2016 Indigenous Education Statement

Please provide evidence of:

• strategies you have implemented which seek to achieve the AEP goals and your assessment of whether these strategies are working;
• constraints on your ability to achieve the AEP goals; and
• plans for future improvement of existing strategies or implementation of new strategies to meet each of the AEP goals relevant to higher education.

The AEP goals (paraphrased) relating to higher education are to:

1. Establish effective arrangements for the participation of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples in educational decision-making.
2. Increase the number of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples employed, as academic and non-academic staff in higher education institutions.
3. Ensure equitable access of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students to higher education.
4. Achieve the participation of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students in higher education, at rates commensurate with those of all other Australians.
5. Enable Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students to attain the same graduation rates from award courses in higher education as for other Australians.
6. To provide all Australian students with an understanding of and respect for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander traditional and contemporary cultures.

1. Establish effective arrangements for the participation of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in educational decision-making.

Your response to this goal needs to address but is not limited to the following points:

• The number of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people involved in School/Directorate governance and decision-making bodies and processes and the nature of their involvement,
  i.e. memberships on boards, committees etc.
• If there is no Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander membership on key governance and decision-making bodies, please provide an explanation.
• The roles and responsibilities of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander leaders within your institution.

Encouraging and increasing Indigenous representation within governing and decision-making bodies, such as the University of New England (UNE) Council, Academic Board and other University Committees, as well as in management positions, is a core focus for UNE, as set out in the University’s Strategic Plan.

Participation of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people on decision-making bodies and in decision-making processes as part of the institutional governance of the University was found within the following positions and representation in 2016 as set out below:

• Lisa Shipley, an Indigenous lecturer in the School of Rural Medicine, is a member of the UNE Academic Board.
• Human Research Ethics Committee (HREC) is the University Ethics Committee includes the Oorala Director.
• Directorship of the Oorala Aboriginal Centre
• The role of Elder-in-Residence, Oorala
• University Teaching and Learning Committee: Leader of Oorala Academic team
• Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Employment Strategy Governance Committee: Oorala Indigenous Academic Advisor and UNE Aboriginal Employment Officer.
• Council of Heads of School: Oorala Director
• Enrolment Steering Committee: Oorala Student Services Manager
• Student Administration & Services Forum: Oorala Student Services Manager.
• An Indigenous scholars served on the Course Advisory Board for the Bachelor of Media and Communications and related courses that underwent a major review in November 2016. He has also advised on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander content in units in his area of expertise.
• In the School of Health, the CEO of the Congress of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Nurses and Midwives (CATSINaM) is a member of the Bachelor of Nursing stakeholder group.
• School of Education Teaching and Learning Committee: Senior Lecturer, Oorala
• Library Advisory Committee: Oorala Lecturer
• First-year Experience Committee: Oorala Lecturer
• UNE’s WH&S Working Group, HR User Group and Finance User Group: Resource & Compliance Officer.
• The University’s academic schools take advice from advisory committees, with both internal and external representation (depending upon purpose) at the School, discipline or course level. This is designed to ensure that perspectives and needs of key stakeholders are included. For example, the School of Health consults and reviews with its External Advisory Committees on the development of nursing and counselling curricula; the relevant Nursing Committee includes Indigenous representation from UNE and the Congress of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Nurses (CATSIN).
• School of Law Advisory Board includes the Director, Oorala Aboriginal Centre, as an ex-officio member.
• The School of Law has an Aboriginal academic as a member of the School’s Teaching and Learning Committee.
• The School of Education has Mr Steve Widders, an Anaiwan Elder, is Patron of the School of Education and is invited to significant occasions held in the School.
• The Oorala Aboriginal Centre is represented on the School of Education Teaching & Learning Committee by Mr Guido Posthausen for the TRACKS Tertiary Preparation Program.
• A local Aboriginal Clinical and Counselling Psychologist was invited to be a member of the Clinical Psychology Advising Liaison Committee that meets twice per year.

