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.

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 116 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 programs for our Indigenous students. Examples of alternate entry and access initiatives of the Faculty of Medicine and Health (M&H) and the Faculty of Science, Agriculture, Business and Law (SABL) are outlined, briefly, below.

Faculty of Medicine and Health (M&H)

Miroma Bunbilla: The School of Rural Medicine collaborates with the University of Newcastle (UoN) who host the Miroma BunbillaAboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Pre-Entry Program to the Joint Medical Program (JMP). This Program consists of a five-to-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. In December 2019 22 candidates participated in the Program at UoN. A Student Engagement Officer and the Acting Director of Oorala participated as UNE staff in the Program. The Engagement Officer was available to support students through the process, provide advice about the services offered at Oorala, and to answer any questions arising about studying medicine at UNE. Six student participants indicated a preference to study at UNE and these students visited UNE as part of the Program.

Equity Quota:  The Joint Medical Program at UNE has set a 10% quota for students of an Indigenous background – a target that the School is still to meet. In 2018, the Faculty of M&H had three Indigenous students commence Medicine.In 2020, one Aboriginal student received an offer and enrolled in the JMP at UNE. Two other applicants preferenced UNE but they did not meet the entry requirements.

Support for Nursing and Allied Health Workers: 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.
• NSW Department of Education Aboriginal Health Worker Project – this project maps competencies from Certificate IV to the Bachelor of Community Services to ensure credit is granted to the maximum extent possible and aligns with UNE strategies for improved access, unit success rates and retention of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students.

Faculty of Science Agriculture, Business and Law (SABL)

With the Faculty of Science Agriculture, Business and Law (SABL) at UNE, a focus of the following two initiatives in 2019 was to boost the participation of students from low socio-economic backgrounds, including Indigenous students:

Boosting Science Pathways: UNE courses in the Schools of S&T and ERS currently have 23% enrolments from students with low socio-economic status (SES) backgrounds (SES; 2018). HEPPP funding in 2019 supported the development of an online program of self-guided modules in scientific literacy to assist students with limited exposure to science educational experiences to transition into university science courses. Through collaboration with “UNE Boost” four lessons were designed as part of the Boosting Science Pathways that include an introduction to science and the scientific process, science and fake news, and science experimentation.

For 2019 and 2020, 72% of students entering a Science course were from School Recommended Early Entry. Students who enrolled in any STEM and Agriculture courses were directed to the Boosting Science Pathways course from the UNE101 online preparatory unit (Student Success team). From those who enrolled in the Boosting Science Pathways course; 16% were from Low SES background and 71% were from Mid SES background. The majority of the Mid SES students were from an SED of 4-5, at the lower end of this category. 42% of students were from inner regional and 32 % from outer regional locations across New South Wales and Queensland. It is estimated that ~6% of participating students identify as Indigenous.

This program will continue in 2020, with future access and participation opportunities under development to include:

• Partnering with rural and remote schools in the NSW north-west to deliver the modules to HSC students taking STEM and Agriculture subjects, and to encourage improved science participation. It is the intent of SABL to promote the Boosting Science Pathways to schools in our region with high Aboriginal enrolments.
• Stand-alone lessons designed for Boosting Science Pathways to support remedial development of foundational skills in first year science units. The aim is to improve pass rates in low-SES (inclusive of Aboriginal students) student cohorts.

Open Universities Australia: The Faculty of SABL has offered the Bachelor of Laws and Diploma of Science through Open Universities Australia (OUA) since 2019. By 2020, over 900 OUA students have undertaken SABL units with 66 students (over 6% of total enrolments) identifying as Australian Aboriginal or Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander. Offering SABL units and courses through OUA has increased our rates of participation for Indigenous Australians. SABL is continuing to increase and diversity the courses and units with OUA with a view of continuing to increase rates of participation.

1.3.2 Sub-Degree programs

UNE’s sub-degree undergraduate programs, as qualifications requiring shorter duration of study, are increasingly valuable as alternate pathways into further study at the Bachelor level. There were 46 Indigenous students enrolled in sub-degree programs in 2019. UNE has also identified potential for expansion of Diploma level programs to include more content with Indigenous knowledge and perspectives. In this regard, the Oorala Aboriginal Centre continued in 2019 with its Strategic Initiative to scope a Diploma Level Course in Aboriginal Heritage Practice to be flexibly delivered Online, On-Country and On-Campus. In June a series of information sessions and workshops were held with local and Regional community groups, including the Joint Regional Forum of the NSW Aboriginal Land Councils (NSWALC), to seek community support and input into the development and design of the Course. Guest presenters from Learning and Teaching Transformation (LaTT) at UNE and the Office of Environment and Heritage supported Oorala to deliver the workshop.

In its most compact form the Diploma in Aboriginal Heritage Practice seeks to build upon the successful TRACKS Tertiary Preparation Program to provide one further step in an Indigenous heritage, practice-based progression into Degree Course study at UNE. With a focus on Aboriginal cultural heritage, and with a contextual framing that recognises the surplus knowledge of all Aboriginal students in such a course, the Course is well-placed to assist Aboriginal students negotiate the cultural interface between their Indigenous knowledge and the western knowledges at the foundation of University learning.  In the context of wider curriculum review and renewal foreshadowed in the UNE Indigenous Education Strategy the Course design allows for ‘Build Ons’ at each AQF Level between TRACKS and Bachelor Degree Courses that afford other Disciplines wider access to culturally responsive, practice-led pathways for Indigenous Academic Success.

1.4 Scholarships

1.4.1 Indigenous Commonwealth Equity Scholarships

ISSP grant monies 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]). A breakdown of scholarship monies paid to Indigenous students at UNE in 2019 is shown in Table 2. 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.

Table 2: ISSP supported scholarships (Breakdown of 2019 payments).

a. = Student Head Count since one student may receive more than one type of scholarship.  
Source Oorala Aboriginal Centre and UNE Scholarships Office

1.4.2 Targeted 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 continued the Oorala Merit Prize and the Oorala Study Support Scholarships in 2019. Designed to recognise high performing Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander student success, the Oorala Merit Prize is aimed at undergraduate students and is 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 Program and one student from the Pathway Enabling Program, 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 2019, there were fourteen recipients of the Oorala Merit Prize (See Reward Column in Table 2).

Oorala Study Support Scholarships: This suite of scholarships offered by Oorala 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 a Disability Support Scholarships. Priority for these scholarships is 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.

Table 3: Details of all Commonwealth Equity Scholarships Paid in 2019 (by Class).

Source: Oorala Aboriginal Centre and UNE Financial Services Directorate.

1.4.3 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,
• 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 2019, are detailed below:

Donor Scholarships: The University has a number of undergraduate 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 9 Indigenous applicants met the eligibility requirements and were scholarship recipients in 2019 (Table 4). A further two $3000 Max Schroder Sporting Scholarships though available in 2019 were not awarded either because there were no applicants, or applicants did not successfully meet the eligibility requirements.

