2018 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)

1.1    Strategies to improve access

“The University of New England respects and acknowledges that its people, programmes and facilities are built on land, and surrounded by a sense of belonging, both ancient and contemporary, of the world's oldest living culture. In doing so, UNE values and respects Indigenous knowledge systems as a vital part of the knowledge capital of Australia.

UNE Acknowledgement of Country, UNE Strategic Plan 2016-2020.

The University of New England (UNE) has a long and sustained record of actively working to improve higher education and employment outcomes for Indigenous Australians. The Oorala Aboriginal Centre, founded at UNE more than 30 years ago is both a reflection of UNE’s long-term commitment to Indigenous higher education, and an integral part of the continuing strategic and functional efforts of the University to improve the access to - and outcomes for - Indigenous students in higher education. The University is encouraged by its continuing year– on – year ability to attract and increase the number of Indigenous students that enrol at UNE (See Section1.5). A sustained whole of University commitment to the retention of students and their successful completion remains a focus of ongoing improvement. This commitment to improving higher education outcomes for Indigenous Australians is embedded in the current UNE Strategic Plan 2016- 2020. In conjunction, the Oorala Strategic Directions Paper 2016-2020 and corresponding Oorala Operation Plan 2018- 2020 provide the functional strategy and implementation planning for Accelerating Aboriginal Success at UNE. The Oorala Aboriginal Centre’s Operation Plan 2018-2020 includes proposed actions that align with the following key objectives of the Centre:

• Promote a “whole-of-university” approach to Aboriginal Education, Employment and Research;
• Implement online and on-campus Aboriginal Student Engagement best practice in higher education;
• Develop innovative systems that support accelerating Aboriginal student success;
• Expand Aboriginal Teaching & Learning opportunities throughout Oorala and UNE; and
• Improve Aboriginal education pathways to UNE.

In late 2018, the University’s commitment to making UNE a leader in the education of Indigenous Australians was reinforced by the articulation of a bold 2025 Vision in which the aim is to have an Indigenous staff and student population that is on parity with the local Aboriginal population of the New England Region. The Oorala Aboriginal Centre will continue to play a vital role as UNE aspires to continuous improvement in its support of Indigenous students and staff in Higher Education.

The current Faculties of the University are:

• Faculty of Humanities, Arts, Social Sciences and Education (HASSE). This comprises two Schools – The School of Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences and the School of Education.
• Faculty of Science, Agriculture, Business, and Law. (SABL). This comprises four Schools – The School of Environmental and Rural Science, the School of Science and Technology, the UNE Business School, and the School of Law; and,
• Faculty of Medicine and Health (M&H) which comprises three Schools – the School of Nursing, the School of Rural Medicine, and the School of Psychology.

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.

1.2    The Oorala Aboriginal Centre and Indigenous student access to Higher Education

The name "Oorala", from a local Aboriginal word meaning "a camp" or "a place where people come together" was chosen by Aboriginal students enrolled at UNE when the Centre first opened. It reflects the historical significance of the site and its connection with the local Aboriginal community, and highlights the Centre's significance as a place that draws together Aboriginal students from all regions of Australia.

In the early 1990s, Oorala introduced three highly successful alternate entry pathway programmes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students at UNE. These included the national award winning TRACKS tertiary preparation programme, the Pre-Orientation Programme (POP) and the Internal Selection Programme (ISP). Together these programmes broadened the available access to higher education for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. Due to a number of practice-led teaching and learning initiatives these three programmes are, some twenty-five years later, still a foundational part of the suite of academic supports offered to Indigenous students by Oorala. Oorala has maintained the relevance and “best practice standards” of these Programmes through continual evaluation and review; ongoing academic development; continuous community collaboration and partnership; and technological innovations in course design and delivery. This has occurred in collaboration with relevant professional and academic staff across UNE including staff within Information Technology, Library Services, Learning Design and/or Discipline based expertise. The currency of these programmes, as viable alternate entry pathways to UNE’s Bachelor Programmes, is for example, reflected in Indigenous student enrolment statistics reported by the Faculty of Humanities Social Science and Education (HASSE) for 2018. In the Faculty of HASSE the study load for Indigenous students who entered HASSE programmes via bases of admission other than direct entry was 102.8 EFTSL compared to 9.9 EFTSL who entered as school leavers.

1.3    Bridging and enabling courses

As mentioned above the provision of alternative entry pathways is a significant component of UNE’s long-term and successful approach to ensuring Indigenous student access, which includes a flexible approach to entry requirements through Oorala’s Direct Entry (ISP) and TRACKS Programmes. Additionally, UNE has an online Pathways Enabling Course that is also available to Indigenous students although it is not specifically tailored to support Indigenous transition to University. A total of 90 Indigenous students were enrolled in UNE Enabling Programmes in 2018 (Table 1).

Table 1: Summary of UNE Bridging and Enabling Courses.

1.3.1 Additional enabling strategies

UNE also provides other discipline specific access and enabling programmes for our Indigenous students. Within the Faculty of Medicine and Health, for example, the following alternate entry pathways for Indigenous students are available:

• The School of Rural Medicine collaborates with the University of Newcastle who hosts the Miroma Bunbilla Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Pre-entry to the Joint Medical Programme (JMP). This Programme consists of a five -seven-day On-Campus experience in which prospective medical students participate in a range of pre- admission activities including multiple skills assessment, personal qualities assessment, small group problem- based learning tutorials, anatomy sessions and basic science resource sessions. A confirmation of Aboriginality interview is also included, in which the University Elder in Residence and an Aboriginal community member meet with each prospective student. Three of the 2018 participants in this Programme in 2018 have commenced in the JMP at UNE in 2019.
• The School of Health provides Indigenous students with access to the UNE Bachelor of Nursing Degree by providing information and opportunity for students to participate in:
  • Cadetships with NSW Health (any Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander student entering an undergraduate nursing degree at UNE is eligible to apply for a NSW Government sponsored cadetship with NSW Health); and
  • Direct Entry (Interview Pathway) – an alternative pathway for enrolment in a Bachelor of Nursing aimed at any nursing student.

1.3.2 Sub Degree Programmes

UNE’s sub-degree undergraduate programmes, as qualifications requiring shorter duration of study, are increasingly valuable as alternate pathways into further study at the Bachelors level. There were 22 Indigenous students enrolled in sub-degree programmes in 2018. The useability of UNE’s Diploma and Advanced Diploma courses as alternate entry pathways into our Degree Programmes is illustrated by the example of one Indigenous student who in 2018 achieved highly in the Diploma of Science, then undertook the Miroma Bunbilla Indigenous Early Entry Programme; and is now enrolled in 2019 in the first year of the Joint Medicine Programme at UNE. UNE has also identified potential for expansion of Diploma level programmes to include more content with Indigenous knowledge and perspectives. In this regard, and as foreshadowed in the Oorala Strategic Plan, in 2018 the Oorala Aboriginal Centre began scoping a Diploma in Aboriginal Heritage Practice to be delivered from the Centre in 2020/2021.

1.4    Scholarships

1.4.1 ISSP-Funded Undergraduate Scholarship Support

UNE is committed to supporting Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students with scholarships to help achieve their academic goals. As part of this commitment, the Oorala Aboriginal Centre put together two new ISSP funded initiatives in 2018: the Oorala Merit Prize and the Oorala Study Support Scholarships.

The Oorala Merit Prize: This Prize is designed to recognise high performing Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander student success. It is focused on undergraduate students and is to be awarded annually to three students from each UNE Faculty who have completed a minimum of 72 credit points of study. Additionally one Indigenous student from the TRACKS Tertiary Preparation Programme and one student from the Pathway Enabling Programme, who have successfully completed their course, and are currently enrolled in an undergraduate unit of study at UNE, will be considered for a Merit Prize. Merit Prizes are awarded to students with the highest course grade point average (GPA) at the time of selection, and it will be a one-off prize awarded once throughout a students’ period of study at UNE. In 2018 there were eleven recipients of the inaugural Oorala Merit Prize (See Reward Column in Table 2).

