the past year an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Project Officer has undertaken consultations with the Indigenous community, internal and external to the University to identify the needs regarding Indigenous education, economic development issues and research.

A report arising from these consultations is expected to make recommendations on the appropriate structure of Indigenous Education and mechanisms for ongoing consultations to foster the continuous involvement, development and improvement of programs between the University and the Regional Indigenous community.

Indigenous people currently have representation on the University Council and Equity Committee.

Internal consultations have secured a designated Indigenous representative on the Student Guild Board and a restructure of Guild personnel to recruit a Welfare Officer to assist with health and housing of all students, but particularly for Indigenous students.

The importance of Indigenous cultures was recognised during this year’s Graduation Ceremony when opera singer Maroochy Baranbah and Aboriginal rights activist Penelope Embrey-Bond were awarded Senior Fellows of the University.

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Current and Continuing Activities

Recruitment and admissions strategies are being developed to improve the access and participation of Indigenous Australians within the Sunshine Coast Region.

Liaison has been established with the District Community Education Counsellors within the region, resulting in participation in the Torres Strait Islander Careers Aspirations Pathways Program (AICAPP). The goal of the program is to encourage secondary students from years 8, 9 and 10 to consider their educational and employment opportunities.

Orientation Programs

An orientation program for newly enrolled students has been introduced. This will be continued and expanded to provide library orientation program through a series of tutorials and hands-on workshops in the use of the library and its resources. Where applicable the workshops will include the opportunity for hands on experience and/or the completion of a short exercise to consolidate the concepts covered during the tutorial.

ATAS was introduced in semester 1, 1999 for enrolled Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students. Students involved in the ATAS program have taken an active role in the development of processes to ensure ongoing improvement in their learning outcomes. This program has significantly reduced the number of subjects not completed or failed from 19 in semester 1, 1999 down to 3 at the end of 1999.

Many of the ATAS tutors have obtained Level 3 Certification of the United States of America College Reading and Learning Association’s International Tutor Certification Program, as they are also employed in the University Peer Advisor Program. This program has this certification as a minimum qualification requirement in order to provide assistance to students. Advisors also undertake a cross-cultural awareness program.

The program is evaluated on the number of students accessing the program, progression rates of students, retention and success. Students also provide formal feedback on their level of satisfaction with the tutors. Tutors provide feedback on the progress of students.

Two of Australia’s leading Aboriginal artists Gloria Petyarre and Ada Bird Petyarre, came to the University for the opening of the Utopia Art exhibition. A number of schools took advantage of the opportunity to meet these internationally recognised artists. Paintings in the exhibition included those by Emily Kngwarreye. The local community was also given the opportunity to meet with the artists who demonstrated their work in progress and provided an insight into the Indigenous culture of Central Australia through telling stories about the art and their meaning. It is expected that the University will host further Indigenous art exhibitions to raise cultural awareness and develop links between the community and the University.

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Orientation and familiarisation visits to the University by Schools are been developed through the existing networks of Community Education Counsellors (CECs), School Guidance Officers (GOs), relevant community Elders and the Aboriginal Student Support and Parent Awareness Program (ASSPA) Committees.

There are a number of categories of social support, including health and security, income maintenance, housing and transport that impact on attraction and retention of students. The Student Guild has recently employed a Welfare Officer who will assist in developing links with community based organisations and provide information to students.

The library will provide facilities for students to work with their ATAS tutors in a quiet environment. The area will be equipped with computing equipment, desks and a whiteboard. A program is being developed to purchase a range of reference material on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander issues for the general collection.

On finalization of the report outlining the framework for Indigenous Education mentioned previously, the University will undertake recruitment of an Indigenous person to implement the strategies.

Indigenous Advisory Committee

To facilitate the development of viable support structures, an Indigenous Advisory Committee will be formed to oversight the development of the Indigenous Education and Employment Strategy. It is envisaged this group will be comprised of functional members of staff, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students, external Indigenous advisers and the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander member of the University Council.

Funding has been provided by the Department of Immigration under the Living in Harmony Project to undertake research into whether racism exists in regional universities and if so, to what extent. Four regional universities are taking part and it is anticipated focus groups and individual interviews will be undertaken. The results of the research will inform strategies to attract and retain students from Indigenous backgrounds.

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Performance and Review

Qualitative and quantitative review and evaluation processes are in place to measure the effectiveness of all equity area strategies in conjunction with the University Strategic Plan. The University uses the Martin indicators as the quantitative process to evaluate the performance of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander strategies.

Performance for access, participation, retention and success have all improved. Access and participation levels are still below the Queensland averages, however it is anticipated this will improve as the University develops further links with Indigenous communities in the region.

Retention and success rates have improved and are now well above the Queensland averages. The improvement in performance is a direct outcome of the implementation of the ATAS program for Indigenous students. All students enrolled at the University are undertaking degree programs, and have access to the ATAS program. Students taking advantage of the ATAS program all successfully completed subjects they were enrolled in, with a number of students improving their grades from passes to high distinctions.

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Performance - 2000

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Report on Expenditure

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Contact

Professor Paul Clark
Deputy Vice-Chancellor and Chair, Equity Committee
Tel: (07) 5459 4465
Fax: (07) 5459 4467
E Mail: pclark@usc.edu.au

Director, Student Affairs
Sue Carlos
Tel: (07) 5459 4430
Fax: (07) 5430 2883
E Mail: scarlos@usc.edu.au

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