In 2016, Aboriginal representation on governance committees is limited to the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Employment Strategy Governance Committee. There are a minimum of 3 Aboriginal staff members on this Committee.

In last 2016 UNE decided to establish an Indigenous Governance Working Party to examine best practice in the areas of education policy directed at Indigenous students, employment policy and in Indigenous governance. This working party will be chaired by the Oorala Director and will report to the UNE Executive in mid-2017.

Future plans

Discussions have begun with a senior consultant for Aboriginal Employment, Ms Pam Widders, on a training scheme to involve three Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students in a possible TAFE articulated scheme where practicum work is undertaken in the Schools of Environmental and Rural Sciences and Science and Technology.

2. Increase the number of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander staff employed as academic and non-academic staff in higher education institutions.

Your response to this goal needs to address, but is not limited to, the following points:

• An outline of your current Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Employment Strategy including details on its current status, who has responsibility for its implementation, how is progress measured, how and when is progress reviewed or evaluated.
• Information on your strategies for increasing numbers of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander staff employed in your School/Directorate. (Please provide a link to your Employment statement).
• The number of Indigenous-specific positions at your University, detailed by occupation and level.
• The current number of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander staff at your University and their roles across the University (including numbers in academic and non-academic roles, and by level).

Aboriginal Lecturer in the School of Rural Medicine, Ms Lisa Shipley, and Aboriginal Support Officer, Ms Shannon Smith, were appointed to develop and run the Kruki Summer School for Indigenous medical students. These short-term contract appointments were funded by a Higher Education Participation and Partnership Program (HEPPP) grant from the Australian Government Department of Education and Training.

In late 2016, Lisa Shipley was directly appointed on a 0.5 FTE basis. With ongoing HEPPP funding, the School of Rural Medicine will continue to employ Lisa Shipley in 2017 at a lecturer level on a full-time basis to both deliver the HEPPP program and to assist with delivering the Indigenous health curriculum of the Joint Medical Program (a joint initiative with the University of Newcastle), to increase engagement with those Indigenous students enrolled in the JMP at UNE and to progress her research profile.

The School of Arts continued to engage an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Research Assistant on the research project, “Nourishing Culture and Developing Social Capital in a Community Garden. This project is led by Dr Katherine Wright, postdoctoral research Fellow in the School of Arts. There is ongoing opportunity for the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Creative Practice Scholars in the School of Arts, to be involved in marking and teaching within units that are relevant to their expertise.

The School of Behavioural, Cognitive and Social Sciences engaged a local Indigenous Psychologist to provide training for psychology students and to work closely with the Deputy Head of School and Director of the Psychology Clinical Program.  A criminology research group examining Indigenous Adult Education in Bourke NSW engaged an Indigenous research assistant. Indigenous HDR students were recruited as research assistants on natural resource management projects

Table 1 – Permanent positions

Table 2 – Casual and fixed-term positions

Table 3 – Indigenous-specific positions

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Employment Strategy

The UNE Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Employment Strategy 2013–2018 (the Strategy) details the University’s commitment to increasing the representation of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples as UNE employees.

The Strategy identifies four objectives representing the key results areas of the Strategy:

• Community Partnerships – strengthening relations between the community and UNE;
• Career Development – building meaningful career paths for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander staff;
• Becoming a Good Employer – building understanding and appreciation of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander culture and appropriate workforce management practices;
• Attracting and Retaining – increasing meaningful employment options for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples; and,
• Includes aspirational employment targets for Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait peoples in permanent/continuing positions across UNE.

Responsibility for meeting these targets has been devolved to the Schools and Directorates. An exemption from the Australian Human Rights Commission (NSW) was successfully sought to increase the number of targeted positions to 30 by the end of 2018.

In 2016, the Strategy was overseen by the UNE Human Resources Directorate.

Engagement with Schools and Directorates by the Aboriginal Employment Officer facilitates identification of suitable positions and candidates for identified or designated positions. Relationships with local job agencies has also been established.

