2017 Indigenous Education Statement

Please provide evidence of:

• implemented strategies for improving access, participation, retention and success of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students;
• increased participation of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples in the university’s decision-making processes; and
• an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander employment strategy.

Enrolments (Access)

Your response to this area needs to address the following points:

• strategies to improve access to university for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students;
• scholarships, bridging/enabling support and outreach activities;
• the rise or fall of Indigenous Equivalent Full-Time Student Loads (EFTSL);
• the rise and fall of EFTSL of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students from remote and regional areas; and
• which strategies are directly funded by ISSP, partly funded by ISSP or funded by other university resources.

1.1    Strategies to improve access

Safe and welcoming environment

UNE provides a safe and welcoming environment for Indigenous students. This has grown our reputation as a university of choice for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students.

The School of Business and Law PEER mentoring program for all students was promoted to Indigenous students to engender a feeling of inclusion and as an academic support.

Oorala and the School of Health ran “Youth Development Day” – this outreach activity is a one-day orientation workshop providing interested Indigenous people with an introduction to the Bachelor of Nursing. The School also ran a Mentor Program for Indigenous Bachelor of Nursing students offering up to two hours of mentoring per unit/per week.

HEPPP projects – Experience Days and High School Leadership Camps

During the year Oorala ran 4 camps and 4 experience days for Indigenous high school students. The camps attracted 81 students and was support by $200,000 in HEPPP funding. The Experience Days attracted 66 students and was supported by $46,500 in HEPPP funding.

“Switched On UNE” – STEM program

The “Switched On” UNE Indigenous STEM Program embedded Indigenous cultural and technological traditions into mathematics education The pilot project provided opportunities for 38 Indigenous years 7-9 high school students to engage positively with mathematics by using Indigenous cultural and technological traditions as a means to explore mathematical concepts. It engaged local Elders and UNE staff from the Rural and Environmental Science discipline in a series of workshops based around an on-country experience. The program was funded through an external grant and was designed to:

• make mathematics more accessible and appealing to students,
• lead to greater uptake of mathematics in years 11 and 12.
• show the pathway for students to enter courses in STEM disciplines at university
• increase the number of Indigenous graduates who will have the capacity to pursue science-based careers in the future.

Student and Administrative Services

Two Aboriginal designated positions exist within the customer services and admissions team. These staff provide support for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander inquiries.

Rural Medicine

The HEPPP-funded Kruki Program was implemented in 2017 for the third consecutive year. The five-day residential program was attended by 14 high school students (years 9 -12) of Aboriginal background who were interested in studying medicine at UNE.

The Joint Medical Program has an Indigenous entry pathway through the Miroma Bunbilla Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Pre-entry to Medicine Program hosted by UNE and the University of Newcastle. In 2017, we had one student commence medicine at UNE from this program.

1.2    Scholarships

Apart from Commonwealth Equity Scholarships, UNE offers a wide range of scholarships specifically for Indigenous students at UNE, both publicly funded and from private donors.

In 2017, Oorala began a collaboration with the NSW Aboriginal Housing Office to make available accommodation scholarships to Indigenous students at UNE.

The School of Business and Law’s Aboriginal Support Officer, in conjunction with the Oorala Centre, coordinated several meetings with potential scholarship providers from some of Australia’s major accounting firms to offer Indigenous scholarships in 2018.

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 address specific issues in working with Aboriginal children in schools and with their local communities. Each student must undertake a project with the local Indigenous community, local Elders and Aboriginal Education 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.

Scholarships (2017 breakdown)

1.3    Bridging and enabling courses

A total of 114 Indigenous students were enrolled in UNE Enabling Programs in 2017.
35 students were enrolled in UNE award courses who had come through a UNE Enabling course.

1.4    Outreach activities

The School of Arts ran a practice-led honours-level research project in Theatre Studies. This included community outreach involving Indigenous Elders and creative practitioners, as well as a successful public performance supported and promoted by the School.