In positive news for our students, Max Schroder donated a further $1.25m late in 2019 for the continuation of the Indigenous Scholarships Programs he established several years ago. Likewise, in 2019 the Estate of Betty Fyfe committed a minimum of $400,000p.a. for 5 years for medical student scholarships for students from rural and regional backgrounds.

Table 4: Donor Scholarships awarded to UNE Indigenous undergraduate students in 2019.

Source: UNE Scholarships Office.

Vice Chancellor Indigenous Scholarship for International Travel: In 2019, the incoming Vice Chancellor of UNE, Professor Brigid Heywood made available a $10,000 International Travel Scholarship to support Indigenous student, Ms Dawn Lewis, visit leading International Universities in England in order to learn about the intricacies of working with ancient DNA. Whilst in England Dawn visited the University of Huddersfield and Warwick, both of which have ancient DNA laboratories, to learn more about ancient DNA studies in a global context. She also spent two weeks at the University of Oxford where she networked and shadowed experts working in the world-class Palaeogenomics and Bio-Archaeology Research Network (Palaeo Barn).[1]

Inaugural Indigenous Undergraduate Medicine Scholarship: This scholarship is a joint initiative of the School of Rural Medicine and the Oorala Aboriginal Centre. The first scholarship was awarded in 2019. The purpose of the UNE Indigenous Medical Scholarship is to attract more Indigenous students to study medicine at UNE. This scholarship will assist Indigenous students to alleviate their financial burden whilst studying Medicine at UNE. It provides a total value of up to $30,000 for a maximum period of 5 years.

Discipline Specific Awards: There were several other awards provided exclusively to Indigenous students at UNE in 2019. These included annual undergraduate student nursing achievement awards, as well as a number of undergraduate prizes awarded to Indigenous students in the Joint Medical Program for successful progression through to the next year of their studies (Table 5). 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 5: Additional Awards/Prizes awarded to Indigenous undergraduate students at UNE in 2019.

Source: UNE Schools of Health and Rural Medicine.

The Aurora Indigenous Scholars International Study Tour: Indigenous students from UNE are encouraged to apply to participate in the Aurora Indigenous Scholars International Study Tour. Sponsored by the Aurora Education Foundation the five-week Aurora Study Tour develops postgraduate study opportunities for high-achieving Indigenous scholars overseas. It takes students and graduates to leading international universities such as Cambridge, London Business School, London School of Economics, and Oxford, in the United Kingdom, and Berkeley, Columbia, Harvard, New York University, and Stanford in the United States of America – six of which recently ranked in the top 10 universities in the world. Grace Gillard a final year student in the UNE Bachelor of Science made a successful application to the Aurora Education Foundation in 2019 and consequently took part in a five-week overseas study tour in the latter part of the year.[1]

UNE School of Education short-term study tour, Bhutan: The Oorala Aboriginal Centre and the School of Educationsupported Ms. Tahlia Arrowsmith, an Indigenous student in her 2^nd year of a Bachelor of Education Degree at UNE, to participate in a three-week study tour of Bhutan in October 2019. The study tour was funded through the Australian Government Colombo Plan with the rare opportunity made possible by over 30 years of close partnership between UNE and the Royal University of Bhutan and the Ministry of Education.

Oorala Scholarship Webpage: To engage the more than seventy percent 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, 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 (LMS).

1.5 Support for indigenous postgraduate scholarship at UNE

UNE Research Services has actively worked to support and progress Indigenous participation in the research enterprise of the University in accord with the UNE 2016-2020 Research Plan. In 2019, a number of actions were taken to provide increased financial support to Indigenous Research students at UNE. These actions included:

• Making available a new suite of Indigenous Higher Education Research (IHDR) Scholarships (Each valued at $35,900 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. Table 6 shows a summary breakdown of the funds allocated in 2019. UNE Research Services directly funded this financial support.

Table 6: Value of Scholarships and Stipends awarded to UNE Indigenous Higher Degree Research Students in 2019.

1.6 Community Engagement and Outreach activities

UNE recognises that a key part of its role as a member of the Rural Regional Universities Network (RUN) Network University 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 four UNE outreach activities focused on Indigenous student access and participation. Each of these activities were funded in 2019 through the Higher Education Participation and Partnerships Program (HEPPP). Section 1.6.2 provides brief details of the initiatives undertaken in 2019 by UNE partnerships (UNEP), the education and training company of the University of New England, to support Indigenous students and provide flexible higher education learning opportunities for ongoing career development. Following this, Table 10 details the comprehensive range of community outreach and engagement activities undertaken by the Oorala Aboriginal Centre in 2019. The breadth and diversity of the activities listed in this Table 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. 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 11 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 12 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 Program (HEPPP)

The Higher Education Participation and Partnerships Program (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 2019, the following four HEPPP funded projects were targeted specifically at improving the access and awareness of Indigenous students to higher education possibilities at UNE.

On Campus Experience Days: During 2019 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 2019, a total of 78 students attended the four Experience Days (See Table 7).

Table 7: Summary of 2019 attendance numbers at Oorala Indigenous High School Experience Days

Youth Leadership Camps: During the year, Oorala ran its fourth series of youth leadership camps for Indigenous high school students, supported by $350,000 in HEPPP funding. Since they were piloted in 2016 the camps have experienced year on year growth (Table 8). In 2018 the camps attracted 122 Indigenous High School Students in total (a 51% increase on the numbers attending in 2017) and received on average 50% more applications than places were available. This trend continued into the first half of 2019 when the Senior Girls Leadership Camp held at Oorala in May 2019 attracted some 38 Year 11 and 12 students from 13 Schools across the New England - North West and Mid North Coast Regions of NSW. In a bid to manage the increasing number of applications and to ensure that students were selected on merit and aptitude for tertiary study, a cap (max. of 40 students/ camp) was introduced in the latter half of 2019. Hence, the total number of students that attended the Camps in 2019 was 132, a relatively modest 8 percent increase in numbers on the previous year (See Tables 8 and 9).

In July 2019, The Oorala Aboriginal Centre Youth Leadership Program was announced as one of four national finalists in the Community Engagement Category of the Australian Financial Review Higher Education Awards. This represents the 2^nd year in a row in which the Oorala Aboriginal Centre has received external recognition for the positive community engagement and impact of the Program on Indigenous students. In 2018 the Centre won the Cynthia Briggs – “Empowerment through Education Award” from the Australian College of Educators for its delivery of the Oorala Youth Leadership Camps.

Table 8: Student participation in the Oorala Youth Leadership Camps 2016-2019.

Table 9: Summary of 2019 attendance numbers at Oorala Indigenous High School Youth Development Camps.

Source: Oorala Aboriginal Centre, 2020.