To promote a culturally appropriate workforce the University introduced a one-day cultural awareness workshop that has been attended by senior management and staff from across the University. These workshops promote an awareness and understanding of the valuable contribution of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community has made to UNE and to foster a strong commitment from staff at all levels to the recruitment and retention of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander staff.

In 2016 the University increased the number of Indigenous PhD candidates by awarding four fully-funded stipends for Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander students commencing in the 2016 academic year, with an additional four to be awarded commencing in 2017. Fully funded stipends beyond 2017 will be subject to the availability of ongoing funds. These stipends are awarded for students studying toward the achievement of a research masters/doctoral qualification. Casual engagement in academic roles has been established. Future employment in academic roles is a possible outcome for these students on completion of their studies with the potential to address the under representation of Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander academic staff in the future.

In 2016 UNE formed an Indigenous Governance Working Party to work on the three connected issues of increasing Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander employment, developing an Indigenous Employment Policy and Indigenous governance at UNE. The Working Party has representation from Schools, Directorates and senior executive. It is due to report in 2017.

3. Ensure equitable access of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students to higher education.

Your response to this goal needs to address but is not limited to the following points:

• Commencing Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander student numbers for 2016 (access rate) as compared to 2015 (please provide an all student comparison).
• Programs run, by the University, to improve access by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students.
• Details on outreach activities and their effectiveness, in attracting Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students. (See table below).
• Details of Indigenous-specific and other scholarships offered by your University.(See table below).
• Promotion of scholarships to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students and take-up rates, including reasons for low take-up of available scholarships.
• Indigenous Education/Support Unit’s role.

UNE identifies Indigenous access, participation and retention in higher education as a strategic priority and this is reflected in UNE’s Mission-based Compact 2014–2016. The provision of alternative entry pathways to UNE for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students has proven to be a successful strategy to improve access, with the number of commencing Indigenous students growing steadily (see table below).

Retention and completion remain the focus for ongoing improvement activity and UNE acknowledges that improving access to higher education for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander candidates will require a sustained University-wide commitment to implement short, medium and long-term priorities as outlined in UNE’s Strategic Plan 2016–2020 and it subordinate Teaching and Learning Strategic Plan 2012–2016 and the Research Plan 2016–2020, that include the following strategies:

• Provide effective academic scaffolding and support services.
• Innovate in the recruitment and retention of regional, remote and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students and staff, particularly within the New England region.
• Employ innovative recruitment and retention activities aimed at regional, remote and Indigenous students, particularly within the New England region.
• Develop innovative partnerships focused on students from low SES areas and Indigenous students (e.g. alternative entry pathways, scholarships, strategic courses) that build capacity in these students and their communities.
• Ensure our graduate attributes promote social and cultural understanding including an appreciation of Indigenous culture and history.
• Establish alternative pathways and academic support programs that address Indigenous and low SES student participation in higher degree programs.

Commencing Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students

Programs to improve access (Oorala)

Programs to improve access (School of Rural Medicine)

Programs to improve access (Schools of Law and Business)

Programs to improve access (Schools of Humanities)

Programs to improve access (Schools of Health)

Outreach activities (Oorala)

Outreach activities (Schools of Business and Law)

Outreach activities (School of Behavioural, Cognitive and Social Sciences)

• BCSS is committed to enhancing the learning outcome for ATSI students by embedding indigenous content in the curriculum, consulting with indigenous experts on course content, and including material and relevant links on the units Moodle site.