During 2017, the School of BCSS had the following outreach sessions:

• Dr Jenny Wise led a criminology information session for 20 Indigenous high school girls as part of the Senior Girls Youth Leadership Development Camp on 24 August.
• On 21 September Criminology staff held a ‘Meet and Greet’ lunch with Indigenous Criminology students.
• Dr Natalie Thomas led a criminology information session for 35 Indigenous high school girls as part of the Oorala Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Junior Girls Camp, 1-3 November.
• Dr Natalie Thomas and Dr Helena Menih led a criminology information session as part of Oorala Aboriginal Centre’s University Experience Days for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander year 10 and 11 students from local high schools on 13 December.
• Adjunct Senior Lecturer in Linguistics, Margaret Sharpe, met with 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 introductory course in classes in some schools on the Gold Coast, the traditional country of the Yugambeh people.
• There are number of ongoing research projects with Aboriginal communities. For example, a participatory model of community engagement in collaboration with the Bourke and Enngonia Aboriginal communities. An informal session with community members was hosted by BCSS researchers.

School of Environment and Rural Science and the School of Science and Technology

A HSC Booster Day for year 12 students from rural and regional NSW was held. The Schools particularly encourage Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students to attend. Meals and accommodation were provided for students living over 100km from Armidale. The Schools provided intensive help to students with their HSC studies, a campus tour and hands on activities. 900 students attended this event and over 400 were accommodated.

School of Science and Technology

“Far Out Science” target audience is Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students from rural and remote areas and low socio-economic areas. The event targets both primary school (years 5-6) and high school students (years 7-9) and their teachers. Far out Science is a two day event held at UNE to showcase the wide world of science and to celebrate the fun, exciting and intriguing side of science.

School of Education

The Riddim & Poetry project aims to support Aboriginal school children’s engagement with school and nourish their literacy skills through rhythm and poetry workshops. The workshops, designed and delivered in collaboration with Beyond Empathy (a not-for-profit organisation – http://be.org.au/), focus on enabling students to use and learn the local Aboriginal languages spoken in the Armidale area. The workshops were implemented at Minimbah Aboriginal School in October and November 2017.

School of Health

The School of Health is a member of the Congress of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Nurses and Midwives (CATSINaM) – the peak body representing Indigenous nurses and midwives in Australia. Each year CATSINaM holds an annual Professional Development Conference. In 2017, this was attended by Professor Kim Usher (former Head of School), an academic nursing lecturer and four indigenous nursing students.

1.5    Indigenous student numbers

Over the three decades since the Oorala Aboriginal Centre was established, UNE has been committed to the challenging and rewarding work of helping Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people find purpose and meaning in education.

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Enrolments 2017

2017 saw the largest growth in Indigenous enrolments at UNE with a total of 879 having been enrolled in UNE courses, reaching 3.57% of the total student population – a 0.5 percentage point increase over 2016. Total EFTSL for Indigenous students at UNE reached 442.5.

Student Profile – prepared 11/12/2017 by UNE Corporate Intelligence Unit.

This is the 6th year of sustained growth in Aboriginal student enrolments.

This increase in enrolments is also reflected in post-graduate degrees with an increase of 35 enrolments (142 compared to 107). This may be an indication that Oorala’s work with UNE Research Services in attracting and better supporting postgraduate students is paying dividends.

It is also noteworthy that the number of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students studying on-campus continues to grow with 194 on campus enrolments for 2017, an increase of 32 over 2016. This continues the growth trend of on-campus students evident for the last 5 years.

Conversely, enrolments in Trimester 3 were almost exclusively online, with less than one percent of units taken by Indigenous students in Trimester 3 being studied on-campus. Overall, Trimester 3 saw an increase of 28% in the number of units attempted (753 compared to 590 in Trimester 3 2016).

Over the last two years the Oorala Aboriginal Centre at UNE has been primarily focussed on student retention and success. However, UNE has continued to experience a considerable rise in student numbers as well.

The rise and fall of EFTSL of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students from remote and regional areas

The number of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students from remote and regional areas continued to grow in 2017, reaching 566 (302.2 EFTSL) or 64% of all Indigenous students. This is an increase of 17% over 2016.