KRUKI: The KRUKI program aims to increase the enrolment of Indigenous students to the School of Rural Medicine, contributing to UNE's Indigenous Engagement Strategy, and as a means to improve the health of Indigenous communities. In 2019, the School of Rural Medicine at UNE hosted the KRUKI Summer School for the fifth consecutive year.  Supported by $150,000 in HEPPP funding this Program is aimed at Indigenous High School students in Years 9 to 12 who are interested in studying medicine. During a five-day on-campus residential program the students engage in a number of activities and workshops designed to provide participants with the experience of “a week in the life of a year 1 medical student”, to build confidence, motivation and demystify the study of medicine for Aboriginal students. Indigenous and Non-Indigenous staff in the School of Rural Medicine facilitate the Program. One of the 2019 KRUKI participants (from Queensland) was successful in her application to the Joint Medical Program (JMP) and enrolled in the BMedSci and MD course at UNE (2020). Two participants from the 2018 KRUKI program also applied for entry to the JMP for the 2020 intake but were not successful. KRUKI also provided tutoring to JMP/UNE students throughout the year, provided progression prizes for JMP/UNE students, participated in outreach activities to high schools within a 300km radius and contributed to the Miroma Bunbila Program held at UoN for admissions into the Joint Medical Program.

Indigenous Scholar/TRACKS Peer Support Program: This HEPPP funded pilot program identified high achieving Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Students in a range of undergraduate programs at UNE. These students were invited to mentor students in the TRACKS Tertiary Preparation Program and build a community of practice around successful study at university. To assist Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students at the beginning of their university journey, the knowledge and experience of tertiary education held by our selected Indigenous Scholars is harnessed as a powerful tool with positive outcomes for both the scholars and our beginning TRACKS students. The TRACKS students gain practical, ongoing support including strategies for successfully combining study and commitments, preparation and planning for study and social networking/communication with academic and support staff. So too, the Indigenous scholars are recognised for their academic achievements and are provided with professional development to build their leadership capacities and aid their mentoring of fellow students throughout the support program.

1.6.2 UNE Partnerships

UNE Partnerships has worked with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community organisations to enrol 124 students in qualifications ranging from AQF Level 3 to AQF Level 6 over the year to 31 Dec 2019. Most of these students have come through Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Community Controlled Health Services (ATSICCHS), reflecting the willingness of UNE Partnerships to collaborate with peak Indigenous bodies in the Health Sector and respond to the education needs of local Indigenous Communities. Two effective collaborations between UNE Partnerships and Indigenous peak bodies that are producing positive educational outcomes for Indigenous community members are:

1. Queensland Aboriginal and Islander Health Council (QAIHC): Since 2008, UNE Partnerships has worked with the Queensland Aboriginal and Islander Health Council to assist them in their commitment to develop and support the Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Sector in Queensland. In particular, UNE Partnerships customised the Certificate III in Business Administration (Medical) to meet the needs of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Community Controlled Health Services in Queensland. Now in its 13^th year of delivery this customized course continues to empower Indigenous people who are entering the workforce to establish an identity in their community and a career in health. The program delivers a very high completion rate of 78%, with 75% of students who have completed the course still employed within the Queensland ATSICCHS Sector. Some 50% of graduates remaining in this sector have in fact progressed to other roles including: Chronic Disease Coordinator & Team Lead; Health Clinic/Practice Manager; Health Worker (Hearing Program); Medicare Clerk; Finance Administration Officer; Allied Health Services Coordinator; Child & Wellbeing Administration, Indigenous Outreach Worker and Senior Medical Receptionist. To further support the career progression of these individuals, UNE Partnerships and QAIHC are now working to develop a Diploma Level Course
2. Indigenous Remote Service Delivery Traineeship Program: During the last quarter of 2019 UNE Partnerships collaborated with 13 ATSICCHS organisations to apply for a grant under the Indigenous Remote Service Delivery Traineeship Program. UNE Partnerships approached organisations listed in NSW, Victoria, Queensland and the Northern Territory to offer training services and help with grant applications. UNE Partnerships has commenced delivery of blended programs incorporating online study, workshops and coaching to some 40 students from four states in the following qualifications:
   • Certificate III in Business Administration (Medical);
   • Certificate IV in Leadership and Management;
   • Diploma of Leadership and Management; and
   • Advanced Diploma of Leadership and Management

UNE Partnerships also offers two scholarships annually through alliances with the Australian Association of Practice Management and the Facilities Management Association of Australia. Both scholarships are designated for Indigenous applicants.

Table 10 Indigenous Student Support and Community Outreach Activities provided by the UNE Oorala Aboriginal Centre in 2019.B. Oorala Aboriginal Centre Activities Part Funded by ISSP in 2019

Table 11: Summary of additional Indigenous Community Engagement and Outreach activities of UNE in 2019.

1.7.1 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Enrolments 2019

In 2019 there were 967 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). Hence, in 2019 64% more Indigenous students were enrolled at UNE than in 2014. Moreover, Indigenous students accounted for 3.74% of all student enrolments at UNE, and 4.15% of all domestic student enrolments in 2019. Notably, this latter figure represents a total student population at UNE above population parity (2.9%)[1] with respect to Indigenous Australians.

Figure 1: Total Indigenous Student Enrolment at UNE for the six-year period 2014-2019 inclusive.

Source: Student Profile Excel Worksheet dated 28/02/2020 prepared by UNE Business Intelligence Unit.

1.7.2 Total Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Student Load 2019

In line with the strong upward trend in Indigenous student enrolments at UNE in recent years, the Indigenous share of total domestic student load has also trended strongly upwards (Figure 2). In 2014, the total EFTSL borne by Indigenous students at UNE was 319.7. By 2019, total Indigenous student EFTSL at UNE had risen to 493.2, a 54% increase in this six-year period.

Figure 2: Total Indigenous Student Load (EFTSL) at UNE for the six-year period 2014-2019 inclusive.

Source: Student Profile Excel Worksheet dated 28/02/2020 prepared by UNE Business Intelligence Unit.

1.7.3 Commencing and Continuing Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Student Trends 2014-2019

In 2014, Indigenous students commencing at UNE accounted for 116.1 EFTSL whereas in 2019 commencing Indigenous students accounted for some 240.2 EFTSL, an overall 49% increase in EFTSL during this period. However, for commencing students this raw increase in EFTSL has not occurred in a linear or consistent fashion throughout the past six years. Significant fluctuations in commencing student study loads, as has occurred between 2017 and 2019, suggests the existence of stressors to which the prospective Indigenous student market remains sensitive. Importantly, given the also-noted tendency for positive year on year rebound in Indigenous commencing student EFTSL at UNE, it seems likely that these stressors are at least in part external to UNE. Furthermore, the above noted upward trend in the Indigenous share of total domestic student load at UNE, is maintained most strongly in that proportion of total Indigenous EFTSL attributable to the continuing student cohort (Figure 4). This suggests that the commitment of Oorala to improve the student experience and encourage Indigenous student is beginning to have measurable and practical effect (See: Sections 2.1 & 2.2).

Figure 3: Commencing and Continuing Indigenous Student Study Load as proportion of Total Indigenous EFTSL at UNE for period 2014-2019.

Source: Student Profile Excel Worksheet dated 28/02/2020prepared by UNE Business Intelligence Unit.