Oorala Study Support Scholarships: This is a new suite of scholarships offered by Oorala that are specifically designed to kick start Indigenous student experience at UNE; enhance their on-line study experience and provide assistance throughout their university journey. There are three separate scholarship categories:

• Commencing Student Support Scholarships;
• Continuing Student Support Scholarships; and
• Students with Disability Support Scholarships.

Priority for these scholarships are given to remote and regional students; and in recognition of the technological and information needs of our students the scholarships are focused on providing Laptops, Internet Access Vouchers and Book Vouchers to commencing and continuing students; as well as providing individualised study support for those students with a disability. Some 56 students were awarded these scholarships in 2018 (See: Education Column in Table 2).

Table 2: ISSP Supported Scholarships (2018 Breakdown).

Indigenous Commonwealth Scholarships

In addition to the new ‘kick starter’ scholarships developed by Oorala, ISSP grant monies were also used to fund a number of ongoing Indigenous Commonwealth Scholarships (as per Sections 19-22 of the Indigenous Student Assistance Grants Guidelines 2017 [herein ‘the Guidelines’]) including: scholarships that assist with education costs (Indigenous Commonwealth Education Costs Scholarships[ICECS]) and; scholarships that assist with relocation costs, accommodation costs or relocation and accommodation costs (Indigenous Commonwealth Accommodation Scholarships [ICAS]). Section 21 (3) (a) of ‘the Guidelines’ requires that a minimum of 95% of the Scholarship amount paid to regional and remote students in the preceding year (i.e. 2017) be paid to regional and remote students in 2018. For UNE the minimum funds to be offered in 2018 was $81, 432 (i.e. 95% of 2017 funds shown in Table 2 above). The actual amount of $203, 632.44 offered to remote or regional Indigenous students in Scholarship support by UNE in 2018 represents a funding offer more than 250% above the minimum required.

At UNE, these Commonwealth scholarships are provided to Indigenous students on an ongoing basis for the full-time- equivalent duration of their course of study. Details of the funding amounts provided to Indigenous students at UNE (in the form of an ICECS or ICACS) is shown in Table 3. Additional monies paid as endowment grants are also shown.

Table 3: Details of all Commonwealth Equity Scholarships Paid in 2018 (by Class).

_{Source: Oorala Aboriginal Centre and UNE financial Services Directorate}.

1.4.2 Non-ISSP Funded Undergraduate Scholarship Support

The Oorala Aboriginal Centre, and the broader UNE community further supports Indigenous undergraduate students to participate and progress in their studies by:

• providing a range of additional Non-ISSP funded scholarships;
• providing a number of discipline specific awards and prizes that recognise and support academic achievement and progression;
• actively facilitating the application of eligible students for external scholarship opportunities;
• providing a detailed webpage that identifies the many internal and external funding opportunities available to students; and by,
• providing regular email, social media and online learning system hub updates about forthcoming scholarship opportunities.

Brief details highlighting the range, availability and use of such financial and associated supports by Indigenous students at UNE in 2018, are provided below:

NSW Aboriginal Housing Accommodation Scholarships: Since 2016, Oorala has collaborated with the NSW Aboriginal Housing Office to make available accommodation scholarships to Indigenous students at UNE. In 2018, twelve Indigenous students studying on-campus at UNE were supported with these scholarships (Table 4).

Donor Scholarships: The University also has a number of scholarships funded by various external donors (individuals and organisations, including UNE). A number of these scholarships are specifically available to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Students studying at UNE and two student applicants met the eligible requirements and were awarded these for the 2018 academic year (Table 4). A number of these available scholarships were not awarded in 2018 because either there were no applicants, or applicants did not successfully meet the eligibility requirements (Table 5).

Table 4: Donor Scholarships awarded to UNE Indigenous undergraduate students in 2018.

_{a. This Donor scholarship is awarded at a rate of $10,000 p/a. to a value up to $40,000 per applicant.
# Four Max Schroder scholarships were available each valued at $24,000 in total but only one was awarded in 2018 (Table 5 below).}

Table 5: Donor Scholarships available to UNE indigenous undergraduate students (but not awarded in 2018).

_{Source: UNE Scholarships Office.}

Discipline Specific Awards: There were several other awards provided exclusively to Indigenous students at UNE in 2018. These included annual undergraduate student nursing achievement awards, as well as a number of undergraduate prizes awarded to Indigenous students in the Joint Medical Programme for successful progression through to the next year of their studies (Table 6). In addition to such awards, where applicable, students are provided with discipline specific advice on other externally funded scholarships to which they may be eligible. For example in the School of Health Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students who are continuing Bachelor degree studies at UNE are alerted to their eligibility for the following scholarships:

• Australian College of Nursing – The Puggy Hunter Memorial Scholarship Scheme (F/T) ($15,000);
• Australian College of Nursing – the Puggy Hunter Memorial Scholarship Scheme (P/T) ($7,500);
• Australian Rotary Health Indigenous Health Scholarship ($5,000); and the
• NSW Health Aboriginal Postgraduate Scholarship ($15,000)

Similarly, in the School of Psychology Indigenous students are encouraged to apply for the following Indigenous awards:

• ATSIPP Indigenous Student Conference Attendance Awards offered by the Australian Psychological Society (APS) to attend the annual APS conference. The award provides up to $1200 to attend the Annual APS Conference;
• Australian Psychological Society Bendi Lango Bursary for Indigenous postgraduate students ; and
• The Muriel Mary Snow Indigenous Honours Prize for 4th year students commencing postgraduate study with a research component.

Table 6: Additional Awards/Prizes awarded to Indigenous undergraduate students at UNE in 2018

_{Source: UNE Schools of Health and Rural Medicine.}

The Aurora Indigenous Scholars International Study Tour: In 2018 the Oorala Aboriginal Centre facilitated the scholarship applications of up to eight high achieving Indigenous students from UNE to participate in the Aurora Indigenous Scholars International Study Tour. Sponsored by the Aurora Education Foundation this scholarship enables students to participate in a five-week academic tour of leading universities in the US and the UK, including Berkeley, Stanford, Harvard, Columbia, New York University, Cambridge, London School of Economics, London Business School and Oxford, with a view to taking up postgraduate study opportunities. Facilitation by Academic staff in Oorala included first identifying and then assisting eligible students to apply and supporting these students to obtain referees from relevant Academic Supervisors. It was the first time any Indigenous student from UNE had applied for this scholarship and of all applications made; three UNE students were successful in being awarded a scholarship for the 2018 Study Tour. This was a notably high number of awardees for this scholarship from the one institution. Of the three students who were awarded the scholarship, two had to decline because of unforeseen issues with scheduling, whilst the third student undertook the study Tour in October 2018.

Oorala Scholarship Webpage: To engage the more than two-thirds of the Indigenous student cohort at UNE who study online, UNE provides a dedicated digital Indigenous cultural space by hosting the Oorala Aboriginal Centre website on its domain. This website includes an Oorala Study Support Scholarships portal that links to information about all the scholarship opportunities available to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students studying at UNE. The website is available at: https://www.une.edu.au/info-for/indigenous-matters/oorala/student-experience/financial-assistance. Further, as part of the Integrated Student Engagement Plan initiated by Oorala in 2016 (see Section 2.1.1) students are electronically notified of forthcoming scholarship opportunities via: email through the Student Management System, via curated posts to the Oorala Facebook page, and through notices posted to ‘the Hub’ the designated Indigenous student forum curated by Oorala on “Moodle,” the UNE Learning Management System.

