| University of South Australia Introduction The University, and its predecessor institutions, have played a leading role in Indigenous higher education since the early 1980s. Its Act gives it a unique charter in Australian higher education legislation in terms of responsibility for meeting the educational needs of Aboriginal and Islander people and this responsibility is continued in its mission, goals and objectives. The University has developed a Reconciliation Commitment Statement as a clear public indication of its support for Australian reconciliation, recognising that we have a particular contribution to make in terms of the education of the wider Australian community about the cultures, languages, history, and contemporary experiences of Australian Indigenous peoples. Indigenous students are enrolled in many of the University's schools, with about 60% in the Unaipon School. An Aboriginal and Islander Support Unit provides comprehensive support to all Indigenous students enrolled across the University. Educational opportunities are also provided externally to remote areas in South Australia and the Northern Territory, through the Flexible Learning Centre, the Whyalla campus, and off-campus study centres. In particular, the Anangu Tertiary Education Program (AnTEP) provides a unique opportunity for Anangu people in the far north of the State to access higher education within their own communities. A range of articulated courses from Diploma to Master’s level is offered by the Unaipon School in the areas of Aboriginal Affairs Administration, Aboriginal Studies, Aboriginal Education, and Australian Studies. In addition, a range of compulsory and elective subjects are provided to students enrolled in an increasing number of the University's undergraduate programs. Through the Aboriginal Research Institute (ARI), the University has a leadership role in research policy, the development of ethics in Aboriginal research, cultural appropriateness in research, and the development of new Aboriginal researchers. In 1996, the University was awarded $1.8m to establish one of five Commonwealth-funded Indigenous Higher Education Centres of Excellence. This Centre has been integrated within the ARI as the ARI Centre for Excellence (ARICE). Recent growth in the number of Indigenous education programs provided by Australian universities has greatly increased the range of higher education opportunities for Indigenous students. As these opportunities increase, the University of South Australia accepts that its historically high access and participation rates will, at best, be maintained. In this context, we have evolved a more multifaceted approach to Indigenous education, focusing on:
Analysis of the Indigenous population by equity group indicates that they are more than twice as likely to be rural, isolated, or of low socioeconomic status than the non-Indigenous student population. Indigenous students are also significantly older, six times as likely to be studying externally, and, despite being excluded from the current definition of non-English-speaking background, 14% of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students live in remote Pitjantjatjara communities and speak English as their second or third language. A high proportion of Indigenous students are admitted to university through special entry programs and without standard prerequisites. They are mostly mature-aged, with family, community, and/or work commitments. Over two-thirds are studying off-campus, at a distance. It is thus unreasonable to expect comparable rates of retention and success to those of the much larger, more diverse and better prepared non-Indigenous student population. The University undertakes some basic benchmarking with its Australian Technology Network colleagues, two of which have significant numbers of Indigenous enrolments. Benchmarking relationships with universities overseas that have strong Indigenous education programs, such as Waikato University in New Zealand and the University of Northern Arizona in the United States, are being developed. Goals and Objectives As part of the University’s embedding of equity planning in its review, planning, and quality assurance processes, the Indigenous Education Strategy has been fully incorporated into its Corporate Plan. Two of the University's goals recognise its commitment to Indigenous education and scholarship: Goal 5 To promote access and equity of educational participation and outcomes for groups for whom higher education opportunities have been limited, and ensure that teaching and research programs identify, respond to and reflect a diverse student population. Goal 6 To meet the needs of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people by providing culturally appropriate education, employment and research programs. A number of objectives in relation to both these goals have been developed. Those under Goal 5 are further detailed in the University's separate Equity Plan and apply to all students. Those relating specifically to Indigenous students and staff form the foundation of the University's Indigenous Education Strategy, integrating the Strategy with the University’s Mission and its Corporate Plan. These objectives are outlined below. Objective 1 Enhance those University programs specifically designed to attract and support Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people as students and employees. Objective 2 Provide the opportunity for University programs to incorporate curricula that are inclusive of the experience of Indigenous Australians. Objective 3 Improve retention and completion rates for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students to University average rates. Objective 4 Promote and support programs to heighten the research profile of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander staff and students within the University.