1.7.4 Internal and External Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Student Cohorts 2014-2019

The proportion of Indigenous students who choose to study units externally at UNE has increased by 5% during the past six years, from 65.2% of total Indigenous EFTSL in 2014 to 70.2% in 2019 (Figure 4). The positive overall increases in EFTSL and student numbers during this same period as outlined in sections 1.7.1 & 1.7.2 highlights the fact that Indigenous students are:

1. Increasingly attracted to the accessibility of UNE’s courses, [which is itself built on UNE’s long standing commitment to Distance Education]; and
2. Responsive to both UNE’s continuing innovation(s) 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.

Figure 4: Internal and External Indigenous Student Study Load as proportion of total Indigenous EFTSL, UNE 2014-2019.

Source: Student Profile Excel Worksheet dated 28/02/2020 prepared by UNE Business Intelligence Unit.

2.1 Strategies for Improved Student success rates and Retention

2.1.1 Integrated Student Engagement

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 the majority of our Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students who study online and/or are from regional and remote locations.

Key proactive measures introduced include:

• Making three student engagement officer positions permanent so as 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 of the wider University.
• 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 program 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 was a purpose-built data analysis system, developed for UNE’s centralised Student Administration Services team. It was 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 in 2018 the AWE system began to incorporate a daily alert specifically for UNE’s Indigenous ‘at risk’ students. This means that the student identification numbers of ‘identified’ Indigenous students were 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 was then updated to include additional information for use in supporting each ‘at risk’ Indigenous students including: the student’s name, what they were studying, their number of units of study, 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 was also completed by the Oorala Student Engagement Team to capture additional data. Once the spreadsheet and google AWE form was completed each student was contacted via the phone to ‘have a chat’ and enquire as to how their study was going and if they would like/need further support (e.g. a tutor, disability support etc.). Depending on need, students would 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. UNEs centralized Student Administration Services team discontinued the AWE system in May 2019. To that point, the Oorala Centre had made 772 contacts with ‘At Risk’ students. Subsequently, Oorala modified its procedures to incorporate the broad parameters of the AWE system in its daily support of Indigenous students.

2.1.2c Improved activity of the 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 2019, members of Oorala’s Student Engagement Team recorded 2952 incidents of student-staff interaction on SRM for the calendar year. This is in addition to the 772 contacts and referrals made ‘till May via AWE. This represents 626 (or 24%) more interactions than reported for 2018. 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 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 and were completed prior to the commencement of Trimester 1 2019. Timed to coincide with the start of a new study year the new Study Lab was officially opened in March 2019 with a combined staff and student lunch. 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.

2.1.1e Census Date Initiative of 2018 becomes Core Business in 2019

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. Subsequently, an interrogation of unit outcomes for Indigenous students in 2018 relative to previous academic years (Table 14) indicated that:

• There had been a decrease in ‘Fail Results. “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, as a likely result of this Oorala Census Date Initiative, meant that this approach to Census Date was adopted as core business for student engagement staff throughout 2019. In 2019, Indigenous students enrolled in 4451 units of study, some 702 more units than in 2018. An increase in the percentage of early withdrawal grades in 2019 (See Figure 5) suggests this measure continues to help reduce student attrition rates at UNE; and likely has ongoing positive effects on student grade point averages.

Figure 5: Percentage of Indigenous Unit Withdrawals (by type) by Indigenous students as UNE in 2018 and 2019.

Source: Grade distribution by Unit Excel Worksheet dated 30/3/2020 prepared by UNE Business Intelligence Unit.

2.1.1f. Pathways Review Project (PRP) Stage 2

In 2017, with funds provided through the Higher Education Participation and Partnerships Program (HEPPP), the Academic Programs Team in the Oorala Aboriginal Centre commenced a review of UNE admission pathways for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students. This review focused on alternative means of entry other than Year 12 High School Completion and associated ATAR admission processes. Using a mixed methods approach that combined an environmental scan of similarly directed/targeted Admission Programs within other Australian Universities; an analysis of relevant UNE student data; a critical analysis of the relevant academic literature; and a survey of existing UNE Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students, the project sought to:

• Establish best practice admission processes and pre-admission support for new and commencing Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students at UNE;
• Reduce the attrition rate amongst Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students who enter UNE via alternative pathways;
• Make recommendation for programs and support to better prepare Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students who are applying through alternative entry methods.

In 2019, Stage 2 of the Pathways Review Project was initiated directly by the Oorala Aboriginal Centre to act upon the recommendations arising out of the work completed at Stage 1 of the Project in 2017 (See Figure 5.). Envisaged as a short program of work (i.e. less than 6 months in duration) PRP Stage 2 commenced in the 2^nd quarter of 2019. The key objectives of this program were to:

• Update the final Pathway Review Project providing a road map for the implementation phase and identify study and learning needs of commencing Indigenous students at UNE; and to
• Create a suite of Learning Activities and self-assessment tools with the aim to address the “pre-access”; “admissions” and “post entry” stages of Indigenous students entering via alternative pathways.

Figure 6: Diagram of the Oorala PRP Stage 2 (2019) highlighting priority recommendations addressed in this report

All aspects of Stage 2 of the Oorala-PRP relating to the review, mapping and design of new and existing student academic and pastoral supports were completed by end of August 2019. These occurred with University wide consultation and collaboration including input from the Learning and Teaching Transformation Directorate, the Academic Skills Office, Student Success, Information Technology and Web Support and UNE Faculties; as well as with Oorala staff and our current Indigenous students.  In September 2019, three Stage 2 tasks of the Oorala-PRP relating to the physical change and/or enhancement of the UNE/Oorala Indigenous Online Learning Environment were combined into a further, Stage 3 initiative of the Oorala-PRP. This included actions relating to:

• The further physical update and renewal of the Oorala LMS (Moodle Hub) site to ensure its development as an online Community of Practice engaging Indigenous and Non-Indigenous staff at Oorala, and the wider University with our entire Indigenous student body;
• The design and implementation of an online ‘study ready’ self-assessment tool; and
• 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.

Each of the abovementioned Stage 3 tasks are designed to action further improvements to the Online Learning Environment for Indigenous students at UNE; including fostering a community of practice, and online resources that offer whole of student lifecycle support for our students. To date the design and creation of both student testimonial and ‘how to’ videos have commenced: including storyboarding filming and editing of ‘pilot videos’ of each to establish theme and tone and gain Indigenous staff and student feedback to ensure cultural appropriateness. Work has also commenced with UNE LMS and Education Design Technicians to further enhance the Moodle Hub and create a student ‘study-ready’ self-assessment tool. Stage 3 of the Oorala PRP will be completed in 2020 at which time a full report of methods, outcomes and learnings from the PRP Project Stage 1 to 3 will be prepared to guide ongoing improvement of the access pathways for Indigenous students at UNE.

2.1.1g. Improving Indigenous Student Success at UNE.

