2020 Indigenous Education Statement

Progression (access and outcomes)

2.1 Strategies for Improved Student success rates and Retention

2.1.1 Integrated Student Engagement and COVID-19 Adaptation

Oorala has continued to embed and systematise a pro-active model of student engagement. Key to this has been the 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 involves providing support for the majority of our Indigenous students who study online (See Section 1.7.4) and who are from regional and remote locations(see Section 4.2).

The provision of direct online study support for our Indigenous students became critical from March 2020 as COVID restrictions led UNE to transition all teaching and assessment to completely online modes of delivery. At the same time, the Oorala Aboriginal Centre was closed to all students and all staff commenced working from home. An immediate priority of the Oorala Student Engagement Team was to pivot their support practices to assist On Campus students who found themselves without access to the Oorala Study Lab or any on Campus facilities where computers, printers and associated IT could be used. Likewise, we had a critical need to also assist a number of students studying online who were unable to access public facilities such as libraries and/or community technology hubs s to meet their internet and IT needs. A number of actions were taken by Oorala to assist all Indigenous students at UNE during this crisis period including:

• Providing a number of laptops on loan for student use in circumstances where students both On Campus and Online found themselves without access to Computers;
• Facilitating internet access for student either by loaning internet dongles to locally based students and/or purchasing WIFI systems plus providing initial 6 month coverage of this system;
• Assisting students to withdraw from studies in light of their changed circumstance, including alerting them to any new UNE policy relating to the conversion of grades where applicable; and providing advice around remission of fees. This advice was required by a considerable number of our students as either the requirements for homeschooling and/or the loss of a job due to COVID-19 meant that their study was unsustainable.
• Working collaboratively with the Student Success Team to adjust the Oorala orientation program such that it was delivered completely online via the UNE 101 Moodle site but with Oorala hosting our own presentation and providing other live and recorded materials.
• Working to celebrate the success of our Indigenous graduates at a time when there was no possibility for graduation ceremonies to occur. Oorala maintained our provision of congratulatory packs comprised of a gift from Oorala, a card as well as an embroidered graduation sash. These packs were posted to all eligible graduands during each scheduled graduation period.

In addition to these COVID-19 adaptations to our usual support for Indigenous students, we also maintained our standard business practices and focused where possible on projects designed to improve the retention of our student cohort. Summary outlines of key business practices and/or projects that were either operational or expected in 2020 are provided in the following sections

2.1.1a UNE’s Student Relationship Management System (SRM)

All Oorala staff are trained in the use of UNE’s SRM with frontline student engagement officers using the system on a daily basis to interact with students. In 2020, members of Oorala’s Student Engagement Team recorded 3339 incidents of student-staff interaction on SRM for the calendar year. These interactions include students seeking information, advice and/or referral to another service at UNE but also include proactive interactions of Oorala staff with students to facilitate student progression and support wellbeing (see 2.1.1b and 2.1.1c). 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. This increased efficiency has been especially important in Oorala’s efforts to mitigate the impact of COVID-19 on our regional and remote students studying online.

2.1.1b Personal Retention and Engagement Program (PREP)

As part of the Personal Retention and Engagement Program (PREP) operated by the centralised Student Success Team at UNE, Student Advisors contact every student commencing undergraduate and postgraduate coursework in a particular teaching period. The preferred method of contact is by phone to best ensure a ‘personalised’ transition to study. Advisors assists each student to 'create their own toolbox' to aid their transition into university study.  Based on the individual enrolment profile of each student a tailored ‘Personalised Transition Plan’ is then sent to the student via email. By doing this, UNE facilitates positive early engagement with the University, its systems (especially the UNE ‘Moodle’ Learning Management System (LMS) portal and the online orientation unit UNE101) and procedures; as well as the practicalities needed for university study such as time management, work-study-life balance and support contacts. These factors have been shown to impact positively on student experience and persistence and to be a key factor in student success, especially insofar as students from low socioeconomic status backgrounds are concerned.

