Introduction

The strategy for the 1999–2001 triennium will continue to provide a focus for the activities of Charles Sturt University (CSU) in Indigenous education. The current strategy has been updated and includes a focus on the National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Education Policy guidelines.

Innovative education services are being provided by CSU through the Aboriginal Education Unit (AEU) in order to achieve more equitable educational outcomes for Indigenous Australians enrolled in CSU courses. Therefore, the strategies developed by the AEU aim to achieve specific objectives which are ultimately designed to increase Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people’s access to, participation in, and success in Charles Sturt University’s courses. For example, culturally appropriate and general academic support services have been established as well as the implementation of Aboriginal education curriculum through the Faculties. Furthermore, the AEU will be more efficient and effective in its operation during this triennium as the restructuring process is completed. The position of Director has been filled and is separate from the role of Coordinator.

Objectives for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Education

The Aboriginal Education Strategy is centred on the following nine objectives which continue to provide direction for Charles Sturt University in Aboriginal education:

1. Establish further opportunities for effective consultative mechanisms with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people on educational matters, especially those in CSU’s catchment area.
   
2. Encourage an understanding and acceptance of higher education among prospective Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students, their families, and community leaders.
   
3. Offer quality courses that provide opportunities for employment, career development, career change and lifelong learning for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.
   
4. Create learning environments that are suited to the particular needs of Aboriginal students.
   
5. Develop and implement an Aboriginal Studies course in conjunction with the Faculty of Arts and offer specialist courses for Aboriginal people in business management and other relevant courses identified by the Aboriginal Campus Committees.
   
6. Assist Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students to develop academic, vocational and professional opportunities outside the University.
   
7. Maximise access, participation and retention for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people who have the motivation and potential to succeed in university studies.
   
8. Develop a cross-cultural awareness package for the professional development of CSU academic and general staff as well as CSU students.
   
9. Conduct research relevant to the needs of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.

Strategies And Performance

Consultative Measures

1. Establishment of the Aboriginal Advisory Community Committee to facilitate the involvement of a broad cross-section of the Aboriginal communities, organisations, students, and staff in decision-making. Recognition of self-determination is an underlying principle for consultation. CSU supports the right of the community to determine their education needs and make decisions about the nature and provision of those services at the University. The committee structures will facilitate an environment which supports the principle of self-determination.
   
2. Involvement by staff of the Aboriginal Education Unit/Centres (AEU/AEC) on Faculty Committees and School-based committees. The Director attends CSU Academic Senate and Faculty Board meetings.
   
3. Establishment of Aboriginal Student Groups on each campus. Recommendations, needs and concerns of the Student Body are fed back to the Aboriginal Education Unit.
   
4. Maintaining close links with local, regional and State Aboriginal Education Consultative Groups (AECGs) by AEU/AEC staff who are members of local and regional AECGs and other Aboriginal community organisations and committees. Staff of the AEU are also members of the NSW Higher Education Network Aboriginal Corporation (HENAC).
   
5. The seven Aboriginal Academics across the CSU campuses regularly attend AEU staff meetings and workshops to discuss issues relevant to curricula, student and staff academic development, delivery of courses, tutorial arrangements for Aboriginal students, and remote area distance education courses.
   

Recruitment Activities

1. Regular visits are conducted by Aboriginal Education Centre staff to regional high schools to discuss study options and the support available to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students wishing to attend CSU. They also meet with local and regional Aboriginal organisations and government department personnel for the purpose of disseminating information and keeping in contact with interested groups.
   
2. Recruitment for the Aboriginal Distance Education Preparatory Training (ADEPT) program is conducted across the state and throughout correctional centres to recruit Aboriginal people, including inmates, giving them an opportunity for education and self-determination.
   
3. Public relations information for the AEU in the form of a flier, pamphlets and posters for the Centres as well as the ADEPT and alternative admissions Koori Admissions Program (KAP) pamphlets has occurred. These are distributed throughout communities, schools, organisations, TAFE colleges, government departments, and other universities.
   
4. Attendance by AEU staff at Information Days, Career Markets and Tertiary Awareness Days in NSW to disseminate information on courses to Indigenous high school students.

Access, Retention and Success

1. HENAC meets on a regular basis to establish new policies and programs to increase retention rates of students and to examine government and university policy and programs which support students at university. HENAC encourages the acceptance of higher education amongst the Aboriginal community and works to improve access and equity. AEU staff are active members of HENAC. In order for rural Aboriginal students to access tertiary education, retention to Year 12 needs to be a priority. Hence, AEU staff aim to work with key educational groups, schools, teachers, students, and their communities to increase the motivation of students to complete Year 12. Our target for 2001 is for the majority of rural Aboriginal students to complete Year 12 compared to the 0 to 20% recently observed by AEU staff through recruitment activities.
   
2. KAP, an annual evaluation program for prospective Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students (mature age and Year 12 school-leavers), enables them to gain entry into a tertiary course at CSU. The week-long alternative admissions program involves a wide range of evaluation and assessment procedures. KAP has been operating formally since 1992. Between 1994 and 1997, 150 Aboriginal people attended KAP with 112 successfully completing the program to be eligible to enrol in CSU courses.
   