The rate of progression of Indigenous students at UNE has remained largely static for a number of years (refer to Section 2.2.2 below). This stasis occurs in both raw numbers and in measures such as the Pass Rate Index comparison with the Non-Indigenous student cohort at UNE (see: Table 12). The apparent inflexibility in this student performance measure warrants detailed interrogation if change is to be effected in Indigenous student outcomes at UNE. Hence, following the release in December 2018 of the Indigenous Student Success Program – Performance data from 2014 to 2017 the Oorala Management Team commenced planning for such an interrogation with a view to:

• Establish an in-depth evidence–based profile of the Indigenous student cohort at UNE;
• Focus on the clearer characterisation of the barriers and enablers of student completions at UNE;
• Undertake an informed review of the assumptions associated with current policies and practice targeting Indigenous Higher Education; and
• Enable the more strategic design and practical implementation of programs that support Indigenous student success at UNE.

To be undertaken in four stages, preliminary analyses of student data in preparation for formal commencement of Stage 1 and 2 (the primary data collection stages) were undertaken in 2019. Likewise, pilot workshops with participants in the Targeted Tutorial Assistance Program, to gather input into project requirements for data collection, interviews; and further research input – also occurred in 2019.  The project has received ‘roll-over funding’ and will be completed in the fourth quarter of 2020.

Table 12: Comparison of Indigenous Student Progress Rate (SPR) % and Non-Indigenous SPR % at UNE 2012-2018.

1. SPR (Student Progress Rate) = EFTSL passed/EFTSL completed (inc: pass, fail, withdraw; excludes: results unknown)
2. Pass rate Index = ratio of pass rate for ATSI students divided by the pass rate for non-Indigenous students.

2.1.1h. Oorala Outdoor Learning Precinct Stage 1 –Concept Plan.

In concert with the New England North-West Region of NSW, the Armidale Campus of the University of New England has been subject to unprecedented drought conditions in 2019. These conditions have combined to cause unprecedented water restrictions to be declared within the Armidale Regional Council Local Government area, which in turn has affected the lawns and gardens of the University, including those immediately around the Oorala Aboriginal Centre. As a result, Oorala initiated the Outdoor Learning Precinct Project in Mid-2019. Arising from a heightened awareness of the need for sustainable use of our natural resources at UNE, the current project recognises the importance of traditional Aboriginal cultural and ecological knowledge in the teaching and practice of environmental sustainability; as well as the importance of tangible reference to place and space for Indigenous student learning and well-being.

Envisaged as an Outdoor Learning Precinct the revised environmental and cultural space at Oorala will include a yarning circle, a smoking pit for ceremonial practices and shaded spaces for indoor /outdoor learning. Together these individual design elements of the Precinct will work to transform current learning and teaching practices at Oorala, particularly enabling enhanced opportunities for greater collaboration and teamwork, with important historical and cultural reference points embedded within the space. Blurring the lines between indoor and outdoor space will allow us to use technology to connect our online students to the virtual space, as well as using the space during intensive schools for online students who travel on-campus to participate. It will lead to the development of a community of practice that identifies with place, Oorala and Country, building better support networks and a sense of belonging for everyone who uses the space.

A preliminary literature review of current design trends and best educational practice in Outdoor learning, particularly in Aboriginal student contexts, has occurred. Likewise, a desktop survey of outdoor learning spaces at other Indigenous Teaching and learning Centres and/or schools with high populations of Aboriginal students has been made. Further to this, a delegation of Academic and Professional Staff from Oorala attended the Indigenous Student Experience Summit in Sydney and made exploratory visits to the Indigenous outdoor learning spaces at UTS and Macquarie University. Oorala Project staff have also undertaken Inspection of design elements and construction materials used in the recent development of the Outdoor Play Area at the UNE Yarm Gwanga Child Care Centre to ground understanding of potential uses of local materials. The use of local materials is a key design element to ensure the Outdoor Area is consistent with and responsive to the physical environment and local Aboriginal cultural landscape of Armidale. In addition, throughout 2019 Oorala staff have actively participated in working parties relating to University wide matters of Aboriginal cultural heritage, environmental sustainability and development of the UNE Boilerhouse Discovery Space. The latter is a funded children’s learning and discovery space that is to be built on Campus at UNE. Oorala staff participation is expected to ensure that the initiatives taken at Oorala to use the Outdoor learning area to embed Indigenous knowledge and learning practice in the curricula, particularly in our TRACKS Tertiary Preparation Program are more broadly adopted across the University.

2.2 Student outcomes - success and retention

2.2.1 Student Pass Rates

In 2019, the student pass-rate-by-Course percentage of Indigenous students was 66.7%, a decrease of 5.8% from the 72.5% achieved in 2018 (See Table 12). In contrast, the 2018 data for this same measure, represented a 4.6% increase on the preceding calendar year. Hence, there is some noted fluctuation year-on-year in the Indigenous student pass rate-by-Course percentage likely, to some degree, to be a result of the relatively small number of Indigenous student enrolments in specific courses. This year on year fluctuation is much less apparent in the pass-rate by Course percentage of non-Indigenous student at UNE in the same period (Figure 7). Nevertheless the 6-year mean student pass rate by Course achieved by UNE’s Indigenous student cohort is 69.66% (Table 13), meaning that more than two-thirds of our Indigenous students are succeeding in their chosen course of study. The ongoing challenge is to close the gap between Indigenous and non-Indigenous student success since on average the student pass rate by Course percentage of Indigenous students is some 15 percentage points lower than our non-Indigenous students.

Table 13: Comparison of the Indigenous and Non-Indigenous Student Pass Rate by Course (%) at UNE, 2014-2019.

*Pass Rate= successful EFTSL/total ETSL (successful + failed) where total EFTSL >6.

Source: Pass rate by course (based on weekly extract data) Excel Spreadsheet- dated 18/12/2019, prepared by UNE Business Intelligence Unit.

Figure 7: Comparison of the Student pass-rate-by-course percentage for Indigenous and Non-Indigenous students, UNE 2014-2019.

Source: Pass rate by course (based on weekly extract data) Excel Spreadsheet- dated 18/12/2019, prepared by UNE Business Intelligence Unit.

2.2.2 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 2019, the SPR for Indigenous students at UNE was 59.7%, a 4% decrease on the 63.7% SPR reported in 2018 (Figure 8).

Figure 8: Comparison of Indigenous Student Progress Rate Percentage and Non-Indigenous Student Progress Rate Percentage at UNE (for the period 2014-2019).

Source: UNE Business Intelligence Unit.

2.2.3 Graduation attendance

Across the 2019 Calendar Year a total of 91 Aboriginal students were approved for graduation at UNE. This is the second largest number of Indigenous graduates reported in any calendar year at UNE and, the record of 99 graduates achieved in 2018 the only year to surpass it. Of these, 64 students were awarded undergraduate degrees and 27 were awarded a postgraduate degree. In 2019, there were 24 graduates from the School of Health, giving this School the record for most successful completions by Indigenous graduates in a calendar year, 16 of these graduates were awarded a Bachelor of Nursing Degree.