Strategies and Performance Objective 1 Strategy 1 Promote the Diplomas in Aboriginal Education, Australian Studies, and Aboriginal Community Administration as enabling/bridging programs for access to degrees. This Strategy is intended to attract Indigenous students without the usual higher education prerequisites into credit bearing sub-degree level studies from which they are able to move to degree-level study should they wish. In 1998 the Faculty of Aboriginal and Islander Studies ceased enrolments in its TAFE level Certificate in Community Development which had formed the first year of the Diploma program, and enrolled students instead in the Diploma. This move has increased the number of Indigenous higher education students, but also the proportion of higher education students at diploma level, thereby decreasing the proportion at degree level or above from 71% in 1997 to 61% in 1998. The University is pleased to see an increase in the number of Indigenous students in 1998 to 354, and particularly in the number of commencing students to 181, the largest number of commencers enrolled since 1995. Strategy 2 All faculty academic plans to develop strategies to attract and support Indigenous students. This Strategy aims to place responsibility for attracting and supporting Indigenous students on all faculties, as an important component of the University-wide approach to equity planning, including that for Indigenous students. Faculty equity plans are reviewed each year and faculties are required to show evidence of their efforts in attracting and supporting Indigenous students. The University has consistently enrolled between 35% and 40% of its Indigenous students in faculties other than the Faculty of Aboriginal and Islander Studies. Strategy 3 Review the role and strategic direction of the Aboriginal and Islander Support Unit (AISU), including the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Special Entry Selection package for University courses, the targeted orientation program, and the faculty links program. The AISU provides support for all Indigenous students enrolled at the university. It aims to improve Indigenous student access, participation, retention, and success through promotion, selection, orientation, ongoing support, and monitoring of progress in liaison with the faculty link staff, and to introduce students to appropriate higher education expectations and independent learning strategies. The AISU will undertake a major review of its strategic plan this year in order to identify areas for improvement and further development. Strategy 4 Collaborate with the other universities in the State, the State Department of Employment, Training and Education, and the Secondary Assessment Board of South Australia to investigate Indigenous retention rates at secondary school and progression rates to higher education. This strategy aims to increase the very low numbers of Indigenous secondary students reaching and then completing Year 12 studies in South Australia. To date only about 11% of Indigenous students at this University are admitted through the successful completion of Year 12. This strategy will be accompanied by the AISU promotion and mentoring linkages with targeted secondary schools across the State and collaboration with the project officer for the USANET Special Entry Scheme, to promote opportunities for higher education to Indigenous secondary school students, particularly those from rural and isolated areas. Strategy 5 Develop higher degree opportunities for Indigenous students, particularly in research, and investigate the development of a teaching and support infrastructure to provide research degree programs to Indigenous students via the distance mode. The proportion of Aboriginal students enrolled in higher degree courses has remained steady at around 7% of the Indigenous student population (compared to 8% of the total student population). Over 30% of these higher degree enrolments are in faculties other than the Faculty of Aboriginal and Islander Studies (FAIS), contributing to the increasing proportion of Aboriginal students enrolled in courses outside the Faculty. Strategy 6 Develop affirmative action procedures for the employment of Aboriginal people through the Aboriginal Employment Strategy. The University has recently employed seven Indigenous trainees under a DEETYA-sponsored Indigenous Employment Scheme. An Indigenous coordinator of the scheme has also been employed in order to support the trainees and develop the scheme further. It is expected that a number of these trainees will take up long term positions at the University at some time during their traineeship. Objective 2 Strategy 1 Faculty boards to liaise with relevant AISU contact staff members to:
Each faculty has appointed a staff member to work in close collaboration with the AISU contact for that faculty. This linkage arrangement commenced in 1997 and has been most successful in developing faculties' awareness of the experience of Indigenous students. Strategy 2 At the time of accreditation/reaccreditation, each faculty will ensure that curricula are incorporated which are inclusive of the experience of Indigenous people, where appropriate. All courses are reviewed each year as part of the annual planning and review cycle. As these undergo reaccreditation, or as new courses are accredited, policy and procedures are in place to ensure curriculum inclusivity. Strategy 3 The Dean of the Faculty of Aboriginal and Islander Studies will liaise with other faculties to ensure that all undergraduate programs provide the opportunity, through