2. Progression (access and outcomes)

Your response to this area needs to address the following points:

• strategies to improve unit success rates and retention of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students;
• the rise or fall of success/progression rates;
• the number and level (UG/PG) of study for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students that received tutorial assistance in 2017;
• the size of the Indigenous Support Unit or other Indigenous student support activities;
• strategies to improve the cultural competency of staff and/ or to ensure the university offers a culturally safe and enriching environment; and
• which strategies are directly funded by ISSP, partly funded by ISSP or funded by other university resources

2.1    Success rate and retention

Since the introduction of Oorala’s Integrated Student Engagement Plan in mid-2016, the Targeted Tutorial Assistance Program has shown encouraging results. Throughout 2016 and 2017, the Oorala Aboriginal Centre introduced a number of strategies designed to improve Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander student outcomes. During 2016 Oorala transformed its practices to a pro-active model of student engagement. This was essential as students reported through the University Experience Survey (Quill) that they felt less engaged and supported compared to other students at UNE.

New pro-active measures introduced in 2016 and 2017 included:

• Providing greater flexibility in the delivery of tutorial assistance, including the expansion of the program to cover enabling courses and greater promotion of tutorial assistance;
• Developing a new approach to case management support of “At-risk” students in cooperation with Student Administration Services;
• Improving the use of technology to contact Aboriginal students via UNE’s Student Relationship Management (SRM) System, developing the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Moodle Site (The Hub), expanding the use of Facebook, and pro-active contact with students at the time of their enrolment (pre-commencement).

These measures appear to have had a tangible effect on the uptake of tutorial assistance, access to the Oorala Aboriginal Centre, requests for support and the use of SRM and Moodle in providing support services and follow-up of student inquiries. The Grade Point Average (GPA – the average result of all the grades achieved throughout a degree) for Indigenous students receiving tuition at UNE rose substantially and the GPA gap between non-Indigenous students and Indigenous students taking up tutorial support has narrowed dramatically, to just 0.34 in Trimester 2 2017.

Retention and success of Indigenous student has remained a challenge. Some encouraging signs are noteworthy:

• At our 2018 autumn graduation, UNE has graduated 44 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students — more than ever before in an autumn graduation cohort.
• The number of continuing Indigenous students in 2018 has risen significantly from 379 in Trimester 1 2017 to 429 in Trimester 1 2018: a 13% improvement.

The Progress Rate for Indigenous students enrolled in award courses in 2017 was 64.5% (Student progress rate (SPR) based on weekly extract data – prepared 26/03/2018, SPR = EFTSL passed / EFTSL completed (includes: pass, fail, withdraw; excludes: result unknown).

School of Business and Law

The UNE Business School and School of Law used HEPPP funding to appoint a full time Aboriginal student support officer to provide both support to existing UNE Business & Law students, and to engage with year 10–12 high school students from the New England and north-west regions of NSW to encourage university participation and interest in careers in business and law. Twelve high schools were visited and over 200 students engaged with.

In conjunction with the Oorala Centre, two Aboriginal Youth Development high school student camps (one male, one female) where held during the year, with the direct involvement of the Schools Aboriginal Support Officer. Approximately 60 students attended the camps, with specific educational awareness sessions run the Business and Law Schools, including a mock trial in the UNE Moot Court, and financial management & careers sessions in the Business School.

School of Education

The School of Education held and Indigenous Student Lunch. This was hosted in the School of Education by Adele Nye with School funds.

School of Health

The School of Health:

• Provides units in the TRACKS (Tertiary Preparation Program) – a tertiary preparation course (Foundation
• Studies) run by the Oorala Aboriginal Centre;
• Has a cadetship with NSW Health – offered to Indigenous nursing students entering an undergraduate degree;
• Uses Oorala’s Direct Entry (Interview Pathway) – an alternative pathway for enrolment for Indigenous nursing student.

The School employed an Indigenous Student Liaison Officer (Aboriginal Health) to provide academic and other support.