2.3 Tutorial and other assistance provided

2.3.1 Targeted Tutorial Assistance Program

The use and improvement of digital technology is a key focus of the Oorala Student Engagement Team in its delivery and support of Oorala’s Targeted Tutorial Assistance (TTA) Program.  Following on from the 17 enhancements made to TTA Online in 2018, a further 18 enhancements were completed in 2019, and 13 fixes were applied to reported errors. This work occurred in collaboration with the UNE IT Directorate and achieved improvements to the following: areas of our digital platform:

• Coordination and Administration including:
  • Enabling the TTA Coordinator to ‘create sessions’ on behalf of a tutor; and enabling Tutors to edit their session records.
  • Revising 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;
  • Making student and tutor contact information more accessible to each other so that delays in contact between each does not discourage students and/or put them behind schedule; and allows tutors to negotiate time, space and expectations of the student/tutor relationship early in the Trimester.
• Regulation and Compliance including:
  • Increasing the useability of the record keeping and reporting elements of the database to enable the TTA Coordinator to better monitor service delivery and enhance data accuracy;
  • Embedding the ‘Terms and Conditions’ of the Program within the online system to ensure their accessibility to all users.
  • Developing an Induction guide for all tutors 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 Program, internal operational guidelines were written and implemented including those elements relating to administration of TTA online.
• Flexibility and Responsiveness to student needs including:
  • Revising 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;
  • Increasing the data available for review by students and tutors relating to each recorded tutorial session thereby improving its useability and accuracy.
  • Creating the ability for a student to apply for tutoring if they were granted extensions outside of the trimester.

A breakdown of the tutorial assistance provided through the TTA Program in 2019 is provided in Table 14 below. A total of 175 Indigenous students were provided with Tutorial assistance in 2019. This represents a 32% increase on the 132 students who were supported in 2018, and is the second year in a row where there has been a more than 30% increase in student participation in Oorala’s TTA Program. Despite this increase, the number of students who received tutoring in 2019 still represents less than 20% of all Indigenous student enrolments.

In recognition of the possibility of wider recruitment of students, the TTA Program Coordinator adopted a more active engagement strategy when connecting with both tutors and students. This also included a review of the allocation of tutoring hours for students at UNE. It was decided in May 2019 that:

• Weekly tutoring hours would be increased from 1.5 hours per week per unit, to 2 hours per week per unit; and
• Tutoring would be offered during the mid-trimester break and exam period.

Both actions encouraged additional tutoring as well as better reporting of tutorial sessions. This required an additional resourcing and Oorala recruited another TTA administrator on a part time and contracted position.

Table 14: Tutorial and other assistance provided (2019 breakdown).

Source: Oorala Aboriginal Centre.

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, the Centre’s HEPPP and teaching revenue continues to increase, as per our accompanying financial statement. For the 2019 calendar year, the Full-Time Equivalent staff load of Oorala was 16.8 comprised of 8.45 FTE Indigenous staff and 8.35 FTE non-Indigenous staff (See Table 16 below).

Table 15: Indigenous and Non-Indigenous staff employed in the Oorala Aboriginal Centre in 2019.

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 16& 17). In particular, the School of Health has embedded OORA200 - Working with Aboriginal People, as a core unit of study in the Bachelor of Nursing and the Bachelor of Social Work. In 2019, 563 students studied this Unit, an increase of some 19 % on the previous year; and most significantly, a 227% increase on student numbers in this course since 2015. Furthermore, in 2019 Oorala progressed the 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 in 2021.

Table 16: The units of study offered and administered by the Oorala Aboriginal Centre in 2015-2019.

Table 17: UNE Courses in which the Units of study offered by Oorala have been incorporated.

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

Faculty of Humanities, Arts, Social Sciences and Education

In accord with the Faculty Strategic Plan launched in October 2018, the Faculty of HASSE made progress on its commitment to the ‘implementation of collaborative Indigenous employment, education and research strategies’ throughout 2019. 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 ATSI designated Level B academic in the Contextual Studies team. This academic is currently completing a PhD, and is teaching the following units this year:

• EDUC503 Teaching for Cultural Diversity
• EDCX310/510 Learning in Social Movements
• EDUC328 Investigating Education for Sustainability

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)

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.

School of Law

Within the School of Law, Ms. Marcelle Burns (an Aboriginal law lecturer), engages 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). 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 also facilitated a special edition of the Legal Education Review on Indigenous cultural competency in law (in production).

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 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.

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:

• 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:

insert : 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. 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 2019, 134 staff participated in the UNE Cultural Connections Program, 48 fewer staff than in 2018. 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. In the Faculty of HASSE 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.

The Senior Human Resource Consultant (Aboriginal Employment) continued her ongoing consultation with Faculties and Directorates around Aboriginal employment opportunities and providing a culturally inclusive environment for all staff. Workshops were to medical students and staff on working with Aboriginal communities to staff and students in the School of Rural Medicine and School of Health (Nursing).

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

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

All students in initial teacher education (ITE) programs 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 program of study for students seeking to specialise in the teaching of Indigenous students. Necessarily, this requires all academic staff involved in these programs 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 program 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 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 Aboriginal 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, 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

3.1 Rise and Fall of Completions

3.1.1 Outcomes

In 2019 there were 99 completions reported for Indigenous students at UNE (Table 18). The number of reportable completions differs somewhat from the number of Indigenous graduands (i.e. 91; See Section 2.2.3) who participated in the three graduation ceremonies held at UNE in 2019. This is attributable to the lag in the ‘report year’ for completions versus UNE student graduation numbers reported per calendar year (see Note in Table 18). This represents an increase in Indigenous student completions of 33.78% from 2018. Moreover, in the five-year period from 2015 to 2019 Indigenous student completions have more than doubled at UNE (i.e. from 48 student completions in 2014 to the record 99 completions in 2019) (Table 18). The percentage of Indigenous students that successfully completed their course represented 2.63% of the total number of completions at UNE in 2019. Moreover, this figure represents 3.91% of total domestic student completions, a proportion that is also above population parity with respect to Indigenous Australians (see Section 1.7.1).

Table 18: Course Completions by Indigenous students at UNE 2015-2019.

Source: ‘Graduations’ Excel Worksheet dated 06/04/2020 prepared by UNE Business Intelligence Unit.

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

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

Services

• The UNE Employability and Careers Team (formally UNE Careers) focuses on (a) embedding employability across the teaching curriculum and (b) on achieving positive graduate outcomes. The team provides services to both on - and off-campus students and mirrors all on-campus services with on online learning platforms for UNE’s off-campus students including: one-on-one consultations, online self-help learning resources, work integrated learning; workshops, and employer seminars. The team also 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. This unit of study is designed to enable 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 unit requires (a) 120 hours of fully supervised professional activity, project work or directed investigation in a host workplace; (b) and not more than 30 hours of additional study and assignment preparation including the Online Preparation Moodle unit.