Outreach activities (School of Environmental and Rural Sciences, and the School of Science and Technology)

Outreach activities (School of Rural Medicine)

Outreach activities (School of Health)

Outreach activities (School of Humanities)

Outreach activities (Marketing and Public Affairs)

Scholarships

Scholarships (continued)

NEW 2016 Indigenous Commonwealth Equity Scholarships

Continuing 2016 Indigenous Commonwealth Equity Scholarships

School of Education

• The School of Education supported Mr Michael Kirk to attend two conferences run by the Higher Education Participation and Partnerships Program (HEPPP) “Schools and University Connect Project” – the conferences were held in Coffs Harbour (24-26 November 2016) and Parramatta (30 November – 02 December 2016).
• The NSW Department of Education provides scholarships for students to teach in high Aboriginal student enrolment schools (known as the Enhanced Teacher Education Training Project), to undertake a program which includes addressing specific issues in working with Aboriginal children in schools and with their local communities. As part of this program, each student must undertake a project with the local Indigenous community, working with the local community, its Elders and liaison officers in Schools. This project, coordinated by the Head of School, must be approved by Oorala, to ensure cultural appropriateness, as well as sustainable outcomes for the students at the school and in the local community. Enhanced links were made with Oorala to provide local indigenous knowledge in a formal manner to the students involved.
• The School of Education supported Mr Michael Kirk in tailoring his academic program so he could be included in the New Colombo Plan $3,000 scholarship to engage with the Short Study Program held in Bhutan October 2016.

Promotion of scholarships to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students

UNE promotion of scholarship opportunities for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students in 2016 included:

• UNE Undergraduate and Commonwealth Equity Scholarships are advertised on UNE’s Scholarships homepage at: http://www.une.edu.au/study/scholarships/undergraduate-scholarships
• In 2016 UNE also increased targeted online promotions through its ‘blog’ and social media channels, direct promotion via bulk emails to all enrolled Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students and to enrolment cohorts from this group who met specific eligibility. These strategies, together with information for dissemination through Oorala Aboriginal Centre, aimed to increase demand for scholarships where low take-up rates were identified. UNE Schools also promoted scholarships to students in specific disciplines.

4. Achieve the participation of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students in higher education, at rates commensurate with those of all other Australians.

Your response to this goal needs to address but is not limited to the following points:

• The total number of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander student enrolments for 2016, compared to 2015 (please provide an all student comparison).
• Details of your Universities’ strategies to address Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander student participation.
• Indigenous Education/Support Unit’s role.

The total number of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander student enrolments is as follows:

Strategies to address participation (School of Rural Medicine)

Strategies to address participation (Schools of Business and Law)

Strategies to address participation (School of Behavioural, Cognitive and Social Sciences)

Strategies to address participation (School of Health)

Strategies to address participation (School of Arts)

Strategies to address participation (Oorala)

5. Enable Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students to attain the same completion rates from award courses in higher education as for other Australians.

Your response to this goal needs to address but is not limited to the following points:

• The total number of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander student completions at Bachelor level and above in 2016, compared to 2015 (please provide an all student comparison).
• Support mechanisms you have in place to assist Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students to complete their study.
• Indigenous Education/Support Unit’s role.

The totals for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander student completions at Bachelor level and above (62 in 2014, 41 in 2015 and 42 in 2016) reflect an unacceptably low rate compared to all students. In response, UNE and the Oorala Aboriginal Centre refocussed efforts directed towards improving student retention and completion.

UNE’s strategies to increase access and support for students in Bachelor degrees and postgraduate courses including higher degrees, are expected to improve this trend over the medium term. We expect completions to increase in the coming years because the commencing numbers have increased from 286 to 364 from 2014 to 2015. The slight drop to 340 commencing students in 2016 is not seen at this stage to be part of a trend. Oorala’s student numbers in its pathways program – TRACKS – continues to increase. We are employing a consultant in 2017 to develop some statistics around why people who complete the TRACK program don’t enrol in a course and whether those who do have greater success than non-TRACKS students.

Degree and postgraduate student completions, 2013–15

Support mechanisms (Library)

Support mechanisms (Schools of Business and Law)

Support mechanisms (School of Behavioural, Cognitive and Social Sciences)

Support mechanisms (School of Education)

Support mechanisms (Oorala)

6. To provide all Australian students with an understanding of and respect for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander traditional and contemporary cultures.