As the PREP program has a proven effect on improving retention across the commencing student population, in 2020 Oorala worked closely with the UNE Student Success Team to introduce a PREP program specifically designed for indigenous students. A key feature of the Oorala PREP program was the introduction of culturally capable Indigenous Student Advisors that understood the life experiences of Indigenous students. The PREP program at Oorala seeks to link students with appropriate programs to foster readiness for university study and social supports for their transition into the role of student. The program served to further embed a “whole-of-university” approach to the support of Indigenous students and allowed the Oorala Aboriginal Centre to more effectively provide additional services.  Oorala continues to offer this program to its students in 2021.

2.1.1c. Online Learning Live – Stage 3 of the Alternate Indigenous Student Pathways Review Project (Oorala –PRP)

The Online Learning Live Project represents the third and final stage of the Alternate Indigenous Student Pathways Review Project (Oorala-PRP) commenced by the Oorala Centre in 2017.  Stage 3 of the Oorala PRP specifically actions improvements to the Online Learning Environment for Indigenous students at UNE; including fostering a community of practice, and the provision of online resources that offer ‘whole of student lifecycle’ support for our students. Deliverables for this Project include:

• The development of a suite of culturally appropriate ‘how to’ videos’ for academic skills support; as well as student testimonials to enhance the online pre-access space for our future students.
• The design and implementation of an online ‘study ready’ self-assessment tool; and
• The physical update and renewal of the Oorala Moodle site (The Hub).

In December 2019, ISSP Grant rollover funding was approved to fully complete this Project in 2020. However, due to COVID-19 restrictions, Oorala staff had to work off-campus from late March 2020 onwards, only returning to campus in the first week of September. This meant that project elements were not fully realised in 2020. For example, without access to campus and/or students during COVID-19 Restriction periods, the development of a suite of culturally appropriate videos progressed more slowly than anticipated. Up to December 2020 the project team was able to complete four (of six) Student Testimonial videos and two (of six) ‘How to’ Videos. Likewise, the online Oorala Study Ready Tool was 80% complete at years end with delays to the project resulting from the increase in workload of staff as COVID-19 restrictions - including the cessation of on-campus teaching – necessitated that additional urgent and ongoing academic and pastoral support be provided to our Indigenous students. Stage 3 of the Oorala PRP will be completed in 2021. This will coincide with the completion of a synthesis report that will showcase the methods, outcomes and learnings from the full PRP Project Stage 1 to 3 and guide ongoing improvement of the access pathways for Indigenous students at UNE.

2.1.1d.Improving Indigenous Success at UNE.

This Project is focused on the analysis of historical Indigenous student data and supplementary student survey in order to establish a detailed evidence-based profile of the Indigenous student cohort at UNE, with a particular focus being on the clearer characterisation of the barriers and enablers to Indigenous student completions at UNE. Data analysis for this Project was initially expected to commence in the first half of 2020. However, as noted elsewhere, COVID restrictions required all teaching and assessment at UNE to be transitioned online. This placed significant and immediate operational demand on UNE’s IT and data support personnel to ensure continuity of student learning during this time. This meant there were unforeseen time delays experienced in obtaining the historical Indigenous student data sets required for this study. The data necessary for this project was secured in the latter half of September 2020 and initial student survey design were undertaken prior to years end. The project continues and is expected to be finalised by June 30 2021.

2.1.1e. Oorala Outdoor Learning Precinct -Stage 1 Concept Plan.

Envisaged as an extension and revitalisation to the existing Outdoor Precinct at the Oorala Aboriginal Centre, a draft Concept Plan will be prepared in collaboration with a number of stakeholders, including staff from UNE Estate and Built Environment, Indigenous students, Oorala and UNE staff and other Indigenous community members. The space will better support cultural and social practices at Oorala associated with yarning and interaction with community, and increase a sense of belonging for everyone who uses the space. With specific need to consult with community members and to do so in place, COVID-19 restrictions meant little movement on the Concept Plan could be achieved in 2020.  Stakeholders Consultations have commenced in the first quarter of 2021.

