| University of Southern
Queensland Objectives for Aboriginal and
Torres Strait Islander Education
The University of Southern Queensland (USQ) has a
strong track record in the support and advancement of educational equity, particularly in
the provision of higher education access with success for people from socioeconomically
disadvantaged backgrounds and people from rural and geographically isolated areas.
Indigenous Australians are over-represented in each of these groups. The USQ Strategic
Plan includes the following equity objective:
Obj 1.2 To serve the special needs of students
including mature students, students from rural and isolated areas, Indigenous Australians
and students with disabilities.
The corresponding institutional strategy provides
a commitment to:
Strat 1.2.1 Maintain and enhance the emphasis
on recruitment of and service to non-traditional and regional students.
Other institutional objectives supporting
Indigenous education in the current Strategic Plan include:
Obj 1.1c To provide learning experiences that
create positive student responses and maximise the chances of success;
Obj 1.4 To meet student needs by being flexible
in: access, courses, modes of delivery, location of teaching and student support;
Obj 2.3b To provide genuinely flexible programs
which combine personal support with advanced teaching delivery;
Obj 4.9 To strengthen the Regional Liaison Network
and services for students studying off-campus throughout Australia; and
Obj 1.5 To develop techniques and systems for
supporting off-campus students beyond the reach of the Regional Liaison Network.
USQ’s upcoming Strategic Plan will articulate
a commitment: To provide educational opportunities and to create an educational
environment where Indigenous peoples can realistically develop the skills and competencies
needed to ensure self-regulation and self-determination within the broader contexts of
Australian society.
Review of Strategies
As a means of monitoring the progress of
initiatives taken by the Centre, the following strategic directions have been identified.
These directions are divided into six key areas:
Supporting collaborative management and
community support:
Supporting access and participation:
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Recruitment
Supporting retention and success:
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Student
Support
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies
and Development
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Research
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Staff
Development
In each of these key areas Centre staff, in
conjunction with the Centre Board of Management have identified a series of strategies to
be implemented in the next triennium.
Stakeholder Involvement and Awareness
| Strategy |
Outcomes |
Performance Indicators |
| Undertaking consultancies in support of
Indigenous peoples’ issues and priorities |
Self-determination by the Indigenous
community identifying own needs and influencing outcomes |
Level of support and involvement by
local Indigenous communities |
| Conducting cross-cultural workshops and
seminars as well as undertaking postgraduate supervision in cross-faculty, collaborative
relationships including joint supervision of postgraduate students |
The development of a greater degree of
cooperation and links between Kumbari Ngurpai Lag, the local Indigenous communities, and
the wider University community |
Level of support and involvement by the
wider university community for Indigenous education and the operations of the Centre |
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Recruitment
| Strategy |
Outcomes |
Performance Indicators |
| Local schools project |
Increasing numbers of local and regional
students seeking enrolment at USQ |
Increasing numbers of Indigenous
graduates |
| Western schools project |
‘ |
‘ |
| Coastal schools project |
‘ |
‘ |
| Metropolitan schools project |
‘ |
‘ |
| Recruitment drive for urban external
students |
Tap pool of under-utilised potentially
high performing students. Correct existing enrolment shortfall |
Shift in proportion of Indigenous urban
external students from 22% to 40% by 2001 |
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Student
Support
| Strategy |
Outcomes |
Performance Indicators |
| Counselling Support Programs |
Fewer stress-related problems with
students |
Improved Aboriginal and Torres Strait
Islander student performance in mainstream USQ courses |
| Peer Support Programs |
Increased retention and progression |
Increased graduation rates |
| Orientation Program |
Kumbari Ngurpai Lag acknowledged by the
community as a leading higher education centre for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander
people |
Increased numbers of Aboriginal and
Torres Strait Islander students graduating from mainstream USQ courses |
| Academic Monitoring |
Increased student progression rates |
Increasing graduation rates |
| Student Awareness Forums |
Increasing student political awareness |
Increased number of Aboriginal and
Torres Strait Islander students applying to USQ |
| Tutorial Assistance program |
A confident and skilled Aboriginal and
Torres Strait Islander student body |
Higher retention rate of Aboriginal and
Torres Strait Islander students participating in preparatory programs |
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies
and Development
| Strategy |
Outcomes |
Performance Indicators |
| Australian Indigenous Studies unit |
Increasing numbers of culturally
sensitive teachers |
Increasing numbers of Indigenous
students progressing through to tertiary study |
| Bachelor of Education Studies program |
Increasing numbers of Indigenous
teachers, especially secondary teachers |
Increasing numbers of Indigenous
students progressing through to tertiary study |
| Specialisation unit development |
Increasing numbers of specifically
trained teachers for Indigenous schools |
Increasing general awareness and
appreciation of Indigenous cultures |
| Preparatory studies program |
Increasing numbers of Indigenous
students progressing through to graduation |
Increased graduation rates |
| Rural Health unit |
Increasing numbers of rural nurses with
cultural awareness and sensitivity |
More effective rural health service
delivery resulting in improving health conditions amongst Indigenous peoples |
| Legal studies unit development |
Increasing numbers of students
progressing on to legal studies |
More Indigenous lawyers |
| Native Title and Indigenous Sovereignty
unit |
Greater awareness in the general
community of the facts relating to Native Title |
Reduced tension between the rural
community and Indigenous peoples |
| Biennial Pathways Conference |
Increase USQ and Centre profile on
local, state, national, and international levels |
Increased participation of delegates
from all levels and increased student numbers |
| Make Indigenous Studies available to all
USQ students |