Your response to this goal needs to address but is not limited to the following points:

• Details of how and to what extent Indigenous perspectives are reflected in curriculum at your University.
• How the University addresses the cultural competency of its staff and students.
• The University’s involvement with Indigenous community members in working toward this goal.
• Indigenous Education/Support Unit’s role.

Curriculum

The units offered by the Oorala Aboriginal Centre

Students taking the units offered by Oorala:

School of Rural Medicine

The Joint Medical Program (with the University of Newcastle) (JMP) is accredited by the Australian Medical Council (AMC) as meeting AMC Standards for a primary medical program provided by an Australian University. In accrediting the JMP BMed program, the AMC has acknowledged that the graduates of the JMP meet the expected graduate attributes. The ability to work effectively, competently and safety in a diverse cultural environment include Indigenous cultures is one of the graduate attributes expected of a student completing the JMP. Graduates of the JMP are expected to have knowledge, understanding and skills in Indigenous Health. Students are required to complete the Indigenous Health component of the JMP BMed, and undertake the required assessments to demonstrate their knowledge of Indigenous Health and competencies in understanding the Indigenous culture. The course outcomes that were added to the BMedSc/MD which are specific to Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islanders are:

• demonstrate that they respect and embrace the history, culture and diversity of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples; and
• demonstrate that they are committed to providing culturally competent, holistic, patient-centred care for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.

For the Unit MEDI1101A, the specific unit outcomes are:

• demonstrate an understanding of the core principles of cultural competence and the skills for sensitively identifying patients of Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander origin;
• apply fundamental tools and principles of epidemiology to identify and measure the burden of illness of major health challenges facing Australia and other countries, including the gaps in health status and outcomes of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people;
• apply fundamental tools and principles of epidemiology to identify and measure the burden of illness of major health challenges facing Australia and other countries, including the gaps in health status and outcomes of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.

School of Health

• The BN curriculum is inclusive of the current guidelines for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander history, culture and health set by the Congress of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Nurses and Midwives.
• All undergraduate BN / MNP students in the School of Health undertake the Aboriginal Health unit delivered through Oorala.
• Other units offer case studies and address specific health needs of ATIS peoples at a range of points within the BN and MNP courses.

School of Education

• Acknowledgement of Country is included at the beginning of every formal lecture (and lecture recording).
• Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Cultures and Histories is a cross-curriculum priority area in the Australian Curriculum.  Selected resources, texts for student analysis and readings incorporating Indigenous perspectives are included in unit materials and activities.
• All Course and Unit Coordinators are specifically invited to include Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander perspectives, readings and education implications in their courses and units.  All Education courses (undergraduate and postgraduate) include Aboriginal Education units, which detail Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander perspectives and also cover the history of education, policy and government acts in Australia with implications for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.

School of Environmental and Rural Sciences

• Traditional Ecological knowledge is taught in first year in ECOL100 (Ecology: Concepts and Applications) and at higher levels (e.g. EM353 Conservation Biology). Our lecturers explain that Science is one of many knowledge systems, but that it is important to consider other systems for additional information that can inform holistic management of ecosystems. An important axiom of what we teach is that traditional knowledge depends on country for its context and significance, and that Aboriginal systems of knowledge are place and people specific.
• Indigenous perspectives are examined in the first year curriculum in unit RSNR110: Sustaining our Rural Environment 1 - taken by all environmental, agricultural and engineering courses in the School of ERS through field excursions, lectures and in class discussions. At the end of this unit students: understand the importance of land to cultural and spiritual identity of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people; know recent changes in legal opinion and government policy in relation to native title and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander heritage; and appreciate the significance of changes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. They are examined on their cultural understanding in the final examination;
• ERS includes a core unit at third year – EM312 Environmental Impact Assessment - where students learn about indigenous considerations and requirements for development. There are speakers in from Office of Environment and Heritage to explain the policy and legal safeguards for indigenous cultural heritage. Students are examined on this;
• Throughout the programs ERS also have a number of elective units that consider natural resource management and policy in which Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander traditional and contemporary culture values are addressed.
• In 2016 ERS had a review of Environmental Science courses at UNE and the Oorala Aboriginal Centre provided comprehensive consultation response as below.  Consequently, one of the recommendations in the review report was for increased and mapped integration of Indigenous perspectives into the degree and units, and to work with the Oorala Centre to explore pathways to better enable Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students to pursue the degrees.  The recommendations of the report are for a 5 year period. To work with the Oorala Centre is to be implemented.