1.5 Support for Indigenous Postgraduate Scholarship at UNE

In accord with the UNE 2016-2020 Research Plan, UNE Research Services has actively worked to support and progress Indigenous participation in the research enterprise of the University. In particular, Research Services has undertaken a number of measures to offer financial support to Indigenous Research students at UNE in 2018 including: offering a new suite of Indigenous Higher Education Research (IHDR) Scholarships (Each valued at $30, 000 p.a. for three years for a PhD; or two years for a Research Masters); transitioning a number of Higher Degree Research students to Indigenous Early Career Fellowships; and providing seed grant funds to support Indigenous community engagement in research. A unique feature of the IHDR scholarships is that candidates are eligible to apply to Research Services for an additional $7, 000.00 per year for cultural supervision and/or mentoring on top of their standard scholarship. A summary breakdown of these funds are provided in Tables 7 and 8 below. This financial support was directly funded by UNE Research Services.

Table 7: Value of Scholarships and Stipends awarded to UNE Indigenous Higher Degree Research Students in 2018.

^{Source: UNE Research Services Directorate}

Table 8: Seed Grants Paid to Indigenous Research Students in 2018.

^{Source: UNE Research Services Directorate}

1.6 Community Engagement and Outreach activities

UNE recognises that a key part of its role as a member of the Regional Universities Network (RUN) is to contribute to, and enhance, the social and cultural capital of the region in which it is placed. Section 1.6.1 provides details of three UNE outreach activities focused on Indigenous student access and participation. Each of these activities were funded in 2018 through the Higher Education Participation and Partnerships Programme (HEPPP). Following this, Table 11 details the comprehensive range of community outreach and engagement activities undertaken by the Oorala Aboriginal Centre in 2018. The breadth and diversity of the activities listed in Table 10 attests to the strong commitment the Oorala Aboriginal Centre has made to enhance the educational opportunities and outcomes for Indigenous Australians within the New England Region and beyond; and especially for those in the region it serves. Furthermore, by embracing the themes of ‘community’, ‘culture’ and ‘partnerships’ Oorala has developed a multi-faceted portfolio of community outreach and engagement activities that includes: Seminars and/or Symposia on issues of historical and or contemporary importance to Aboriginal community members, gatherings to honour and respect community Elders; events celebrating key dates of national and/or local importance to Aboriginal people; and a number of Leadership Camps and Student Experience Days for Indigenous youth to support their High School journey and encourage/develop aspirations for University level studies. Finally, Table 12 provides details of a further range of activities undertaken by other schools and/or directorates of the University to engage current and future Indigenous students and their associated communities. The activities listed in Table 11 demonstrate that the commitment to improving the access, participation and outcomes of Aboriginal people reaches out beyond Oorala and is, in fact part of the social fabric of the wider University.

1.6.1 Education Participation and Partnership Programme (HEPPP)

The Higher Education Participation and Partnerships Programme (HEPPP) aims to ensure that Australians from low socio- economic (SES) backgrounds who have the ability to study at university have the opportunity to do so. The funding provided by the Federal Government provides assistance to universities to undertake activities and implement strategies that improve access to undergraduate courses for people from low SES backgrounds, as well as improving the retention and completion rates of those students. UNE has been running HEPPP projects to assist students from low socio-economic backgrounds achieve since 2013. In 2018, the following three HEPPP funded projects were specifically targeted at improving the access and awareness of Indigenous students to higher education possibilities at UNE.

On Campus Experience Days: During 2018 the Oorala Aboriginal Centre hosted four one-day, discipline-specific, UNE Experience Days for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students from local and neighbouring community High Schools. These were supported by $40,000 of HEPPP funding. The experience days were designed to increase student awareness of higher education pathways and increase overall awareness of the diverse opportunities and associated careers attainable through higher education. Likewise, the experience days were designed to increase student aspirations for and understandings of university life and to extend each students expectation of their ability to complete a university course. In 2018, a total of 91 students [an increase of 33% from 2017] attended the four experience days (See Tables 8 and 10 for further details).

Youth Leadership Camps: During the year, Oorala ran four leadership camps for Indigenous high school students that was supported by $350,000 in HEPPP funding. The camps attracted 122 students {a 51% increase on the numbers attending in 2017] This year the positive impact of the camps on Indigenous students was recognised as the Oorala Aboriginal Centre won the “Cynthia Briggs – Empowerment through Education Award” from the Australian College of Educators for its delivery of the Oorala Youth Leadership Camps (See Tables 9 and 10 for further details).

Kruki Indigenous Summer School: In 2018, this Summer School was hosted by the School of Rural Medicine for the fourth consecutive year, and was supported by $202,888 in HEPPP funding. The five-day residential programme was attended by twenty Indigenous High School students (Years 9 -12) who were interested in studying medicine at UNE. This was an increase of six more Indigenous Youth than in the previous year. Various activities and workshops provide participants with “a week in the life of a year 1 medical student”. The aim is to build confidence, motivation and demystify the study of medicine for Aboriginal students (See Table 10 for further details).

Table 9: Summary of 2018 attendance numbers at Oorala Indigenous High School Student Experience Days.

Table 10: Summary of 2018 attendance numbers at Oorala Indigenous High School Youth Development Camps.

Table 11: Summary of Community Engagement and Outreach activities of the UNE Oorala Aboriginal Centre in 2018.

Table 12: Summary of additional Indigenous Community Engagement and Outreach activities of UNE in 2018.

1.6  Indigenous student numbers

1.6.1 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Enrolments 2018

In 2018 there were 815  818 Indigenous students enrolled at UNE. This number is consistent with the sustained upward trend in Indigenous student enrolments experienced at UNE over the past six years (Figure 1). Consequently, in 2018 there were 40% more Indigenous students enrolled at UNE than there were in 2013.

_{Source: Student Profile Excel Worksheet dated 21/03/2019 prepared by UNE Business Intelligence Unit.
Figure 1: Total Indigenous Student Enrolments at UNE 2013 - 2018}

1.6.2 Total Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Student Load 2018

In line with the strong upward trend in Indigenous student enrolments at UNE the Indigenous share of total domestic student load has also trended strongly upwards since 2013 (Figure 2). The EFTSL of Indigenous students at UNE was 310.08 in 2013 and is 406.4 in 2018, an overall increase of 24% in this period. The variance in percentage increase in EFTSL (i.e. 24%) versus overall enrolment numbers (40%) in the same six year period likely reflects the changing nature of the UNE student cohort with increasing numbers of students undertaking part-time and/or online study whilst working and/or undertaking parenting/carer duties.

_{Source: Student Profile Excel Worksheet dated 21/03/2019 prepared by UNE Business Intelligence Unit.
Figure 2: Total Indigenous Student Load (EFTSL) at UNE for the six year period 2013-2018 inclusive.}

1.6.3 Commencing and Continuing Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Student Trends 2013-2018

Since the introduction of the Integrated Student Engagement Plan by Oorala in 2016 – the gap between the study load of commencing Indigenous students and the study load of continuing Indigenous students, appears to be gradually widening (Figure 3). This suggests that the commitment of Oorala to improve Indigenous retention through timely, culturally appropriate and sustained engagement is beginning to having measurable and practical effect (See: Sections 2.1 & 2.2).

_{Source: Student Profile Excel Worksheet dated 21/03/2019 prepared by UNE Business Intelligence Unit.
Figure 3: Commencing and Continuing Indigenous Student study load as proportion of Total Indigenous EFTSL at UNE for period 2013- 2018.}

1.6.4 Internal and External Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Student Cohorts 2013-2018

The proportion of Indigenous students who choose to study units online at UNE has increased marginally from 64.1% of total EFTSL in 2013 to 66% in 2018 (Figure 4). The important underlying trend however is that for the last five or so years approximately two-thirds of the Indigenous cohort at UNE has chosen to study off-campus and therefore with a concomitant reliance on online modes of study. The positive overall increases in EFTSL and student numbers during this same period (see Figure 3) highlights the fact that Indigenous students are: (a) increasingly attracted to the accessibility of UNE’s courses [which is itself built on UNE’s long standing commitment to Distance Education]; and (b) responsive to both UNE’s continuing innovations in online teaching and learning; as well as to UNE’s commitment to enhanced flexibility in course delivery and design. It further suggests that the increased communication and pastoral support measures developed as part of Oorala’s Integrated Student Engagement Plan (see Section 2.2 & 2.2) are well placed to support the current and future needs of the Indigenous student cohort at UNE.