2.4 Size of the Oorala Aboriginal Centre

UNE directs all ISSP grant funds it receives to the Oorala Aboriginal Centre where it is administered for the support of all Indigenous students. Likewise, HEPPP and teaching revenue continue to grow the Centre’s ability to support Indigenous student success, as per our accompanying financial statement. For the 2020 calendar year, the Fulltime Equivalent staff load of Oorala was 24.93 comprised of 15.35 FTE Indigenous staff and 8.359.56 FTE non-Indigenous staff (See Table 11 below).

Table 10: Indigenous and Non-Indigenous staff employed in the Oorala Aboriginal Centre in 2020.

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. These “OORA” units have been incorporated into an increasing number of Discipline studies and Courses across UNE (See Tables 12 & 13). In particular, the School of Health has embedded ‘OORA200 - Working with Aboriginal People’ as a core unit of study in the Bachelor of Nursing, the Masters of Nursing Practice, and the Bachelor of Social Work. Likewise each of the Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor of Education (K to 6) and the Bachelor of Criminology Courses at UNE had 10 or more students enroll in this Unit in 2020. Overall, 561 students studying 26 separate UNE courses enrolled in this Unit in 2020. A further 37 students, enrolled across 6 separate courses undertook the parallel OORA400 Unit.

Table 12: The units of study offered and administered by the Oorala Aboriginal Centre in 2016-2020.

Table 13: UNE Courses in which the Units of study offered by the Oorala Aboriginal Centre have been incorporated.

2.5.2 Faculty based measures to increase Indigenous content in the curriculum.

Faculty of Humanities, Arts, Social Sciences and Education (HASSE)

The Faculty of HASSE made progress on its commitment to the ‘implementation of collaborative Indigenous employment, education and research strategies’ throughout 2020. The Faculty provided ongoing support to School and Course based working parties on retention and course development. The Courses offered in both schools of the Faculty are recognised to include considerable Indigenous content, Nevertheless a review and systematic mapping of Indigenous content in the School of Arts, Humanities and Social Science (HASS) courses has proceeded to complement the work already completed by the School of Education courses through its external accreditation requirements.

School of Education

In the School of Education, all Course and Unit Coordinators are 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 cover the history of education, policy and government acts in Australia with implications for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. 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. An Acknowledgement of Country is included at the beginning of every formal lecture (and lecture recording). In 2019, the School of Education employed an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander designated Level B Academic in the Contextual Studies team. In 2020, this academic took on the course coordination of the Aboriginal Education units in the School.

Faculty of Science, Agriculture, Business and Law (SABL)

The Faculty of SABL was awarded $35,000 in HEPPP funding in 2018 to commence the “Building Indigenous Curricula and Partnerships Project” which included review and evaluation of the Indigenous content of units offered in SABL, including by an Indigenous graduate of UNE. This Project This Project audited the Indigenous content in SABL programs; set up an online database as an ongoing resource and work in progress; help provide Aboriginal perspectives into course content and delivery; and contribute to design and implementation of teaching materials and practices within SABL related to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and communities. This program continues to deliver improved delivery and alignment of Indigenous material in the curricula of SABL courses. For example, an outcome of the School of Law curriculum review saw the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander content in the UNE Bachelor of Laws program expand from six core units to its inclusion in the majority of 16 core units. As the UNE curriculum renewal program rolls out in 2020, this audit will provide the foundation for improved and scaffolded Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander content throughout SABL courses. The School of Environmental and Rural Science is exploring the development of a Graduate Certificate in Traditional Ecological Knowledge to provide a qualification for Indigenous and non-Indigenous natural resource managers throughout Australia.

School of Environmental and Rural Science (ERS)

IN ERS, traditional ecological knowledge is taught in first year in ECOL100 (Ecology: Concepts and Applications) and at higher levels (e.g. EM353 Conservation Biology). 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 is taught 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 also 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. Students are examined on their cultural understanding in the final examination. Likewise, in a core unit at third year – EM312 Environmental Impact Assessment –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 material. ERS also has 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.

