The AIATSIS National Indigenous Studies conference, held in Canberra on 19-22 September, included two sessions on the Review of Higher Education Access and Outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander People. Both sessions invited delegates to learn about the review and to consider how universities might encourage Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people to stay, excel and succeed – as students, staff and researchers.
On Day 1 of the conference, Asmi Wood, Academic Advisor with the ANU College of Law, opened the Education and Identity stream. He outlined the current state of participation by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, and the process of consultations being undertaken by the review panel, which is being led by Professor Behrendt. He also spoke about his own centre’s success in recruiting and cultivating students who show promise but who might otherwise have missed out on a place.
Day 2 of the conference included a panel discussion about the review. The session was facilitated by Dr Christine Ewan, who has held senior positions in both higher education policy and the university sector. Panel members were:
- Mr Asmi Wood (Academic Advisor, College of Law, Australian National University, member of the Indigenous Higher Education Advisory Council, and Barrister and Solicitor, ACT)
- Dr Mere Berryman (Senior Research Fellow and Professional Development Director, Te Kotahitanga, Waikato University)
- Ms Janine Oldfield (Bachelor of Education lecturer, Desert People’s Centre, Batchelor Institute of Indigenous Tertiary Education)
- Ms Melissa Williams (Director, Indigenous Employment and Engagement, University of Western Sydney).
Panelists shared their observations on successful approaches to pedagogy, curriculum and employment in their own institutions. Asmi Wood argued that the ‘completion paradigm’ didn’t necessarily work for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students, particularly women, who follow very different pathways to higher education and the professions, including mature age entry.
Mere Berryman spoke about the extraordinary results from Te Kotahitanga in New Zealand, a research and professional development program that intervenes at various levels in the school structure to support teachers to create a culturally responsive environment for Maori students.
Janine Oldfield highlighted the high visibility of Indigenous culture and knowledge at Batchelor, a unique institution whose foundational principles are self determination for Indigenous Australians and ‘both ways’ philosophy (or the combination of Indigenous traditions of knowledge and Western academic disciplinary approaches).
Melissa Williams listed the drivers of success and outlined the role of the Indigenous Employment and Engagement Office at UWS. The UWS spans 7 campuses and services the largest urban Aboriginal population in Australia, 58% of whom are below the age of 28. The Office provides intensive case management to enhance student competiveness in the labour market, and works to connect the disciplines with employers. They have succeeded in placing hundreds of graduates in cadetships.
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