Introduction

The Queensland University of Technology (QUT) has eight faculties which operate from three Brisbane campuses located at Gardens Point, Kelvin Grove and Carseldine. Indigenous enrolments, comprising both Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students, represent 0.89% of QUT’s student population. Table 1, below, sets out the data on academic success and retention, using the Lin Martin indicators. Academic, cultural, and social support for Indigenous students is provided primarily through the Oodgeroo Unit, which is positioned organisationally within the Chancellery and has facilities on all three campuses. Unit staff also collaborate with faculties and divisions to provide a supportive learning environment for Indigenous students, and at the same time promote the relevance of Indigenous content in course offerings for all students.

Objectives

QUT’s mission is to bring to the community the benefits of teaching, research, technology, and services. Three goals derive from this mission:

Teaching: To ensure that QUT graduates possess knowledge, professional competence, a sense of community responsibility, and a capacity to continue their professional and personal development throughout their lives;

Research: To advance and apply knowledge germane to the professions and to the communities with which QUT interacts and relevant to the enhancement of economic, cultural, and social conditions;

Service: To contribute to the development of Australia’s international competitiveness, to enhance QUT’s relationship with the professions, and to increase community awareness of issues through professional service and social commentary.

Within the context of its mission and goals, QUT has specific objectives for Indigenous education. These are:

1. to ensure effective Indigenous participation in planning and decision making in all relevant facets of University operations;
2. to increase access, participation, and successful outcomes for Indigenous students and staff in conjunction with the development of Indigenous resources, facilities, staffing, and curricula; and
3. to foster, support, and develop research and community activities relating to Indigenous studies and issues.

Broadly, these objectives will be achieved by:

• maintaining the University’s commitment to the principles of Indigenous self-determination and self-management;

• actively seeking Indigenous participation in QUT committees and projects;

• promoting the availability and relevance of QUT courses amongst Indigenous students in schools and TAFE Colleges and in Indigenous communities;

• monitoring and evaluating rates of access, participation, and retention with a view to decreasing attrition, broadening areas of study and increasing successful outcomes of Indigenous students;

• encouraging and supporting the employment of Indigenous people in academic and general positions; and

• providing a supportive educational environment for Indigenous students and staff by offering cross cultural awareness activities for University staff generally.

Strategies

Expected outcome

QUT policies, institutional plans, strategies, and programs include Indigenous perspectives.

1. Maintain an Indigenous Committee to provide advice on policy initiatives and programs to the University through the Deputy Vice-Chancellor.
2. Invite Indigenous staff, students, or community representatives to membership of committees and boards at divisional and faculty levels.
3. Seek Indigenous perspectives and responses to reviews, discussion papers, program proposals, policies, strategies, and institutional plans.

• QUT’s sixteen-member Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander committee meets four times annually.

• There are Indigenous members of one inter-University, nine intra-University, and thirteen faculty committees.

• Evaluation will indicate the degree to which Indigenous viewpoints are included in policies and programs.

Objective 2: To increase access, participation, and successful outcomes for Indigenous students and staff in conjunction with the development of Indigenous resources, facilities, staffing, and curricula.

Expected outcome

Increased access to QUT courses by Indigenous people.

1. Promote courses, entry requirements, and support mechanisms to Indigenous secondary students and community members through visits and information dissemination.
   
2. Arrange and support alternative entry interviews for Indigenous applicants with relevant faculties and schools.

Student recruitment programs are conducted annually. Evaluation will include number of schools and communities visited and contacted.

In 1997, of 113 Indigenous applicants who attended interviews at QUT, eighty-one accepted undergraduate offers for 1998. A further fifteen Indigenous applicants were admitted to postgraduate programs in 1998.

Expected outcome

Greater participation and completion rates by Indigenous students of QUT’s undergraduate and postgraduate programs.

1. Conduct specific pre-orientation activities for incoming students.
   
2. Encourage Indigenous participation in postgraduate studies.
   
3. Provide academic, personal and cultural support to undergraduate and postgraduate Indigenous students.
   
4. Effectively administer tutorials (Aboriginal Tutorial Assistance Scheme—ATAS) in accordance with DEETYA requirements.
   
5. Administer the Oodgeroo scholarship and Duncan/Brandl Book Prize.
   
6. Inform students of other available scholarships, awards, traineeships and cadetships for which they might be eligible, and support applications as appropriate.
   
7. Negotiate studies and support for Indigenous cadetships with public/private sector employers.
   
8. Provide network meetings and seminars for Indigenous postgraduate students.
   
9. Ensure Indigenous access to computers and facilities for study.
   
10. Maintain a database of Indigenous student enrolments, progression and completion rates.
    
11. Support, where appropriate, activities of QUT’s Indigenous Student Association.

• Information, study skills, and social programs are offered annually.

• QUT has thirty Indigenous postgraduate students.

• In accordance with a 1996 review, Oodgeroo Unit staff (3 lecturers and 4 associate lecturers) provide support and coordinate Peer Assisted Studies Scheme.

• ATAS administration has been reviewed and more effective procedures adopted.

• Scholarship will be offered in 1999; Book Prize first awarded 1998.

• Students informed through the monthly student newsletter, and by academic staff. Evaluation will include numbers of awards attained and cadetships, etc, negotiated.

• Monthly activities of Oodgeroo Unit Guest Speaker & Research Colloquia program provide opportunities for networking.

• Computing equipment is available on each campus, maintained by a computing officer, who also oversees Indigenous student database.

Expected outcome

An increased number of qualified and trained Indigenous academic and general staff across the University.

1. Develop and implement an Indigenous Employment and Staff Development Strategy.

• Funds have been allocated for the development of a strategy in 1998. Current Indigenous staff members are 8 academic; 1 research; 5.5 administrative; and 1 ancillary.

Expected outcome

A University environment that includes Indigenous students and issues.

1. Provide cultural awareness and Indigenous input to staff development activities.
2. Offer Indigenous studies, and include Indigenous perspectives in a range of courses and units.
3. Engage Indigenous lecturers and tutors, where appropriate.

Indigenous components are included in staff inductions; and equity programs for all staff.

Indigenous studies minor (Arts) commenced 1998; also Indigenous units in Education and Law. In 1998, Education core units were evaluated for Indigenous content.

Indigenous lecturers/tutors are engaged in Arts, Health, Education, and Built Environment.

Expected outcome

A University that is supportive of Indigenous communities.

1. Develop and undertake research and consultancy projects with Indigenous communities.

• Joint research projects are being developed and conducted with the Faculties of Health (Centre for Indigenous Health, Education and Research), Built Environment and Engineering, and Education; as well as working collaboratively with Indigenous communities on cultural history projects.

Table 1—Academic Success and Retention data

Contact Officer

Ms Penny Tripcony
Manager
Oodgeroo Unit
Queensland University of Technology
Locked Bag No 2
RED HILL Q 4059
Telephone: 07 3864 3721
Facsimile: 07 3864 3982
Email: p.tripcony@qut.edu.au