School of Arts

• The School of Arts Operational Plan 2016–2018 included a new initiative – Indigenous Arts and Knowledge – with the School to become a hub for the development of Indigenous-based arts curricula aimed at recruiting and retaining higher Indigenous student numbers and developing high-profile branding around Indigenous research and epistemologies, especially related to the creative arts.
• COMM381/581: The Art of Documentary. This unit includes modules on The Language of (Australian) Cinema;
• THEA318:  Minorities and Majorities in Australian Theatre. This unit explores issues of power and identity (including gender, race, class and sexuality) within the context of recent Australian Theatre. Some of the topics to be covered are: women's theatre; multicultural theatre; Aboriginal theatre; and gay and lesbian theatre.

School of Business

Indigenous content is embedded in a number of courses and units through UNE Business School, e.g. MM591 ‘Managing Across Cultures’ and MM545 ‘Organisational Leadership’ which includes topics regarding ‘Employing Indigenous Australians’; also MM200 ‘Contemporary Management’ has a broad focus on cultural diversity and social inclusion is addressed. The UNE Business School’s Master of Economic and Regional Development includes a major in Indigenous Futures which seeks to prepare students for a career involved in community and regional development projects.

School of Law

Within the UNE Bachelor of Laws program there are 6 core units and 6 elective units that include Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander content (LAW101, LAW157, LAW164, LAW272, LAW281, LAW301, LAW312, LAW313, LAW314, LAW341, LAW358, LAW389, LAW400. For example, the core unit LAW101, Law in Context, includes Race and the Law with a focus on the colonisation and the historical treatment of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.

School of Science and Technology

• PHAR210 Pharmacy Practice I - Team written case study: students are required to develop a case on cross-cultural communication when trying to explain how medicines work.  While not specifically stipulated, the majority of students choose to develop a case involving an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander patient;
• PHAR222 Pharmacology I - Specific discussion of the differences in the risk factors and incidence/prevalence of cardiovascular disease in Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal Australian populations;
• PHAR310 Pharmacy Practice II - Specific discussion of cross-cultural communication with regards to patient counselling of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander patients with cardiovascular disease and discussion of differences in responses to medicines across different racial/ethnic groups including Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander individuals;
• PHAR320 Pharmacy Practice III - Day-long Cultural Awareness training with Dave Widders, a local Anaiwan man. This was increased from the half-day session provided previously.  Specific discussion of cross-cultural communication with regards to patient counselling of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander patients with mental health disorders and discussion of differences in responses to medicines across different racial/ethnic groups including Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander individuals;
• PHAR410 Pharmacy Practice IV and PHAR420 Pharmacy Practice V - Reinforce discussions from PHAR310 and PHAR320 regarding Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander patients with cardiovascular disease and/or mental health disorders.

School of Behavioural, Cognitive and Social Sciences

• BCSS's Teaching and Learning Committee is exploring making OORA 200 a core or listed unit in courses offered by the School.
• The Clinical Psychology Program provides students with a two day Intensive School delivered by an Aboriginal Psychologist, to support an understanding of sociocultural issues relevant to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.
• The school has 21 units with some ATSI content including Indigenous languages, linguistics, Language and   the Law, psychology and sociology.
• Indigenous issues are a feature of most of the criminology units (such as: CRIM314, CRIM324, CRIM305, CRIM306) with featured indigenous perspectives through guest lectures.
• The staff at the Institute of Rural Futures (IRF) have research projects that deal with indigenous natural resource management which involves indigenous HDR students.
• There are plans to develop an indigenous component on water allocations for a new post graduate course being developed for Geography and Planning.
• New Geography degrees in Community Planning and Development will include units on indigenous issues and will likely be attractive to Local Land Councils.