Opportunities

• 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.
• 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.
• UNE has supported students to achieve Internships via the Career Trackers Indigenous Internship Program with external recruiters in 2019 including the NSW Environmental Protection Agency.
• In 2019, two UNE Students were successfully supported in their application to the Aurora Foundation Internship Program. One student had the experience of working in the Office of Senator Patrick Dodson, and the other working in the Aboriginal Child, Family and Community Care State Secretariat.
• 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.

In the TRACKS Tertiary Preparation Course, members of the Oorala Academic Team get to know their students individually and work with them to make decisions about their future study and work choices. Teaching staff liaise with the UNE’s Employability and Careers Team and set up appointments for those students who would like to further explore their options. In addition, Oorala staff also liaise with course coordinators and academic advisors across the Faculties and similarly set up appointments so that students are fully aware of course requirements and are supported to commence planning their full undergraduate study loads/major/minor options.

3.1.3 Strategies to monitor student outcomes after graduation

UNE participates in the Quality Indicators for Teaching and Learning (QILT) suite of government-funded student and graduate surveys. The latest (2019) Graduate Outcomes Survey (GOS) data indicates that UNE Indigenous graduates reported the following (on an adjusted 5-point Likert-type scale):

• The course provided the adaptive skills (broad general knowledge, ability to develop innovative ideas, ability to identify new opportunities, ability to adapt knowledge in different contexts, ability to apply skills in different contexts, capacity to work independently) required for the job: Indigenous: 4.32; UNE average (Indigenous and Non-Indigenous): 4.04
• The course provided the foundation skills (oral communication skills, written communication skills, numeracy skills, ability to develop relevant knowledge, ability to develop relevant skills, ability to solve problems, ability to integrate knowledge, ability to think independently about problems) required for the job: Indigenous: 4.17; UNE average (Indigenous and Non-Indigenous): 4.02
• The course provided the collaboration skills (working well in a team, getting on well with others in the workplace, working collaboratively with colleagues to complete tasks, understanding of different points of view, ability to interact with co-workers from different or multicultural backgrounds) required for the job: Indigenous: 3.98; UNE average (Indigenous and Non-Indigenous): 3.73
• Qualification Importance: Indigenous: 3.29; UNE average (Indigenous and Non-Indigenous): 3.21
• Course preparation for employment: Indigenous: 3.46; UNE average (Indigenous and Non-Indigenous): 3.34

In each case, the reported score for Indigenous graduates is higher than the combined Indigenous and Non-Indigenous scores for UNE. Indigenous graduates also reported the following:

• Median Salary (at time of survey): Indigenous: $65,866; UNE average (Indigenous and Non-Indigenous): $65,432
• Proportion of graduate in full-time employment:  Indigenous: 61.7%; UNE average (Indigenous and Non-Indigenous): 58.9%
• Proportion of jobs where course was a formal requirement for employment: Indigenous: 43.8%; UNE average (Indigenous and Non-Indigenous): 41.9%

Again, the results for Indigenous UNE graduates are better than for Indigenous and Non-Indigenous combined.

4. Regional and Remote Students

4.1 Scholarship Support for Regional and Remote Indigenous Students

Section 21 (3) (a) of ‘the Guidelines’ requires that a minimum of 95% of the Commonwealth Equity Scholarship amount paid to regional and remote students in the preceding year (i.e. 2018) be paid to regional and remote students in 2019. For UNE the minimum funds to be offered in 2018 were $126,66.24 (i.e. 95% of $133,218.51 - being 2018 funds paid)[1](See Table 19) The actual amount of $275,283.93 offered to remote or regional Indigenous students in Scholarship support by UNE in 2019 represents a funding offer of almost 207%. This is more than double the minimum percentage funds offered required.

Table 19: Scholarship data for remote and regional students.

Source: Oorala Aboriginal Centre
* Source, UNE 2018 ISSP report available at: www.une.edu.au

4.2 The rise and fall of EFTSL For students From Remote and Regional Areas

Students from regional and/or remote Australia accounted for 329.1 (or 67%) of the total EFTSL of Indigenous students at UNE in 2019 (Table 20). This lies just 3 percentage points below 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 relatively steady over the past six years, it is noted that the number of Indigenous students from Inner Regional Australia has steadily increased (Figure 9). This is likely to reflect broader demographic changes in regional Australia such as the growth of regional cities as population and service hubs and corresponding declines in more remote communities due to prolonged issues with water security in 2019.

Table 20: Study Load (EFTSL) of Indigenous students studying at UNE in 2019 by their location

Source: Student Profile Excel Worksheet dated 22/02/2020 prepared by UNE Business Intelligence Unit.

Figure 9: Comparison of total EFTSL of Indigenous students at UNE from Regional and/or remote Australia for the period 2014-2019.

Source: Student Profile Excel Worksheet dated 22/02/2020 prepared by UNE Business Intelligence Unit.

5. Working with Vulnerable People Requirement

5.1 Statement of Compliance with Section 35A

This section confirms that the UNE and the Oorala Aboriginal Centre complies with Section 35A, subsections (1), (2) and (3) of the Indigenous Student Assistance Grant Guidelines, 2017. All staff and facilitators of the Oorala Aboriginal Centre are required to hold a current Working With Children Check (WWCC) and an Excel spreadsheet recording all staff WWCC details is retained, and updated as necessary, by the Executive Assistant to the Director. All staff are trained with respect to working with vulnerable people as part of individual and work-team induction processes. Team Leaders are otherwise responsible for ensuring team members meet the necessary requirements. The required working with vulnerable people checklist occurs as Table 21 below.

Table 19: Working with Vulnerable People Checklist.

5.2 Other Compliance Processes

In terms of other compliance processes, UNE has a number of relevant policies (all available on the University Website) regarding working with vulnerable people including:

• Child Protection Policy
• Child Protection Procedures
• Prevention of Harassment, Bullying and Discrimination Policy
• Prevention of Harassment, Bullying and Discrimination Procedure
• Student (Related) Grievance Handling Policy
• Student (Related) Grievance Handling Procedures
• Student Alcohol and Other Drug Policy
• Student Alcohol and Other Drug Procedures
• Student Behavioural Misconduct Rules
• Student Behavioural Misconduct Rules - Behavioural Misconduct Investigation and Penalty Guidelines

UNE also has processes to help assist students who have special needs (such as disability) which can be found on the Student Access and Inclusion pages of the UNE website -  https://www.une.edu.au/current-students/support/student-support/student-access-and-inclusion/services-for-students

UNE also has other support services including: Counselling; Help with homesickness; Respect Now Always, and of course support from the Oorala Aboriginal Centre

6. Eligibility requirements

6.1 UNE Indigenous Education Strategy 2019-2021

The UNE Indigenous Education Strategy (IES) 2019-2021 is a university-wide endorsed document and is available to the public at: UNE IES 2019-2021. This education strategy will ensure UNE is a culturally welcoming environment that supports growth in Indigenous student and staff numbers and provides greater inclusion of Indigenous knowledge in UNE’s curricula, teaching practices, and in UNE’s Graduate Attributes.