Further to this,  based on the inaugural 2020-2021 UNE Reconciliation Action Plan, The School of ERS formed an action committee (including: Faculty Dean, Head of School and Vice Chancellors Early Academic Career Indigenous Fellow) Indigenous Fellow), that designed, and have begun to action, the ERS Aboriginal and Torres strait Islander Reconciliation Strategy, with five main objectives. In 2020/2021, the School has focused on two main actions:

• Objective 1: Creating a culturally safe and supportive place for ATSI staff, HDR and undergrad students and visitors,
• Objective 3: Build Indigenous Curricula.

Both of these objectives have begun to improve the everyday life of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students in the School of ERS. For example, a new unit in the Environmental Sciences focused on Indigenous Australian Sustainability Systems (ENSC220) has been newly designed. With only 24c credit points as pre-requisites this unit will offer an alternative report assessment allowing any student UNE-wide (and anywhere as a bespoke unit), to undertake it. The unit focusses on Indigenous Ecological Knowledge; its equality to western science; and how important relationships with Traditional Owners (and local communities) are during research projects. This will be the first full unit offering of Indigenous studies directly within the Science stream of the Faculty of Science, Agriculture, Business and Law (SABL).

School of Law

Ms. Marcelle Burns (an Aboriginal law lecturer), continues to engage with her colleagues to help embed cultural competency and awareness wherever practical into Law units. Moreover, from 2015 to 2019 Marcelle was the Project Leader for the Indigenous Cultural Competency for Legal Academics Program (ICCLAP)[1]. This program was supported the Council of Australian Law Deans (which has established a working party to support the implementation of ICC in legal education), and the Australian Government Department of Education. The project also facilitated a special edition (Vol 28, Issue 2) of the Legal Education Review on Indigenous cultural competency in law.

Within the UNE Bachelor of Laws program, twelve units (six core and six elective units) 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. Also, throughout the Bachelor of Social Work, a number of Case Studies are provided 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. In addition, 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.

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 safely 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:

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.

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. In standard years, this workshop is run at regular intervals throughout the year as a Professional Development Opportunity sponsored by UNE People and Culture (formally the Human Resource Services Directorate). In the Faculty of HASSE, for example, it is 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 are advised to do this professional development (PD) and the Faculty continues to actively monitor the completion of this PD.

At this workshop, 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. Due to the impact of COVID-19 restrictions, only one Cultural Connections Workshops was held in the first quarter of 2020 at which 9 people attended.  As these Workshops recommence throughout 2021, all staff yet to complete one will be encouraged to do so.

UNE has established a Diversity Advisory Group, consisting of student and staff representatives. An external representative chairs this Advisory Group and it reports directly to the Vice-Chancellor. This group has Aboriginal staff representation and has the remit to review all relevant policies, rules and procedures.

2.6.2 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

The School of Education ensures that all students in initial teacher education (ITE) programs at UNE complete studies relating to the teaching of Indigenous students. This includes offering a specialist program of study for students seeking to specialise in the teaching of Indigenous students. All academic staff involved in these programs actively maintain their own knowledge of the teaching of Indigenous students. 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 needs 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, 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 Indigenous issues and engagement with Indigenous cultural practices.
• Supporting all staff to attend a ‘Cultural Connections’ Workshop.
• Holding regular meetings with the Oorala Aboriginal Engagement Officer for the Faculty of Medicine and Health.

School of Rural Medicine

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

School of Environmental and Rural Science (ERS)

A working party of the ERS Gender and Diversity Equity Working Group was developed in 2020 to collaborate with local Indigenous people and staff from the Oorala Aboriginal Centre Team, including the Elder in Residence. The first task of this working party and its collaborators was to design and recommend to the University, an Acknowledgement of Country to be included on the UNE Brand Approved staff Email signatures. This will assist in creating a culturally safe communicative method for our Indigenous students.