_{Source: Student Profile Excel Worksheet dated 21/03/2019 prepared by UNE Business Intelligence Unit.
Figure 4: Internal and External Indigenous Student Study load as proportion of Total Indigenous EFTSL, UNE 2013-2018.}

¹ _{Although 2019 - 2020 data will be required to confirm this trend given the noted fluctuation [and possible aberration] of the 2017 and 2018 data}

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

Students from regional and/or remote Australia accounted for 279.9 (or 69%) of the total EFTSL of Indigenous students at UNE in 2018 (Table 13). This percentage lies close to the mean EFTSL load of 70.8% for Indigenous students from regional and remote Australia that has held for UNE over the last 6 years. Whilst the EFTSL load of Indigenous students from regional and/or remote Australia has remained steady over the past six years, it is noted that the number of Indigenous students from Inner Regional Australia has steadily increased (Figure 5). This is likely to reflect broader demographic changes in regional Australia such as the growth of regional cities as population and service hubs.

Table 13: Study Load (EFTSL) of Indigenous students studying at UNE in 2018 by their Location. (by Calendar Year)

_{Source: Student Profile Excel Worksheet dated 21/03/2019 prepared by UNE Business Intelligence Unit.}

_{Source: Student Profile Excel Worksheet dated 21/03/2019 prepared by UNE Business Intelligence Unit.
Figure 5: .comparison of Total EFTSL of Indigenous students at UNE from Regional and/or Remote Australia for the period 2013-2018}

2. Progression (access and outcomes)

2.1    Success rate and retention

2.1.1 Integrated Student Engagement Plan

The Oorala Aboriginal Centre continues to implement and refine the Integrated Student Engagement Plan (ISEP) that it initiated in mid-2016 with a focus to accelerate Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander student success at UNE. Oorala has continued to transform its practice to both embed and systematise a pro-active model of student engagement. Key to this transformation has been the introduction and continued enhancement of communication and support measures to enable the effective delivery of timely, culturally appropriate, and sustained academic and pastoral support to the total Indigenous student cohort at UNE. A major focus of the Centre’s current work is to support more than the two-thirds of our Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students who study online and/or are from regional and remote locations.

Key proactive measures introduced include:

• Developing a new approach to case management support of At-risk students. This has occurred in cooperation with the wider UNE Student Administration Services and has encompassed the modification of the 'Automated Wellness Engine' (AWE) System to better accommodate the needs of our Indigenous students;
• Making three student engagement officer positions permanent to enable specialist responses to students Faculty based enquiries. This has also streamlined Oorala's direct engagement model to align with the Academic Organisational Structure implemented at UNE in 2018;
• Improving the use of technology to contact Aboriginal students via UNE's Student Relationship Management
  (SRM) System, developing the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Site (The Hub) on Moodle (UNE's online Learning Management System) expanding the use of Facebook, and pro-active contact with students at the time of their enrolment (pre-commencement); and
• Providing greater flexibility in the promotion and delivery of tutorial assistance, the expansion of the programme to cover enabling courses, the development of an online tutorial management system especially for online students;

2.1.1b Automated Wellness Engine (AWE) for ‘At Risk’ Students

AWE is a purpose built data analysis system developed for UNE's centralised Student Administration Services team that is designed to collate data and identify students who may be at risk of disengagement and withdrawal. Based on a data warehouse, AWE extracts student-related information from eight separate UNE systems and analyses this data against 34 different triggers that the institution rates as being likely indicators of a student ‘at risk’. After consultation with the Oorala Student Engagement Team the AWE system now incorporates a daily alert specifically for UNE’s Indigenous ‘at risk’ students. This means that the student identification numbers of ‘identified’ Indigenous students are flagged in AWE, extracted into a spreadsheet; and forwarded to the Oorala Student Engagement Team for follow up.

Upon receipt of this ‘Daily Wellness Report’ at Oorala the AWE spreadsheet is updated to include additional information for use in supporting each ‘at risk’ students including: the student’s name, what they are studying, number of units, if the student has a tutor, and if the student has any encumbrances. Along with adding detail to the AWE spreadsheet, a google AWE form is also completed to capture additional data. Once the spreadsheet and google AWE form is completed, each student is contacted via the phone to ‘have a chat to them’ about how their study is going and if they would like/need further support (e.g. a tutor, disability support etc.). Depending on need, students may be directly referred to other services at UNE. After each phone conversation with a student, an email is sent to them [via the UNE Student Relationship Management System (SRM)] containing relevant information and links. Likewise, each student is flagged in the SRM retention queue for re-contact and follow up within seven days. In 2018, Oorala staff recorded 1532 incidents in the AWE system and made 1488 contacts with students by phone or email offering additional support and/or advice to students.

2.1.1c Improved activity of the UNE’s Student Relationship Management System (SRM)

All Oorala staff were trained in the use of UNE’s SRM as part of the introduction of Oorala’s ISEP in Mid-2016. This resulted in a growth in the use of SRM by Oorala staff. Records of staff interactions with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students increased from 560 incidents in 2015 to 2326 incidents in 2017. This trend stabilised in 2018 with a total of 2305 incidents being recorded for the calendar year (i.e. just 21 incidents less than 2017). A key effect of the sustained use of SRM by Oorala is that there is increased continuity and accountability in our engagement with students meaning we are able to respond to, and address, student issues more efficiently.

2.1.1d Re-design and re-launch of online Indigenous Community forum

‘Moodle’ has been the online Learning Management System used by UNE since 2011. With support of HEPPP funds a review of the use and usability of the ‘Oorala Moodle Site’ was undertaken in 2017 which recommended the re-design of the site to better engage with, and meet the needs of, UNE’s Indigenous students [an increasing number of which are studying online]. Hence, in early 2018 the Oorala Online learning Student Engagement Officer worked with staff in the Information Technology and Learning and Teaching Support Directorates to redesign and re-launch ‘The Hub’ as an online community for UNE’s Indigenous students. Upon re-launch, all Indigenous students at UNE were enrolled in ‘the Hub’. By year’s end, over 11,000 interactions/activities within our Indigenous student community had occurred on ‘the Hub’ and students had directly posted some 562 messages to ‘the Hub’ forum.

2.1.1e Oorala Aboriginal Centre Student Study Area Refurbishment

The student resource area (or ‘Study Lab) has been an integral part of the on-campus facilities available to Indigenous students studying at UNE since the completion of the current purpose built Oorala Aboriginal Centre in 2007. It is a quiet, accessible space that for more than ten years has enabled Indigenous students to come together, to network, and to meet with their tutors in a culturally safe environment. Throughout this time, students have had access to the space 24/7 and it has incorporated computers, printers, internet accesses, a kitchen and lounge.

Physical renovations to the Oorala Student Study Lab commenced in October 2018. During the renovations, UNE library services assisted Oorala by providing a fully furnished and networked temporary study space for Indigenous on-campus students in the ground floor of Dixson Library. Ready for Trimester 1 2019 the benefits of the newly refurbished space include larger workstations that allow for technology such as dual screens, laptop benches with more charging stations, bigger and better lit tutorial rooms and upgraded lockers. UNE continues to upgrade its online Learning Management System (LMS) and Virtual Learning Environment (VLE); and the facilities at Oorala provide Indigenous students with enhanced access to these systems within a culturally safe and supportive environment.