2.2    Tutorial and other assistance provided (2017 breakdown)

In 2017 Oorala employed a dedicated staff member in our Student Support team to manage our tutoring program. We also embarked on a project, in partnership with UNE IT Services, to build an online system to handle applications from tutors and students, matching students with tutors and the payment system. The basic elements of this system were launched in late 2017 and development continues in 2018.

As per the GPA figures on page 9 of this report, tutoring has a significant impact on the GPA and success rate of Indigenous students. Oorala continues to prioritise academic support and tutoring.

2.3    Size of the Oorala Aboriginal Centre

Oorala had around 20 staff at the end of 2017. The Centre has experienced consistent growth in staff over the last few years, matching UNE’s growth in Indigenous student numbers. The Centre’s HEPPP and teaching revenue continues to increase, as per our accompanying budget statement.

UNE uses 100% of its ISSP grant to be administered by Oorala for the support of Indigenous students.

2.4    Cultural competence – curriculum

The units offered by the Oorala Aboriginal Centre

Students taking the units offered by Oorala:

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.

BCSS

• The BCSS Teaching and Learning Committee flagged making OORA 200 (run by Oorala) as a core or listed unit in courses offered by the School for 2018–19.
• The Clinical Psychology Program provided 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 had 21 units with some Indigenous content including languages, linguistics, (e.g. LING 244 Language and the Law), psychology and sociology.
• Indigenous issues are a feature of most of the criminology units (such as: CRIM314, CRIM324, CRIM305, CRIM306), which include Indigenous perspectives provided by guest lecturers.
• The staff at the Institute of Rural Futures (IRF) had research projects looking at Indigenous natural resource management and involved indigenous HDR students.
• The School worked with Oorala to include Aboriginal water rights in the environmental change unit (GEPL308/508).

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.

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.

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.

Health

As part of a curriculum review, Social Work staff consulted with Oorala to get feedback on new units to involving Indigenous content to ensure they were culturally appropriate.

Humanities

Ten Indigenous studies units are offered by the School of Humanities, covering diverse areas such as Indigenous History, Health and Community Development.

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.

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

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.

2.5    Cultural competence of staff and cultural safety of students

In 2017 a total of 112 staff participated in the Cultural Connections workshops from February to November. The aim of this program is to affect positive change at an individual, structural and organisational level and our approach to the way that we engage with, employ and retain our Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander workforce.

The Senior HR Consultant (Aboriginal Employment) and 15 other staff and students from UNE attended the World Indigenous Peoples Conference on Education (WIPCE) in Toronto, Canada. This was a great opportunity to share and draw on the successes of strategies for culturally grounded Indigenous education from across the globe.

The Senior HR Consultant Aboriginal Employment, Pam Widders, continued her ongoing consultation meetings with Faculties and Directorates around Aboriginal employment opportunities and providing a culturally inclusive environment for all staff.

Ms Widders presented workshops to medical students and staff on working with Aboriginal communities to staff and students in the School of Rural Medicine and School of Health (Nursing).

UNE has established a Diversity Advisory Group, consisting of student and staff representatives. The Advisory Group is chaired by an external representative and reports directly to the Vice-Chancellor. This group has Aboriginal staff representation and has the remit to review all relevant policies, rules and procedures.

The 8 undergraduate students who attended the WIPCE conference were fund from HEPPP. All other initiatives were funded from within the university’s operating budget.

Arts

The School established a dedicated Indigenous Research room for postgraduate and undergraduate students to hold meetings, workshop their research, and mentor students in the Arts Building.

The School continued the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Scholars program with three HDR students continuing to receive scholarships from UNE to pursue their studies.

During 2017 the School supported Indigenous students to attend national and international conferences including: presentation at the Australian Screen Production, Education and Research Association conference on the Gold Coast; and participation in the World Indigenous Peoples Conference on Education (WIPCE) in Toronto, Canada.

BCSS

In 2017 the School of Behavioural, Cognitive and Social Sciences created a “Respecting Indigeneity in BCSS” strategy, focusing on creating an environment that was inclusive of, and respectful towards, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, and in which they are given every opportunity to succeed in their studies. Specific changes introduced by the School included:

• Strategies to promote cultural safety;
• An increase in Indigenous knowledges into curriculum, pedagogy and epistemology;
• Strategies to promote existing services available to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Students;
• Use of Welcome to Country and Acknowledgement of Country in School lectures and events;
• Proposal to create a part time position (initially 0.2) for an Aboriginal Liaison Person.