3. ADEPT is a program which is conducted by correspondence over one semester with a residential component. It attracts mature age students in isolated and remote communities and inmates from Correctional Centres throughout NSW. The ADEPT program gives those who successfully complete the program access to tertiary courses at CSU. Between 1990 and first semester 1997, 346 students enrolled in ADEPT with 87 successfully completing the program. A total of nineteen Aboriginal students (ten in Corrective Centres) are enrolled to begin ADEPT when it commences again in Semester 2, 1998.
   
4. The TAFE Park Management Certificate Course is a bridging program for the Bachelor of Applied Science (Parks and Recreation and Heritage) course.
   
5. The TAFE Tertiary Preparation Course (TPC) is available at Bathurst, Wagga Wagga, and Albury Colleges of TAFE. An agreement guarantees admission for successful applicants of the TPC to a number of courses offered at CSU.
   
6. CSU negotiates advanced standing or credit points for CSU courses on behalf of Aboriginal students seeking access to academic, vocational, and professional advancement.
   
7. Provide a quality tutorial program and academic support through ATAS as well as the employment of Learning Skills Advisers in each of the AEU’s Centres.

Curriculum

1. An Aboriginal Studies Unit, for external students enrolled in social welfare and education, has been written by CSU Koori Academics. Aboriginal Studies is a core subject for primary and early childhood teacher education curricula. The inclusion of culturally relevant pedagogy in teacher education subjects is to be planned so as to improve beginning teachers’ delivery of curriculum to Aboriginal students in schools.
   
2. Course curricula will continue to be reviewed by Koori Academics (CSU has nine) and AEU staff (eleven staff) with a view to introducing an Aboriginal perspective into appropriate subjects, particularly courses in Nursing, Health, Teacher Education, Welfare, Park Management and Eco-tourism, and Communication.
   
3. Discussions are continuing with the Faculty of Commerce, Aboriginal community organisations and their representatives, and government organisations to develop a specific course in Business Studies for Aboriginal students.
   
4. The ADEPT program has facilitated Aboriginal community involvement and the development of higher education and employment opportunities for students successfully completing the program. The ADEPT curricula will be reviewed and rewritten in 1999.

Cross-Cultural Learning Environments

The AEU, in conjunction with local Aboriginal people, will undertake to provide training in cross-cultural communication on each campus of CSU for CSU staff in order to foster an appreciation of Aboriginal culture amongst all staff. Cross-cultural communication sessions will include public lectures and cultural awareness days. Cultural awareness days will include cultural displays, dancing, art exhibitions, and reconciliation and NAIDOC activities for staff and students of CSU.

Outside Links

Academic, vocational, and professional links outside the University are available in Nursing, Aboriginal Mental Health, Social Welfare, Teaching, Business and Park Management and Policing. CSU will assist Aboriginal students to make these links where requested. Information will also be made available to Aboriginal students or potential students.

The AEU has developed policy which will support Faculty submissions and initiatives that increase the academic prospects of Koori Academics and Teaching Fellows, both within CSU and in other universities.

Research

I. Research projects are being conducted by Koori Academic staff in their areas of expertise and knowledge.

II. Research projects undertaken by Aboriginal staff for the last triennium have been completed. These projects included:

(a) the needs of the Aboriginal community in Adult Education and how CSU can meet them;

(b) the success of the Aboriginal Studies Syllabus in NSW schools.

III. The Office of Research is also developing a focus and includes research into Aboriginal issues as a priority.

IV. Research by AEU staff will be conducted in the new triennium to compile data on Aboriginal students’ participation and success in various CSU courses and post-degree employment. Results will also ensure measures are in place to increase student retention.

Monitoring, Evaluation And Reporting

1. The Vice-Chancellor’s Aboriginal Education Committee receives regular progress reports from each Aboriginal Education Centre and the Director on the operation of the Section.
   
2. The Director meets with the Aboriginal Education Centre staffs and Campus Advisory Committees on a regular basis to monitor, evaluate, and report on the implementation of the strategy.
   
3. Each Centre’s staff regularly attends inter-agency community meetings to report to the local community on Indigenous education issues, especially CSU higher education, and ask for their input and feedback.
   
4. DETYA will be reported to as required.
   
5. CSU, in response to DETYA’s request, continues to develop ways of quantifying the outcomes relating to the objectives for Aboriginal students enrolled, by means of data on current enrolments by course, participation and retention rates.

Performance Indicators

In 1997 CSU has performed above the national average (0.78) on both success and retention indicators. There have been ninety Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students graduate from CSU since 1996. The AEU aims to continue to increase success and retention for Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander students enrolled at CSU. The compiling of research data on students’ reasons for deferring or dropping out of tertiary education will help the AEU develop strategies which help students successfully complete their tertiary courses. The outcomes of this research should be available by early 1999.

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