Greater awareness of Indigenous culture
and issues; support for reconciliation |
Implementation |
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Research
| Strategy |
Outcomes |
Performance Indicators |
| Indigenous Research ethics |
Increased Indigenous research programs
operating out of USQ |
Adoption of culturally ethical
procedures by USQ |
| Community-based research program |
Educational programs which meet the
needs of the Indigenous community |
More highly educated Indigenous
community |
| Research forums program |
More informed staff and student body |
Increasing cooperative research programs
between Kumbari Ngurpai Lag and other Centres within USQ |
| Student awareness forums |
Greater political awareness of the
general student body about Indigenous issues |
Decreasing overt and covert racism on
campus |
| Research funding project |
Greater involvement of Kumbari Ngurpai
Lag in research projects |
Kumbari Ngurpai Lag accesses more
external funding to support research programs |
| Centre publication (Journal) as an
outlet for staff and student academic papers |
Provision of publication opportunities
for both students and staff |
Increased awareness and interest from
the community and other academics |
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Staff
Development
| Strategy |
Outcomes |
Performance Indicators |
| Indigenous staff sponsorships |
A unified and highly respected Kumbari
Ngurpai Lag staff team |
Improved Aboriginal and Torres Strait
Islander student performance in mainstream USQ courses |
| Staff Associates |
Increased number of qualified Aboriginal
and Torres Strait Islander staff on the Kumbari Ngurpai Lag team |
Improved Aboriginal and Torres Strait
Islander student performance in mainstream USQ courses |
| Development of articulated awards to
accredit Indigenous teacher aides |
Increased number of Indigenous teacher
aides |
Program development and implementation |
| International exchange program |
Kumbari Ngurpai Lag acknowledged as a
leading higher education centre for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people |
Improved Aboriginal and Torres Strait
Islander student performance in mainstream USQ courses |
| Staff skills audit |
Kumbari Ngurpai Lag acknowledged as a
leading higher education centre for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people |
Increased number of qualified Aboriginal
and Torres Strait Islander staff on the Kumbari Ngurpai Lag team |
| Consultancy projects |
Increased staff and Centre profiles |
Increased student numbers and higher
quality programs |
| Periodic review of Kumbari Ngurpai Lag |
Maximising efficiency and effectiveness
of the Centre; ensuring responsiveness to changing needs and operating environment |
All measures of Centre performance |
Educational strategy areas to be given particular
emphasis during the next triennium include:
targeting enrolment through the schools’
project recruitment strategies;
meet current enrolment shortfall through
recruitment of urban external students;
redeveloping courses and materials for
Indigenous students which are specifically tailored to meet their special needs and which
incorporate flexible delivery techniques and strategies—specifically the Preparatory
Studies Program and Bachelor of Education Studies;
refocussing student support efforts and
instigating new initiatives on the basis of the recent review of the Centre’s support
strategies—specifically counselling support program, peer support program,
orientation program, academic monitoring, and student awareness forums;
being more responsive to pursuing initiatives
arising from community consultations, eg tailoring the Bachelor of Education Studies for
the needs of Indigenous students, particularly Indigenous Education Workers, as a means of
promoting an increase in Indigenous teachers to serve the local community;
employing the outcomes of community-based
research programs to improve educational program development—specifically the
Bachelor of Education Studies Program, the Education specialisation, the Rural Health
Unit, and the Community-based Research Program; and
availability of Indigenous Studies to all USQ
students.
Performance in Access, Participation, Retention and Success
Indigenous Australian Student Equity Indicator
Summary: 1993–1998
(expressed as 'Martin Indicators' where parity =
1.0)
| |
Reference Year |
| Indicator |
1993 |
1994 |
1995 |
1996 |
1997 |
1998 |
| Access |
0.84 |
0.83 |
0.65 |
0.92 |
0.74 |
0.68 |
| Participation |
0.55 |
0.59 |
0.50 |
0.61 |
0.53 |
0.50 |
| Retention |
- |
0.57 |
0.64 |
0.50 |
0.51 |
0.61 |
| Success |
- |
0.41 |
0.51 |
0.36 |
0.42 |
0.48 |
The performance of Aboriginal and Torres Strait
Islander students at USQ has to be viewed in relation to its own particular mission in the
area of Indigenous education..
Firstly, up to 50% of USQ's Indigenous students
in any given year are enrolled in one of the few enabling programs available specifically
for Indigenous students in Australia. Such courses typically display low retention and
success rates (on the order of 30%) but provide an avenue for Indigenous students to
develop a realistic understanding of the demands of tertiary studies.
Secondly, around 70% of USQ's Indigenous student
population study in external mode, often from geographically isolated locations. Study
through the external mode places particular pressure on students, especially those
unfamiliar with the university environment and culture, and to those studying in isolated
areas where support services are not readily accessible.
USQ thus fills a special niche in Indigenous
higher education—providing rural and isolated students with the opportunity to study
from within their own communities (a preferred option for most Indigenous peoples) and
providing an opportunity for students to ‘taste’ an experience of university
study before needing to make a full commitment to this study. It is noteworthy that
retention and success indicators have improved steadily since 1996. However, participation
rates remain a concern. A recruitment strategy will be adopted to address this
situation—seeking to make up for the shortfall in enrolments by increasing
recruitment from the pool of urban Indigenous students who wish to study externally; thus
servicing a body of students that is currently under-serviced in south-east Queensland.
USQ will increase the proportion of Indigenous urban external students from the current
level of 22% to 40% by 2001 while maintaining its traditional student recruitment base in
rural and isolated areas.
Two major initiatives under consideration are the
widening of the availability of Indigenous Studies to all students and the development of
an articulated set of awards designed to accredit Indigenous teacher aides.
Contact Officer
Director
Kumbari Ngurpai Lag Higher Education Centre
University of Southern Queensland
Toowoomba QLD 4350
Telephone: 07 4631 1519
Facsimile: 07 4631 2764 |