Business and Law

The School’s Aboriginal Support Officer delivered several presentations to both Schools to raise awareness of the general number of Aboriginal students that were in those Schools. The Support Officer met with many individual academics to raise awareness of the perception that Aboriginal students may feel more isolated than non-Indigenous students. It was also necessary to inform the academic staff that there were Aboriginal students in most of their units, but most academics were unaware of them.

3.Completions (outcomes)

Your response to this area needs to address the following points:

• strategies to improve award course completion of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students;
• the rise or fall of completions;
• strategies connecting graduates with employment (both within and outside of the institution);
• strategies to assist graduates;
• strategies to monitor student outcomes after graduation; and
• which strategies are directly funded by ISSP, partly funded by ISSP or funded by other university resources.

The rise and fall of completions

Graduations - prepared 02/05/2018

4.  Indigenous Education Strategy accessible by public

Your response to this area needs to address the following points:

• Explain how the university has met its requirements under section 13 of the ISSP Guidelines;
• Include current link to the university’s website outlining its strategies for improving access, participation, retention and success of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students, including monitoring and evaluation procedures. This can be a special Indigenous Education Strategy document or a section targeting developments for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in a broader university strategic or operational plan;
• Comment on the university’s Reconciliation Action Plan if appropriate;
• Discuss the practical implementation and evaluation of your Indigenous Education Strategy; and
• Report progress against targets and milestones outlined in the strategy.

UNE does not currently have an Indigenous Education Strategy. During 2017, the UNE Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Education Statement Governance Framework Review Working Party held several meetings and produced a draft report. This report produced recommendations on:

• A senior Indigenous appointment at UNE;
• The need for an Indigenous Education Strategy;
• The need for KPIs on Indigenous employment to be included in the UNE Business Plan.

The findings of the report and the recommendations are currently being drafted into a brief for senior executive. This brief will be delivered in May 2018 to the Provost and Deputy Vice-Chancellor. There are no ‘surprises’ in this brief and we are optimistic that the recommendations will be acted on during 2018.

In addition, 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.

Indigenous Education Statements

All UNE Indigenous Education Statement from 2012-2017 are available at:

http://www.une.edu.au/about-une/executive/deputy-vice-chancellor/indigenous-education-statements

Reconciliation Plan

UNE does not have a reconciliation plan. However, UNE does have a Reconciliation Statement that is available on the website.

5. Indigenous Workforce Strategy accessible by public

Your response to this area needs to address the following points:

• Explain how the university has met its requirements under section 12 of the ISSP Guidelines;
• Include current link to the university’s website outlining the strategies to increase the number of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people working at the university and to support the development of current Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander employees. This can be a special Indigenous Workforce Strategy document or a section targeting development for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in a broader university workforce strategy;
• Discuss the practical implementation and evaluation of your Indigenous Workforce Strategy;
• Report progress against targets and milestones outlined in the strategy; and
• Note that in 2017, the Department will work with institutions to establish an Indigenous workforce target of 3% where such a target does not already exist.

UNE’s Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Employment Strategy 2013-2018 expires this year. A new strategy will be drafted in the near future. The current strategy can be found at:

http://www.une.edu.au/staff-current/human-resources/atsi-emplyment/aboriginal-and-torres-strait-islander-employment-strategy

Indigenous workforce data (2017 breakdown)

6. Indigenous involvement in decision-making

Your response to this area needs to address the following points:

• the university’s current Indigenous Governance Mechanism (including how the university has met the requirements of section 11 of the ISSP guidelines);
• the name, positions and duration of service of staff that are part of the Indigenous Governance Mechanism;
• the number of meetings and main agenda items discussed over the year, confirming the Indigenous Governance Mechanism had a role in advising on the use of ISSP resources; and
• other activities to involve Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in the decisions of the university, curriculum development and/or evaluation/review.