The ‘grow phase’ of the Indigenous Education Strategy (IES) remains in progress. The IES continues to be refreshed 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 the PVCAI and the co-chairs of the UNEIEC, as well as staff from the Learning and Teaching Transformation Directorate. In 2019 UNE created a new position, Pro Vice-Chancellor Indigenous. Recruitment was commenced, with appointment to the position expected in March 2020. This position will be a member of the UNE Senior Executive team and will have responsibility for the IES moving forward.

Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP): The University is in the process of developing its first RAP, and formed a Working Party comprised of internal and external members, including representatives of the local Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities, to assist with this process. The development of this ‘Reflect’ RAP affirms UNE’s commitment to supporting educational, cultural and social advancement of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples. It provides the foundation for UNE to build trust and strengthen relationships with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities; deepen the understanding and respect for their resilience, histories, cultures and achievements; and promote sustainable opportunities within the University’s sphere of influence. In doing so, UNE acknowledges, honours and pays respects to those in the past whose commitment and passion for the equitable participation of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples in the higher education sector have laid critical foundation stones for the creation of this first RAP. The RAP Working Party is engaging with Reconciliation Australia to guide the drafting process and looks forward to completion and launch of the Plan by mid-2020.

6.1.1 Implementation of strategies and targets

During 2019 the University commenced the introduction of a curriculum redesign project called the “UNE Course Design Framework”. One principle of the Course Design Framework is that Indigenous ways of knowing and learning will be embedded into the core curriculum for all courses. All new courses will be developed to the standards outlined in the Framework. Review and renewal of all courses of study at UNE was commenced in 2019 and will be completed in 2020.

The strategies outlined in the UNE Indigenous Education Strategy 2019-2021 that have been completed in 2019, or will complete in 2020:

• Design a bespoke degree pathway in partnership with local industry and community: –
  • This is in the governance approvals process, with expected delivery for T2, 2020.
• Review of business processes that support student success throughout the admission and enrolment process: –
  • All rules, policies and procedures in relation to students and teaching and learning have been reviewed, and revised. (These are currently progressing through the University governance approvals process and are expected to be endorsed at Academic Board in April 2020).
  • UNE offers specific scholarships for indigenous students, and applicants are advised of the availability of the scholarships during the Offer assurance process.
  • UNE has created the Offer Assurance Admission channel, which enables prospective students to engage directly with a Student Pathways Adviser. This assists student to connect with support services, and scholarships available for indigenous commencing students.
  • In 2019 planning was completed for 2020 University Orientation program, with the theme ‘Celebrating our Diversity’. Activities were offered throughout orientation through the Oorala Aboriginal Centre, for indigenous and non-indigenous students and staff.
• Provide opportunities for Indigenous student involvement in the co-design, evaluation and improvement of units and courses: -
  • In 2019, UNE established the Student Consultative Committee Working group. This group was tasked with establishing a consultative committee of elected student representatives to work in partnership with staff on a range of student related matters including the UNE Course Design Framework. Elections for committee members will take place in May 2020. The Student Consultative Committee will liaise with the Indigenous Student Association and has at least one position designated as for an indigenous student.

6.1.2 Continuing strategies and support

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.

These strategies are outlined in UNE’s Strategic Plan 2016–2020 and it subordinate Teaching and Learning Strategic Plan (in Revision) and the Research Plan 2016–2020, and include the following:

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

6.1.3 Indigenous Education Statements

All UNE Indigenous Education Statements from 2012-2019 are available to the public at: UNE Indigenous Education Statements 2012-2019.

Table 20: UNE Indigenous Workforce Data (2019 breakdown).

*There were 22 people registered as tutors in the Targeted Tutorial Assistance Program at Oorala who identified as Indigenous in 2019. Of these, five had active Casual Academic contracts in 2019. Source: UNE Human Resources Directorate.

6.3 UNE Indigenous Governance Mechanism

6.3a UNE Indigenous Engagement Committee (UNEIEC)

The UNE Indigenous Engagement Committee (UNEIEC) was established in December 2018. 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. 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. In 2019, UNEIC held monthly meetings with the Vice-Chancellor with standing items being Indigenous educational programs, research, employment and community engagement. Other items include UNE’s Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP).

6.3b 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 2019, as per the 2016-2020 Strategic Plan. Participation of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples on decision-making bodies at UNE in 2019 has included:

Pro Vice-Chancellor Indigenous and Director of Oorala

In 2019 the Vice-Chancellor and University Council approved the appointment of a new senior executive position to oversee all Indigenous matters within the University. The Pro Vice-Chancellor Indigenous and Director of Oorala provides strategic support and advice to the Vice-Chancellor, the Senior Executive and the University, leading and implementing the Indigenous strategy and promoting a whole-of-university approach to support the University’s Indigenous student support, community engagement and to enhance research profile by providing leadership, management and oversight of all Indigenous activities, as well as policy and strategy development and implementation. This position reports to the Vice- Chancellor and is part of the Senior Executive Team.

The PVC Indigenous and Director of Oorala will implement innovative equity and inclusion strategies to improve Indigenous participation; create and maintain culturally-enriched and culturally-safe environments for Indigenous students; provide learning in partnership with Indigenous students, staff and community; and improve employment opportunities.

The role has responsibility for overseeing the integration of Indigenous knowledge into academic programs and research across the University. The PVC Indigenous and Director of Oorala provides strategic leadership and management to the Oorala Aboriginal Centre, contributing to the development and welfare of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students.

Recruitment for the the Pro Vice-Chancellor Indigenous position has commenced and is still progressing at the time of publication.

Director of Oorala

Until such time as the PVC Indigenous is appointed the Oorala Aboriginal Centre is being managed by a Director.

The Director of the Oorala Aboriginal Centre provides key leadership on Indigenous Higher Education 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. The Director 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, this position provides for, and has oversight of, the strategic direction of the Oorala Aboriginal Centre and its primary functions in Indigenous community and student engagement, academic programs support and cultural competency.

Elder-in-Residence

Mr. Colin Ahoy, a local Anaiwan Elder, was the appointed Elder-in-Residence of the University for 2019. The role of Elder-in-Residence is an important role that has ceremonial, liaison and pastoral functions across the University. The role includes consultation on and participation in protocols for official events, programs 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 also a member of the UNE Reconciliation Action Plan Working Group].

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.

6.3.1 Statement by the Indigenous Governance Mechanism

Throughout 2019, UNE pursued a program 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.

At the time of reporting, the Provost and Deputy Vice Chancellor has institutional oversight of the Oorala Aboriginal Centre, whose senior management team, in conjunction with UNEIC, have developed the content of this report.

Consistent with subsection 17(2) (b) of the Indigenous Student Assistance Grants Guidelines 2017, and as per the governance protocols in place for 2019, the Provost, Professor Todd Walker endorses this 2019 ISSP report and associated financial acquittal.

The Vice-Chancellor and Chief Executive Officer, Professor Brigid Heywood, has the final approval and issuance of the report to the relative Departmental authorities.

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

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