The 2007 IHEAC Research Conference focussed on ways in which Indigenous research culture might be strengthened in Australian higher education.
The conference built on the 2005 and 2006 annual IHEAC conferences and was informed in particular by The IHEAC Strategic Plan 2006-2008, Improving Indigenous Outcomes and Enhancing Indigenous Culture and Knowledge in Australian Higher Education.
With regard to research and research training, the IHEAC seeks to encourage the development of a climate in Australian higher education where:
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the level of Indigenous postgraduate enrolment increases;
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the number of Indigenous researchers increases; and
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Indigenous research is strengthened and enhanced.
To achieve these objectives, as is the case for many of IHEAC’s priority areas, universities and government must collaborate to implement new strategies.
The 2007 IHEAC Research Conference has led to the development of a set of recommendations for consideration by governments, University councils, Vice-Chancellors and other University leaders and education research centres and agencies.
In summary, IHEAC recommends the provision of long term planning and radical new funding models that will bring about systemic change and facilitate the preparation of new researchers, support the development of Indigenous scholars and produce leading Indigenous scholarship.