As per the answer to section 4 above, the particular Indigenous governance mechanism at UNE is currently awaiting a brief to the Provost and Deputy Vice-Chancellor. Oorala is confident that a plan will be in place during 2018 in response to the ISSP guidelines.

The current most senior Indigenous employee at UNE is the Director of the Oorala Aboriginal Centre, Mr Gregory Davison.

Current governance arrangements

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 in 2017 as set out below:

• Directorship of the Oorala Aboriginal Centre, also a member of the Deans Committee
• Lisa Shipley, an Indigenous lecturer in the School of Rural Medicine, is a member of the UNE Academic Board.
• Human Research Ethics Committee (HREC) includes the Oorala Director.
• 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.
• Enrolment Steering Committee: Oorala Student Services Manager
• Student Administration & Services Forum: Oorala Student Services Manager.
• 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.

Involvement of Indigenous staff in decision on curriculum evaluation and review

Law

Within the School of Law, Marcelle Burns (an Aboriginal law lecturer), engages with her colleagues to help embed cultural competency and awareness wherever practical into Law units. In particular, the School of Law teaches the unit LAW164 – Law and First People of Australia.

Education

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.

Rural Health

Lecturer in Indigenous Health, delivers lectures and facilitates tutorials on cultural considerations when caring for Aboriginal patients.

Oorala

Oorala academic staff deliver and review the four OORA units it delivers. The Academic Coordinator is a member of the School of Education Teaching and Learning Committee. The Oorala Director is a member of the Deans Committee and regularly delivers reports to Academic Board.

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
• Marketing and Public Affairs
• 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 2017, 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 2017 provided under section 19-10 of Higher Education Support Act 2003, please provide reconciliation.

This ISP report is a legislated requirement, under the Higher Education Support Act 2003 – Other Grants Guidelines

INDIGENOUS STUDENT SUCCESS PROGRAMME – 2017 Financial Acquittal

The following tables have a dual purpose of itemising actual income and expenditure associated with the ISSP in 2017 as well as estimating other funds and expenditure supporting Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students at the university. ISSP supplements the support the institution should already be providing to Indigenous students and the third column below helps us recognise the commitments your institution is making to lift and sustain Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander student outcomes.

1. Income (excluding GST)

2. Expenditure (excluding GST)

Note: A-E must equal zero

3.  Goods and Services Tax (GST) paid under ISSP - 1 January - 31 December 2017

• If GST is not paid to you, do not complete the table in this section
• If GST is paid to you, the amount of GST funding included in each payment is set out in a Recipient Created Tax Invoice (RCTI) issued to you at the time of the payment. State whether these amounts have been remitted to the Australian Taxation Office (ATO) or committed for payment to the ATO.

4. ISSP Assets summary

(only a requirement for assets over $5000- see clause 16 of guidelines)

4a. ISSP Asset - acquisitions and disposals summary

5.  Financial Acquittal supported and initialled by:

Organisation: University of New England

Postal Address: Armidale NSW

Contact Person: Lyndel Taylor Title: Snr Management Accountant

• Phone: 02 6773 2993
• Fax: 02 6773 3377
• E-mail: ltaylo45@une.edu.au

Note:

• If the organisation is subject to audit by an Auditor-General of the Commonwealth or State or Territory government this authorisation should be signed by the Chief Financial Officer or an executive officer with primary responsibility for the organisation’s internal audit function.
• If the organisation is not normally subject to audit by an Auditor‑General, then the organisation’s auditor should sign this authorisation.Complete this certification after reading the completed 2017 Performance Report and 2017 Financial Acquittal for the Indigenous Student Success Programme.

Complete this certification after reading the completed 2017 Performance Report and 2017 Financial Acquittal for the Indigenous Student Success Programme.

Certification recommended by university’s Indigenous Governance:

Signed: Mr Gregory Davison (signed document is available in TRIM)
Date: 30 April 2017

Certification made by Vice-Chancellor or equivalent delegate

Signed: Professor Annabelle Duncan (signed document is available in TRIM)
Date: 1 May 2017

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.