2.1.1 f Census Date Initiative

In Trimester 2 2018, the Oorala Centre initiated pro-active contact with all students alerting them to the impending Census date and offering advice in regard to study load and implications for GPAs of late withdrawal from units of study. 235 units were withdrawn from before Census date, resulting in a decrease in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander unit enrolment by 14.8% (total unit enrolments pre-census: 1898 - total unit enrolments post-census: 1663). There was a drop of 11% in on-campus enrolments and a drop of 15% in online enrolments. The total number of students who withdrew from all units was 79. A brief integration of unit outcomes for Indigenous students in 2018 relative to previous academic years (Table 14) indicates that:

• There has been a decrease in "Fail Results" from 2017. [Also, when this result is considered on a trimester to trimester comparison, the decrease in "Fail" results is even more significant]. This is particularly so for Trimester 2 results, where "Fails" fell to 17% of all results in T2 2018 compared to Fail results being 23.9% of all units results T2 2017.
• Pass results have remained stable. The major change occurred in the number of Withdrawals and Early Withdrawals. For example, in T2 2018, 445 units were withdrawn from, compared to only 368 in Trimester 2 2017. (Note: the T2 2018 results do not include a large number of SETs, Result unavailable and Special Exam results).

The large increase in Early Withdrawals and Withdrawals without Academic Penalty are arguably the result of Oorala’s improved campaign to provide students with timely reminders about their options around Census Day and “Withdrawal without failure.” Continuation of this initiative appears likely to help reduce student attrition rates and have ongoing positive effects on student grade point averages.

Table 14: Record of Indigenous student Unit grade results for the period 2014-2018 (Academic Years).

_{*Failed includes: Result Codes: N (Fail); NC (Compulsory Fail), NI (Fail Incomplete) WN (withdrawn after the date prescribed in the Principal Date and deemed to have failed) and; WUN (withdrawn by the University and deemed to have failed).
Source: https://planning.une.edu.au/Staff/reviews/govt/grade_unit.xlsx}

2.2 Student outcomes -success and retention

2.2.1 Indigenous Student Experience Survey

Results of the 2018 National Student Experience Survey for UNE show that Indigenous students report similar rates of satisfaction with their UNE experience to non-Indigenous students in all of the five categories measured. Of particular note is the fact that survey responses from those Indigenous students completing the culturally responsive TRACKS Indigenous Tertiary Preparation Programme run by the Oorala Aboriginal Centre recorded significantly higher rates of satisfaction in all categories, with the overall satisfaction of Tracks students being 4.71 compared to 3.76 for all UNE students (Table 15). This is a positive turnaround from the UNE results of the 2015 National Student Experience Survey (SES) in which Indigenous students reported that they felt less engaged and supported compared to other students. It was concern for the apparent dissatisfaction with the UNE experience reported in the 2015 SES that resulted in Oorala initiating its Integrated Student Engagement Plan (ISEP) in Mid-2016. The relatively rapid turnaround in Indigenous student satisfaction at UNE speaks therefore to the positive impact and relevance of the actions taken during the implementation of the ISEP by Oorala.

Table 15: Summary of the 2018 UNE Student Experience Survey highlighting the high satisfaction scores of students studying in the TRACKS Tertiary Preparation Programme.

_{*Student Satisfaction was measured on a rating scale from 1 to 5, where 1= Not at all satisfied and 5 = Very Satisfied.}

_{Results reported are as provided to UNE Academic Quality and Analytics from data obtained as part of the National Quality Indicators for Learning and Teaching (QILT) 2018 Student Experience Survey funded by Australian Government of Education and Training and conducted by the Social research Centre at ANU, Canberra [See: https://www.qilt.edu.au/about-this-site/student-experience].}

2.2.2 GPA measures

To determine the change in student outcomes, the Oorala Aboriginal Centre has adopted Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students’ GPAs as a key measure. The GPA for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students in UNE Award courses saw an increase for all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander student cohorts in 2018 over 2017 (Figure 6). Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students achieved an average GPA of 3.45 compared to 4.45 for non-Indigenous students, a difference of 1 grade point.

_{Source:  https://planning.une.edu.au/Staff/reviews/govt/grade_unit.xlsx
Figure 6: Mean Indigenous GPA vs non-Indigenous student GPA at UNE for the period 2013-2018.}

2.2.3 Student Pass Rates

As suggested in the reported unit pass rates of Indigenous students in Section 2.1.1f, the pass rate by Course of Indigenous students at UNE has remained relatively stable, though trending upwards since 2015 (Table 16). In 2018 the pass rate percentage of Indigenous students was 72.5% an increase of 4.6 % on the 67.9% pass rate recorded in 2017

Table 16: Indigenous Student Pass Rate Percentage by Course, UNE 2015-2018

_{Source: Pass rate by course (based on weekly extract data) - prepared 22/03/2019; UNE Business Intelligence Unit.}

2.2.4 Student Progress Rate

The Student Progress Rate (SPR) is a percentage measure of student cohort progression determined by dividing the Total EFTSL of Units passed by the total EFTSL of Units completed (i.e. includes: pass, fail and withdrawn) within the calendar year. In 2018, the SPR for Indigenous students at UNE was 63.7%, a marginal increase on the 61.9% SPR reported in 2017 (Figure 7). However, this variation lies within the mean absolute deviation of all UNE Indigenous student SPR values for the period 2012 to 2018 (based on the appropriate calculation made using the raw numbers reported in Figure 7). SPR, therefore, is not yet a reliable indicator of real change (either positive or negative) in Indigenous Student Progressions at UNE. Continued monitoring of this value in concert with ongoing application of strategies such as the Census Date Initiative outlined in Section 2.2.1f are likely required for a sustained increase in Indigenous SPR to be realised at UNE.

_{Source:  UNE Business Intelligence Unit.
Figure 7: Mean Indigenous GPA vs non-Indigenous student GPA at UNE for the period 2013-2018..}

2.2.5 Graduation attendance

A total of 99 Aboriginal students were approved for graduation across the 2018 Calendar Year at UNE. This is the largest number of Indigenous graduates reported in any calendar year for UNE. A particularly noteworthy achievement was the graduation of Ms Kirby Siemsen, the first Indigenous female to graduate from UNE as a medical doctor.

2.3    Tutorial and other assistance provided

Oorala continues to innovate in the area of student academic support. In particular, to increase efficiencies in management and delivery and especially to support the more than the two-thirds of our Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students who study online and/or who are from regional and remote locations, ongoing use and improvement of digital technology in the delivery of Targeted Tutorial Assistance has been a focus throughout 2018.

2.3.1 Targeted Tutorial Assistance Programme

To improve the scope and effectiveness of the tutorial support provided to all Indigenous students studying at UNE, Oorala established a permanent position to coordinate the Targeted Tutorial Assistance (TTA) Programme in 2017. An initial key task for the new TTA Coordinator was to work, in partnership with UNE IT Services, to build an online system that could handle applications from tutors and students, match students with tutors and facilitate reconciliation with the payment system. The basic elements of this system (referred to as TTA online) were launched in late 2017 and system enhancements continued throughout 2018. In total, 17 enhancements to the system were made in 2018 including:

• Revision of the online student application form to enable it to be completed more efficiently and with better detail to ensure that the tutorial service provided is tailored for each student's needs;
• Revision of the online tutor application form to improve the efficiency of the application process and to ensure that tutors provide sufficient information to enable the best match of the qualifications, skills and experience of each tutor with those students seeking assistance;
• Increasing the flexibility of the record keeping and reporting elements of the database to enable the TTA Coordinator to better monitor service delivery and enhance data accuracy.
• Increasing the data available for review by students and tutors relating to each recorded tutorial session thereby improving its useability and accuracy.

In addition to enhancements to the TTA online system, three further material improvements to the TTA programme were made in 2018:

• A full set of improved programme guidelines, tutor terms and conditions and student terms and conditions were completed, to match the changed circumstances; and made available on the TTA webpage available at: https://www.une.edu.au/info-for/indigenous-matters/oorala/student-support/tutoring
• An Induction guide for all tutors was created to ensure that all tutors understand their roles and responsibilities; and that they have familiarity with TTA online and the necessary support to carry out the online obligations of their role.
• To improve the overall management of the TTA Programme, internal operational guidelines were written and implemented including those elements relating to administration of TTA online.