BUGE (Broadening Undergraduate Education) electives or other elective options, to undertake subjects on Indigenous culture and/or issues. A new Aboriginal Studies component has been included in a core first-year Nursing subject and the subject 'Aboriginal Australians' has been developed and delivered in the Faculty of Education. Discussions are under way with two faculties concerning the introduction of units in professional preparation courses. Negotiations are under way with the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Commission to establish a Chair in Aboriginal Economic Development. Objective 3 Strategy 1 All faculties to address Aboriginal education issues as part of their annual plans. All faculties are required to address participation and success rates and the needs of Indigenous students in their annual plans, which are reviewed by senior management in annual planning and review meetings. Strategy 2 The AISU to work with faculties to monitor progress, including retention and success rates, for Indigenous students, using data provided by the Planning Unit, including cohort analyses and records maintained by AISU staff. The progress of all Indigenous students is monitored on a quarterly basis by a member of the AISU, along with a designated contact person in each faculty. The results of this process have been reported and discussed at Faculty Board meetings at the end of each semester. An Early Intervention Strategy, designed to improve Indigenous students' retention and success rates, was developed, trialed, and implemented. Strategy 3 The AISU, with faculties, to monitor its system of collaborative quarterly reviews of progress for all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students and to develop a checklist for all faculty contact staff. The system of quarterly reviews commenced in 1997 in order to maintain more up-to-date information on the progress of Indigenous students, particularly those ‘at risk’ of failure. This has allowed earlier intervention in a number of cases and appears to have been successful, although retention and success rates have decreased slightly rather than increased. The complexity of Indigenous student retention and success means that we will need to monitor the outcomes of this process for several years before its performance can be confirmed. Strategy 4 Produce a promotional brochure on the AISU and how it supports Indigenous students, University-wide. A promotional brochure has been recently produced for circulation internally and to target secondary schools. Objective 4 Strategy 1 Encourage Aboriginal staff to undertake research by providing access to professional development, funding, resources, and mentoring through: the appointment of adjunct research staff; and the support of Indigenous staff undertaking postgraduate study. As part of its Centre of Excellence program, the Aboriginal Research Institute has employed two Indigenous Research Fellows, an Indigenous cadet and two other non-Indigenous research fellows. One Indigenous staff member has just completed a PhD, two are continuing PhD studies, and one is undertaking a Master’s by Coursework. International staff exchanges and in particular, the visit of Fulbright Scholar, Dr Samuel Myers, enriched Indigenous research activity. Strategy 2 Further develop a research induction program for postgraduate research students in 1997. An honours program has been developed by the Faculty of Aboriginal and Islander Studies to provide training in research. Three Indigenous students have enrolled in this program in 1998. Strategy 3 Develop a set of research protocols and practice, which includes: culturally appropriate performance indicators; and ethics guidelines for postgraduates, including ways to deal with ethics and intellectual property on the Internet. Staff trained in inclusive curriculum are collaborating with the Aboriginal Research Institute and the Unaipon School to develop University-wide indicators. The Human Research Ethics Committee requires that research involving significant participation of Indigenous people and communities is reviewed by the Aboriginal Research Institute. The ARI has established processes aimed at ensuring that Indigenous people are consulted about any such research. It has also developed guidelines for the conduct of research that is culturally appropriate. Strategy 4 Appropriately qualified Indigenous staff on Research Register to be involved in supervision and postgraduate induction of non-Aboriginal students enrolled in postgraduate Aboriginal studies. Three Indigenous staff are currently on the Research Register, with one more in the process of being admitted. Projected Performance The performance indicator targets have been projected taking into account the University's historical data from the years prior to 1994. They take into account the issues discussed above in the Introduction and the generally unstable higher education environment at present. Because of the relatively small number of Indigenous students and the widely diverse lifestyles and cultures of these students, many of whom are highly vulnerable to changes in government policy, access, participation, retention, and success rates can fluctuate significantly from year to year making the projection of targets difficult. There needs to be an allowance for these fluctuations. Table 1: Performance Indicators for Indigenous Students
Contact Persons Professor Eleanor Ramsay Associate Professor MaryAnn Bin-Sallik Ms Maria Lane Ms Deborah Tranter Dr Martin Nakata |
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