Cultural competency

UNE’s Cultural Connections 2016 course was run by HR’s Senior Aboriginal Employment Consultant, in conjunction with the Oorala Aboriginal Centre. During 2016, 60 UNE staff participated in the workshops.

School of Rural Medicine (SRM)

Indigenous health is a core component of the JMP BMed program delivered by SRM. Students receive training in this component as well in communication skills with culturally diverse groups including Indigenous peoples. Staff are expected to attend cultural awareness training provided by UNE.

School of Arts

Staff are expected to participate in the University’s Cultural Immersion Program and are encouraged to avail themselves of other professional development opportunities.

School of Humanities

The School continues to contribute a range of units available in the TRACKS Tertiary Preparation Program. These currently include:

• ARPA100            Great Excavations: Key Discoveries in Archaeology
• ARPA104             Archaeology: Principles and Practices
• ANCH111             Introduction to Ancient Rome
• HIST150              Colonial Australia
• HIST151              Modern Australia
• PEAC100             Introduction to Peace Studies
• RELS180             Exploring the Sacred
• RELS182             World Religions Today
• RELS184             Magic and the Supernatural in History and Culture

Other units with a focus on Aboriginal Australia include ARPA302 (Aboriginal Archaeology), ARPA352 (Public Archaeology and Management), HIST354 (Aboriginal History Since the Late 18th Century), and HIST338 (Australian Frontiers: Rural and Regional Histories).

The School continues to teach a suite of undergraduate and postgraduate units which focus on Indigeneity, addressed in the Australian context and comparatively with international examples. These units are available to Indigenous and non-Indigenous students and are offered in a range of awards. In the BA and related awards students can major in Indigenous Studies. Current (2017) Units taught are:

• IDIG102                 Introduction to Indigenous Australia
• IDIG103                 Indigeneity: A Global Experience
• IDIG301/501          Analysing Change in Indigenous Societies: Politics and Public Policy
• IDIG305/505          Indigenous Business and Community Development
• IDIG306/506          Indigenous Health
• IDIG311/511          Indigenous Peoples and Colonisation: Land & Nature.

In 2016, following the review of the Indigenous Studies Major, a revised Indigenous Studies major was agreed and has commenced in 2017. The course continues to offer national and global perspectives on indigeneity, including units taught through Oorala. Additionally, the School has developed a new Foundation unit (HUMS103) for the BA degree entitled “Controversies: Foundations of Critical Social Analysis” that includes case studies related to Indigenous issues in Australia.

School of Behavioural, Cognitive and Social Sciences

• A number of BCSS staff have completed the cultural awareness training made available to staff through the Human Resource Services directorate.
• Senior staff in BCSS have met with Oorala staff to discuss strategies to enhance teaching and address issues and needs of Indigenous students.
• There are number of ongoing research projects that involve aboriginal communities for example, a participatory model of community engagement and is collaborative with the Bourke and Enngonia Aboriginal communities. An informal session with community members has been hosted and catered by BCSS researchers in the field and it is anticipated that future sessions will be similarly hosted. Throughout the research it is hoped that access to education will be improved, as this access is a guiding principle of the research.
• Sociology is intending on introducing an element of competence and sensitivity in their introductory unit (SOCY100) that will provide all Australian students with an understanding of and respect for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander traditional and contemporary cultures.

Involvement with Indigenous community members

School of Rural Medicine (SRM)

Members of the Executive at SRM are liaising with Oorala Aboriginal Centre to develop a tailored cultural awareness training program for staff of the School.

Lisa Shipley, Lecturer is in working negotiations with the AMS’s i.e. Pat Dixon Centre (Armidale); Armajan (Inverell & Walcha); Pius X (Moree & Toomelah) and Tamworth Aboriginal Medical Service.