A breakdown of the tutorial assistance provided through the TTA Programme in 2018 is provided in Table 17 below. A total of 132 Indigenous students were provided with Tutorial assistance in 2018, an approximately 30% increase on the 103 students who were supported in 2017.

Table 17: Tutorial and other assistance provided (2018 breakdown).

_{Source: Oorala Aboriginal Centre.}

2.4    Size of the Oorala Aboriginal Centre

All ISSP grant funding provided to UNE is directed to, and administered by, the Oorala Aboriginal Centre for the support of all Indigenous students studying at UNE. Likewise, the Centre’s HEPPP and teaching revenue continues to increase, as per our accompanying financial statement.

For the 2018 calendar year, the Fulltime Equivalent (FTE) staff load of Oorala was 19.19 comprised of 10.47 FTE Indigenous staff and 8.72 FTE non-Indigenous staff (See Table 18 below). Also, as part of the Centre’s ongoing implementation of its Integrated Student Engagement Plan a three faculty model of student engagement was embedded in 2018. This meant that the three Indigenous Student Engagement Officers employed in Oorala were each assigned to one of the three Faculties at UNE to provide academic and cultural support and liaison to students enrolled in faculty specific courses.

Table 18: Indigenous and Non Indigenous staff employed in the Oorala Aboriginal Centre in 2018.

_{Source: Oorala Aboriginal Centre.}

2.5 Cultural competence – curriculum

2.5.1 Oorala Aboriginal Centre.

As part of a UNE wide commitment to embed Indigenous content in the curriculum, and improve the cultural competency of its graduates, the Oorala Aboriginal Centre introduced three undergraduate and one postgraduate unit to its teaching Program in 2012. Since this time, these units have (a) continued to be incorporated into an increasing number of Disciplines studies and UNE Courses and (b) have had increasing number of enrolments (See Tables 19 & 20). In particular, OORA200 Working with Aboriginal People has been embedded as a core unit of study in the Bachelor of Nursing and the Bachelor of Social Work by the School of Health. In 2018, 472 students studied this Unit, an increase of some 24% on the previous year. Furthermore, Oorala continues to innovate in the area of Indigenous curricula and in 2018 commenced development of a Diploma Level Course (AQF 5) in Aboriginal Heritage Practice. This course will require the development of an additional five Indigenous specific units for delivery 2020/2021.

Table 19: The units of study offered and administered by the Oorala Aboriginal Centre in 2018.

Table 20: UNE Courses in which the Units of study offered by Oorala have been incorporated.

UNE Curricula

Within the UNE Bachelor of Laws program, there are twelve units (six core and six elective units) that include varying  amounts of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander content. For example, the core unit LAW101 – Law in Context, includes a topic on ‘Race and the Law’ that focuses on the colonisation and the historical treatment of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. Likewise LAW270 – Interviewing for Advocacy provides a dedicated topic on ‘Interviewing Aboriginal Australians’ and the importance of developing cultural competency when interviewing Aboriginal clients or suspects. There is a lecture on the differences between Aboriginal English and Standard English. So too, the elective unit LAW164 – Law and First People of Australia, is a unit explicitly designed to introduce students to legal issues affecting Indigenous Australians. The unit includes a learning outcome on Indigenous cultural competency that aims to prepare all students to work effectively with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students in their future careers, and provides a supportive learning environment for Indigenous students. The inclusion of Indigenous content in LAW units at UNE will be subject to further review as part of the upcoming LLB curriculum review.

UNE Business School

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 that seeks to prepare students for a career involved in community and regional development projects.

Faculty of Health and Medicine

School of Health

As noted in Section 2.5.1., the School of Health has embedded the OORA 200- Working with Aboriginal People as a core unit of Study in the Bachelor of Nursing and the Bachelor of Social Work. This unit examines the history of relationships between Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal peoples, using the notion of whiteness to understand dispossession, resistance, adaptation and survival of Aboriginal peoples in Australia. Models of community development and cultural awareness will enable students to develop strategies to equip them in working with Aboriginal people in a variety of professional practices. Students are challenged to examine and reflect on the self as a conscious personal and professional actor within the dynamic of ethnic interchanges. The School has also included OORA200 as a listed unit in the Diploma of Community Welfare and included OORA 400 as a listed elective in the Master of Social work.

Throughout the Bachelor of Social Work a number of Case studies are provided t that reflect diversity of circumstances and interactions with health and social care systems of Aboriginal people. These case studies reflect issues specific to Indigenous people and their experience of disadvantage and about the rights of young Indigenous people who are accused of or found guilty of committing a crime. Also, where appropriate assignments have been amended to include students demonstrating knowledge of the adjustment of their counselling practice should the client identify as an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander person

In 2018 students in HSCS538 - Clinical Assessment and Case Conceptualisation were required to watch an SBS documentary in relation to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander history and current social and emotional circumstances that may affect client wellbeing. An Aboriginal Psychologist was contracted to delivering a face-to-face workshop at the 2018 HSCS538 Intensive School providing expertise in working in an inclusive manner with people who identify as Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders in a counselling context including providing a social and emotional well-being framework.

In 2018, there were a number of education sessions provided to students during placement at the Coledale Health & Education Clinic (A partnership between Walhallow Aboriginal Corporation and the University of New England’s School of Health, noted in Table 11). The sessions focused on Indigenous knowledge and culture to enhance cultural competence.

School of Rural Medicine

The Joint Medical Program (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 expected graduate attributes. The ability to work effectively, competently and safety in a diverse cultural environment (including 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. Course outcomes that of 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.

Similarly, the JMP includes Units of study with specific outcomes relating to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. For example, the specific unit outcomes relating to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander for the Unit MEDI1101A 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 Psychology

The School of Psychology [and the School of Health] uses the following strategies to improve inclusion of Indigenous knowledge in curricula:

• Acknowledgement of Country is made at the beginning of every meeting within the School and staff have been encouraged to include Acknowledgement of Country at the start of each lecture, tutorial, and seminar. Updated Moodle sites include the text and image shown in Figure 8. Likewise, liaison with the Oorala Aboriginal Centre is ongoing to ensure local cultural protocols, practices and people are considered in curriculum design and delivery.
• ‘Getting it Right’ resources. These were designed and evaluated as part of a research project run out of the Australian Catholic University (ACU) funded by OLTC in which UNE was a pilot site: https://staff.acu.edu.au/data/assets/pdf_file/0010/655804/Getting__It_Right_June_2014.pdf
• An Aboriginal Psychologist is contracted to deliver face-to-face content in the postgraduate psychology courses.

_{Figure 8: Text and Images of  available on School of Psychology Moodle Sites}

2.6    Cultural competence of staff and cultural safety of students

2.6.1 Cultural Competence of Staff

UNE provides all staff with the opportunity to attend a one-day Cultural Connections Workshop. The Workshop is offered regularly throughout the year as a Professional Development Opportunity sponsored by the UNE Human Resource Services Directorate. Participants are provided with an understanding and appreciation of the impact of history and government policies on the emotional and social well- being of Aboriginal people, particularly those within in the local and regional community. Associated insights into the experience of Aboriginal people supports stronger relationships with the Oorala Aboriginal Centre and facilitates cross-cultural dialogue with Indigenous students and staff across the University.

In 2018, 86 staff participated in Cultural Connections Workshops, 26 fewer individuals then in 2017. However, this does not reflect a decline in the support for or willingness of UNE staff to participate in these workshops but rather, due to a period of illness by the key Indigenous Workshop facilitator, fewer workshops were able to be run throughout the year. It is notable that with the formation of the new Faculty of HASSE in 2018 management mandated that all staff with supervision responsibilities for other staff members must complete the Cultural Connections (cultural competency) and Unconscious Bias courses offered at UNE. Furthermore, all staff were advised to do this professional development (PD) and the Faculty continues to actively monitoring the completion of this PD.

2.5.4 Cultural Safety of Students

The Oorala Aboriginal Centre is the focal point for Indigenous cultural inclusion and safety at UNE and the wider regional community. The Centre provides both a digital and ‘real-world’ UNE space where culturally appropriate advice and pastoral support can be obtained by students in a welcoming environment. A feature of this space is recognition and support for the diversity of Indigenous circumstance and experience; and the strong partnership that the Centre maintains with the local Aboriginal community. In addition to Oorala providing a space of welcome and support for all Indigenous students at UNE, individual Schools (such as the three listed examples below) also take responsibility to ensure the cultural safety of Indigenous students.

School of Education

All students in initial teacher education (ITE) programmes are required by our external accreditation requirements to complete studies relating to the teaching of Indigenous students throughout their studies. This includes offering a specialist programme of study for students seeking to specialise in the teaching of Indigenous students. Necessarily, this requires all academic staff involved in these programmes to maintain their own knowledge of the teaching of Indigenous students as a requirement of this accreditation. In addition, the Office for Professional Learning (OPL), which manages all school teaching practice for ITE students, ensures that it pays attention to the specific requirements of Indigenous students when managing their placements.

School of Psychology

The School of Psychology has a ‘Respecting Indigeneity Statement’ whose purpose is to ensure that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students are acknowledged, valued, nurtured, and successful in their studies. The document also aims to develop in non-Indigenous staff and students, heartfelt respect for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander culture and values. The School aims to: (a) create an environment in which Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students and staff are culturally safe in their interactions with staff and other students; and (b) build a culture of acknowledging Indigenous custodianship of country. The School actively supports the development of cultural competency in staff and the promotion of a culturally safe environment for Indigenous students by:

• Encouraging and supporting all staff to attend and participate in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander events at the University or in the local community (e.g., NAIDOC Week celebrations). This approach allows staff to keep abreast of current ATSI issues and engagement with ATSI cultural practices.
• Supporting all staff to attend a Cultural Connections Workshop. This 1-day programme offered regularly to all university staff through Professional Development Opportunities sponsored by the UNE Human Resource Services. Participants are provided with an understanding and appreciation of the impact of past policies on Aboriginal people in the local community. Associated insights into the experience of Aboriginal people supports stronger relationships with the Oorala Aboriginal Centre.
• Holding regular meetings with the Oorala Aboriginal Engagement Officer for the Faculty of Medicine and Health.

School of Rural Medicine

Aboriginal students enrolled in Medicine at UNE access the JMP Student Support Programme that is available to all Medical students. Students requiring support due to personal or academic reasons are supported by a two member case management team (CMT). The CMT meets with the student at regular intervals to ensure that necessary support is in place. Aboriginal Academic Lisa Shipley is on the Executive Committee of the JMP Student Support Programme and works to ensure that Indigenous students are provided with a culturally safe environment. In addition, Lisa liaises with the Student Engagement Team at Oorala to ensure that Aboriginal students enrolled in medicine have ready access to the academic (including tutoring) and cultural support provide by Oorala Indigenous Centre.

3.Completions (outcomes)

3.1 Rise and fall of completions

3.1.1 Outcomes

The completions of Indigenous students at UNE has been stable in 2017 and 2018 with 74 reportable completions recorded for both years (Table 21). This number of reportable completions differs somewhat from the record number of Indigenous graduands (i.e. 99; See Section 2.2.5) who participated in the three graduation ceremonies held at UNE in 2018. This is attributable to the lag in the ‘report year’ for completions versus graduation reports per calendar year (see Note in Table 20). Nevertheless, if graduations per calendar year are trending upwards it is expected that reportable completions will follow this trend upwards in 2019.

Table 21: Course Completions by Indigenous students at UNE 2014-2018 (by calendar year)

_{a.'report year’ is the final year in which the student studied. The course completion is reported to HEIMS in the following calendar year. This data includes course completions from 1 April of the report
Source: ‘Graduations’ Excel Worksheet dated 09/04/2019 prepared by UNE Business Intelligence Unit}

Data Trend Note

Data from the School of Psychology as shown in Figure 9 below indicates that commencing student enrolments have continued to rise since 2015. As the time line from course enrolment to completion ranges from three to six years, it is anticipated that the 2014, 2015 and 2016 completion rates will continue to steadily improve as students progressively graduate. It is also anticipated that there will be a higher absolute number of graduate completions given growth in the cohort.

_{Source: UNE School of Psychology
Figure 9: School of Psychology commencing cohort and subsequent year graduation trends 2012-2017.}

3.1.2 Strategies connecting graduates with employment (both within and outside the institution)

Across the University, a number of opportunities are available to Indigenous students to enable them to make workforce connections and improve their employment prospects upon graduation. These include:

• The Senior Human Resources Consultant, Aboriginal Employment at UNE continues to promote the Aboriginal Casual Employment Register to UNE recruiters as well as to Aboriginal Torres Strait Islander students and graduates.
• All graduates from the Joint Medical Program are employed by the State Health Departments to commence internship – as required to gain full registration.
• The School of Health is a member of the Congress of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Nurses and Midwives (CATSINaM) which is the peak body that represents Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander nurses and midwives across Australia. The aim of this body is to increase the recruitment and retention of Aboriginal peoples into nursing and midwifery roles across Australia. Sponsorships to attend the conference were arranged for four Indigenous students enrolled in nursing degrees at UNE in 2018.
• The School of Health also supports Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander nursing students gain continuing employment via support/promotion of Cadetships available with NSW Health.
• Programs in the School of Education, the School of Health and the School of Rural Medicine require student placement in work/clinical settings for course completions. Indigenous students who participate in placements are supported by the Oorala Aboriginal Centre to apply for ‘Away from Base’ funding through Abstudy to assist students meet the accommodation costs of these placements.
• The UNE Careers Team facilitates the Unit of Study titled Work300 Integrated Learning –Professional Skills Development. This unit is an elective available across a range of Courses at UNE. It is designed to enables students to apply their academic knowledge in a workplace context, and to reflect and report on the experience, thus increasing their level of career readiness. The work includes: (1) 120 hours of fully supervised professional activity, project work or directed investigation in a host workplace; (2) not more than 30 hours of additional study and assignment preparation including the Online Preparation Moodle unit.
• UNE has supported students to achieve Internships via the Career Trackers Indigenous Internship Program in 2018 Indigenous students studying, Law, Business and Science participated in internships with external recruiters including the NSW Environmental Protection Agency.

4.  Indigenous Education Strategy accessible by public

4.1 UNE Indigenous Education Strategy 2019-2021

The UNE Indigenous Education Strategy (IES) 2019-2021 has been drafted in consultation with UNE’s Indigenous staff and academic leaders and is subject to ongoing review and development. This strategy will ensure UNE is a culturally welcoming environment to support growth in Indigenous student and staff numbers, greater inclusion of Indigenous knowledge in UNE's curricula and teaching practices, and in UNE's graduate attributes.

The 'grow phase' of the Indigenous Education Strategy (IES) is in progress. Actions from IES were commenced at the end of 2018. The IES is currently being refreshed for the 2019-2021 period, in collaboration with the Office of the PVCAI and the UNE Indigenous Engagement Committee (UNEIEC). A working party has been established, and is supported administratively through the PVCAI Office. Members include PVCAI and co-chairs of the UNEIEC, as well as staff from the Learning and Teaching Transformation Directorate. Measures against the targets in access, participation, retention and success, as noted in the IES, will be available at the end of the 2019 period.

Continuing strategies and support

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 (in Revision) 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 programmes.