She has also:

• attended meetings of the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet to advocate for equity in “Rural” Aboriginal education and health outcomes.
• initiated discussions with Hunter New England Local Health District Population Health Aboriginal Team for future lecture and research relationships with the SRM.
• established working relationship with UNE Futures Campus Parramatta who promoted Kruki through Sydney networks and through their social media

School of Arts

East Armidale New Indigenous Community Garden project is a collaborative project with involvement of the Aboriginal Oorala Centre, TAFE New England, Jobs Australia, Best Employment, the Clontarf Academy (Armidale High School), The Armidale School and UNE.

School of Health

The Coledale Health and Education Clinic is a partnership between the SoH, UNE and Walhallow Health (an Aboriginal Medical Service) for the purpose of providing health services to a disadvantaged community (primarily Aboriginal) and education opportunities to Indigenous and non-indigenous nursing and allied health students.

School of Humanities

The School has several researchers working directly with Indigenous communities on Indigenous issues. These include several staff in Archaeology such as Dr Mark Moore (e.g. Narran Lakes project), Prof Martin Gibbs (Walcha project), Adj Assoc Prof Wendy Beck (Working Ancient Wetlands ARC project) and Adj Prof June Ross (Kimberley Rock Art ARC Project). As UNE’s students are regularly involved in the field components of these research projects, they assist in helping students to develop an understanding of and respect for Aboriginal traditional and contemporary culture, alongside the many unit offerings outlined above.

School of Behavioural, Cognitive and Social Sciences

• The School of BCSS is committed to increasing a diverse range of indigenous voices in units, both through readings and invitations to guest lecture in units.
• Geography and Planning staff on behalf of the NSW Department of Planning and Environment are expected to provide planning training for a number of Local Land Councils.
• Criminology staff at the school work in partnership with the management committee of the Armidale Neighbourhood Centre which supports family violence indigenous women.
• An adjunct Senior Lecturer in Linguistics, Margaret Sharpe, met as a member of the Yugambeh Language Advisory Committee at the Yugambeh Museum at Beenleigh, Qld, in May to finalise the Yugambeh language orthography, and plan what should be covered in a last semester 2017 introduction of the course in Prep classes in a few schools on the Gold Coast, the traditional country of the Yugambeh people.

All enrolments

Commencing

Oorala Aboriginal Centre would like to thank the following Directorates and Schools of The University of New England for their contribution to the preparation of the 2016 Indigenous Education Statement:

The following UNE directorates contributed to this statement:

• Oorala Aboriginal Centre
• Audit and Risk
• Stewardship and Research Officer
• UNE Marketing
• Strategy & Planning
• Research Services
• Human Resource Services
• Corporate Intelligence Unit
• UNE Life (including SportUNE)
• Dixson Library
• Teaching and Learning Support (TALS)

The following UNE academic schools contributed to this statement:

• School of Arts
• School of Behavioural, Cognitive and Social Sciences
• School of Business
• School of Education
• School of Environmental and Rural Sciences
• School of Health
• School of Humanities
• School of Law
• School of Rural Medicine
• School of Science and Technology

Gregory Davison
Director, Oorala Aboriginal Centre

Please use the financial acquittal template attached to report on the expenditure of your University’s ISP grant for 2016, noting that a breakdown of expenditure is required (e.g. salary and travel breakdown). Where ISP expenditure does not match the audited annual financial statements for the year ending 31 December 2016 provided under section 19-10 of Higher Education Support Act 2003, please provide reconciliation.

Please nominate contact officers for all policy and operational matters regarding your Indigenous Education Statement, including name(s), position title, phone number and email address.

Where your Indigenous Education Unit has been consulted in the development of this Indigenous Education Statement, please provide the contact details of the relevant staff member.

Following approval of the IES by PM&C, universities are to publish the current and the previous two IES on their website. The documents are required to be externally accessible to the public.