Indigenous Education Statements

All UNE Indigenous Education Statement from 2012-2018 are available at:

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

5. Indigenous Workforce Strategy (IWFS) accessible by public

1. That the UNE environment is culturally inclusive of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people including art/artefacts and words;
2. That UNE will identify a position for an Aboriginal/Torres Strait Islander person in a senior executive role at the level of Pro Vice-Chancellor or Deputy Vice-Chancellor or equivalent by 2021;
3. That UNE will develop an induction process for all new Aboriginal/Torres Strait Islander employees;
4. That UNE Investigates and identifies the opportunity for traineeships and apprenticeships within Faculties and Directorates; and
5. That UNE Investigate options and develop a Graduate Recruitment program for Aboriginal/Torres Strait Islander graduates for possible implementation in 2020 – 2021.

Table 22: UNE Indigenous Workforce Data (2018 breakdown) Indigenous workforce data (2018 breakdown)

_{*There were 17 tutors participating in the Targeted Tutorial Assistance Program at Oorala who identified as Indigenous in 2018. All tutors are employed by UNE on casual Academic contracts.}

_{Source: UNE Human Resources Directorate.}

6. Indigenous involvement in decision-making

6.1 UNE Indigenous Engagement Committee (UNEIEC)

In 2018, the UNE Indigenous Engagement Committee (UNEIEC) was established. The Committee reports to the Vice- Chancellor and advises on matters relating to Indigenous education, employment and research and satisfies the Indigenous Student Assistant Grant Guidelines 2017 requirements for an Indigenous Governance Mechanism. The composition and terms of reference for this Committee are available to the public on its dedicated UNE webpage: https://www.une.edu.au/staff-current/une-areas/executive/vice-chancellor/uneiec.

6.1.1 Additional Involvement of Indigenous staff in decision making including curriculum evaluation and review

In addition to the establishment of UNEIEC, encouraging and increasing Indigenous representation within governing and decision-making bodies has remained a key focus of the university in 2018, as per the 2016-2020 Strategic Plan. Participation of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people on decision-making bodies at UNE in 2018 includes:

Director of Oorala
Mr. Gregory Davidson, a Wiradjuri man, is the current Director of the Oorala Aboriginal Centre. In this diverse role, Mr. Davidson provides key Aboriginal leadership at UNE through involvement in committees and high level liaison with Schools and Directorates on matters and issues that relate to academic support and outcomes in recruitment, access, participation, retention and completion for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in higher education. He is an ex officio member of Academic Board, a member of the Deans Committee and the Human Research Ethic Committee of the University. In addition, he provides for, and has oversight of, the strategic direction of the Centre and its primary functions in Indigenous community and student engagement, academic programmes support and cultural competency.

Elder-in-Residence
Mr. Colin Ahoy, a local Anaiwan Elder was the appointed Elder-in-Residence of the University for 2018. The role of Elder-in-Residence is an important role that has ceremonial, liaison and pastoral functions across the University. The role includes consultation and participation in protocols for official events, programmes and projects, including Welcome to Country; and incorporation of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander perspectives in academic business and curriculum.

Academic Board
Mr. Darin Gorry, an Indigenous Lecturer in the Oorala Aboriginal Centre is an appointed member of the Teaching and Learning Committee of Academic Board;
Dr Lorina Barker, an Indigenous Lecturer in the Faculty of HASSE, is an appointed member of the Curriculum Committee of Academic Board; and
Mr. Michael Brogan, an Indigenous academic in the Faculty of HASSE, is an appointed member of the Research Committee of Academic Board.

School Committees
Ms. Marcelle Burns an Indigenous academic in the School of Law is a member of the Teaching and Learning Committee of this School; [Ms. Burns is also a member of the UNE Aboriginal Employment Strategy Governance Committee and in 2018, she was also a member of the UNE Reconciliation Action Plan Committee].
Mr. Steve Widders, an Anaiwan Elder, is Patron of the School of Education and is invited to significant occasions held in the School.
In the School of Medicine and 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.
The School of Law Advisory Board includes the Director, Oorala Aboriginal Centre, as an ex-officio member.
The Academic Coordinator of the Oorala Aboriginal Centre is a member of the School of Education Teaching and Learning Committee.

6.2 Statement by the Indigenous Governance Mechanism

Throughout 2018, UNE pursued a programme of activity to ensure compliance with Section 10 of the Indigenous Student Assistance Grants Guidelines 2017 and thereby maintain eligibility for ISSP funds in 2019 and beyond. Section 10 (1) (c) of these Guidelines outlines the need for the University to have: (a) an Indigenous Governance Mechanism, (b) an Indigenous Workforce Strategy and (c) an Indigenous Education Strategy. The Director of the Oorala Aboriginal Centre developed and communicated the contents of a paper to members of the UNE Executive for consideration in which the options available to ensure compliance with these Section 10 eligibility requirements were outlined. The Director did so in his capacity as the delegated Officer within UNE that carries administrative responsibilities for implementing, reporting and ensuring compliance with the ISSP funding agreement. Some of the responsibilities include budgeting, which is integrated into the UNE budgeting and business planning cycle; the Oorala Operational Plan reflects the budget that is approved by UNE Finance and the Senior Executive. The Director coordinates the development of the annual ISSP Report and UNE Finance Directorate provides acquittal for all funds received as ISSP grant monies.

By December 2018, a review of the UNE Indigenous Workforce Strategy had been completed, and the Draft ‘UNE Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Employment Strategy 2019 – 2023’ was before the Vice Chancellor for final approval. Likewise, and as noted in Section 6.1.above, the UNE Indigenous Engagement Committee (UNEIEC) was established and approved by the Vice-Chancellor in December 2018. Finally, the UNE Indigenous Education Strategy 2019-2021 has been drafted for implementation in 2019.

Consistent with subsection 17(2) (b) of the Indigenous Student Assistance Grants Guidelines 2017, and as per the governance protocols in place for 2018, the Director of Oorala endorses this 2018 ISSP report and associated financial acquittal. Furthermore, the Director acknowledges the formation of UNEIEC and looks forward to working with this committee throughout 2019.

The Oorala Aboriginal Centre has produced this report on behalf of the University of New England and would like to thank the following Directorates and Schools of the University for their contribution to the preparation of the 2018 ISSP Performance Report:

The following UNE directorates contributed to this statement

• Oorala Aboriginal Centre
• Audit and Risk
• Marketing and Public Affairs
• Strategy & Planning
• Research Services
• Human Resource Services
• Student Administration and Services
• Corporate Intelligence Unit
• UNE Life (including SportUNE)
• University Library Services
• Learning and Teaching Transformations

The following UNE Academic Faculty and Schools contributed to this statement:

• Faculty of Humanities, Arts, Social Sciences and Education (HASSE) including:
  • School of Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences
  • School of Education
• Faculty of Medicine and Health (M&H) including:
  • School of Psychology
  • School of Health
  • School of Rural Medicine
• Faculty of Science, Agriculture, Business and Law (SABL) including:
  • School of Law
  • UNE Business School
  • School of Science and Technology
  • School of Environmental and Rural Science

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 – 2018 Financial Acquittal

The following tables have a dual purpose of itemising actual income and expenditure associated with the ISSP in 2018 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

Details of Carry Over Projects for 2019 Spend

3.  Goods and Services Tax (GST) paid under ISSP - 1 January - 31 December 2018

• 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: Mr Kris Kauffmann Title: Chief Financial Officer

• Phone: 02 6773 2636
• E-mail: cfo@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 2019 Performance Report and 2019 Financial Acquittal for the Indigenous Student Success Programme.

Complete this certification after reading the completed 2019 Performance Report and 2019 Financial Acquittal for the Indigenous Student Success Programme.

Certification recommended by university’s Indigenous Governance Mechanism:

Signed: Mr Guido Posthausen (signed document is available in TRIM)
Date: 23 May 2019

Certification made by Vice-Chancellor or equivalent delegate

Signed: Professor Annabelle Duncan (signed document is available in TRIM)
Date: 28 May 2019

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.