5. Eligibilty
The Indigenous Education Strategy 2019-2021 is the primary strategy deployed across UNE to address the participation of Indigenous peoples in UNE programs. The new strategy is under review and close to approval and implementation. UNE continues to operate under the direction of the previous strategy while the redevelopment is undertaken. The Education strategy meets the requirements under Section 13 of the ISSP Guidelines.
The Link to the current Indigenous Education Strategy is
https://www.une.edu.au/ data/assets/pdf_file/0004/470038/UNE-Indigenous-Education-Strategy- 2019.pdf
5.1 Indigenous Education Strategy
The three key areas addressed in the Education Strategy include Indigenous Knowledges, Participation, and Indigenous Students. The achievements in each of these areas are presented in the following headings.
Indigenous knowledges in curricula
The University has held an Indigenous Knowledges forum open to all staff at the UNE, and a project is underway to survey the level of Indigenous knowledges in curricula in the Faculty of Humanities Arts, Social Sciences and Education (HASSE). The Division of Education Futures has developed a Course
Design Framework (CDF) that articulates design principles to guide the development of UNE courses and units. This framework includes embedding Indigenous ways of knowing and learning into the core curriculum. The other strategy includes curriculum content, teaching approaches and learning activities drawing upon and relating to Indigenous, inter-cultural and international perspectives. The Faculty of Science Agriculture, Business and Law (SABL) has developed an Indigenous Unit in Science using Indigenous academic staff. Section Two (Indigenising Curricula) addresses additional items under this heading.
Participation
The task of building collaboration and consultation is ongoing. For example, the Aboriginal Education Centre staff meet regularly to provide input into decision-making and managing outcomes. In addition, invitations for input into policy and strategies are distributed to all Indigenous staff and, in some situations (such as the confirmation of Aboriginality Policy), all students. Regarding academic staff pathways, the work on the revised Indigenous Workforce Strategy is underway, and planning has begun on articulating approaches to increase Indigenous staff participation.
Indigenous Students
Several activities are represented under this heading. UNE continues to offer flexible and inclusive pathways to higher education. The TRACKS program is one example of this approach. The TRACKS Success Program is an intensive support model that provides wrap-around assistance for tertiary study students via the TRACKS Tertiary Preparation Program. In 2022 we saw more students completing TRACKS and articulating into undergraduate courses, more confident in their understanding of the university system and more likely to reach out for ongoing support. The development of the School Pathways Academy will see a more sustained approach from School to feed into the pathways options. Work continues improving completion and retention. Although the retention data has improved slightly from 2021, more work must be done. Indigenous completion data for 2022 is excellent at 3.2% of total completions. Ongoing work improving the Indigenous Student Association will also assist in student input to decision-making and voice at the university. Student involvement through employment is important and was strengthened by activity through 2022. This includes student employment in Faculty activities and the Aboriginal Education Centre.
5.2 Indigenous Workforce Strategy
The Indigenous Workforce Strategy runs from 2020-2023 and is coordinated by the Indigenous Employment Coordinator in People and Culture. The strategy is supported by an Indigenous Employment Governance Committee comprised of members from across the University. The committee meets quarterly to oversight Indigenous employment activities. Objectives of the strategy include:
- At least 3% of the UNE’s workforce will be Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people by 2023
- We will develop a culturally aware and inclusive UNE workplace
- We will be positioned as an Employer of Choice for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people by 2023
- We will build a connected community, sharing knowledge and ways of seeing to improve employment outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people
UNE employed 23 Indigenous staff in 2021. That number increased to 35 in 2022. UNE had a benchmark of 3%, and it is currently 2.81% at the time of our last count.
Table 12: Workforce Data from 01 November 2022
| Number of Indigenous Staff | % of total staff | Number of Non-Indigenous Staff | |
|---|---|---|---|
Academic permanent /Fixed Term | 9 | 1.7% | 529 |
| Academic Casual | 10 | 1.3% | 762 |
Professional permanent /Fixed Term | 26 | 3.6% | 717 |
| Professional Casual | 8 | 1.4% | 579 |
| Total permanent/fixed term | 35 | 2.81% | 1246 |
| Total | 53 | 2.05% | 2587 |
Indigenous Staff Career Development
UNE uses Sections 50(d) and 51 of the Equal Opportunity Act 1984 for identified positions in advertising to increase academic employment. Even so, attracting academic staff to this region has been difficult. The renewed employment strategy will continue to focus on increasing Indigenous staff explicitly. The proposal being discussed preferences a ‘grow your own’ strategy.
The University employs Professor Joe Fraser as the PVC-Indigenous Strategy and senior Indigenous member of the Institution. In addition, the Pro Vice-Chancellor Indigenous Strategy is a member of the University’s Senior Leadership Team. The Faculties are in the process of advertising additional Indigenous Professorial positions to UNE.
The Employment Strategy is still current but is being redeveloped for implementation before it expires. The new strategy will be completed in 2023. This responsibility falls to People and Culture and is managed by the Indigenous Employment Coordinator with a working group.
UNE’s Indigenous Workforce Strategy can be found at this site:
https://www.une.edu.au/info-for/indigenous-matters/oorala/media/documents/aboriginal-torres- strait-islander-employment-strategy-2019-2023.pdf
5.1 Indigenous Governance Mechanism
UNE utilises section 11 a(i) of the ISSP guidelines for Indigenous Governance. The two Indigenous persons responsible for the Indigenous Governance Mechanism include Professor Joe Fraser (PVC- Indigenous Strategy) and Ms Samantha Fowler as the Indigenous Engagement Manager (Now Acting Director Oorala).
Both Staff members worked closely through 2022 with the Indigenous Team Leader, Oorala, and the Acting Director of Oorala. The Indigenous Engagement Manager met every two weeks with the Indigenous Engagement Team and collaborated weekly with the PVC-IS to discuss ISSP activities. The supervision of ISSP at UNE lies with the PVC-Indigenous Strategy and is managed by the Director of Oorala in conjunction with the Indigenous Engagement Manager. It is a respectful and collaborative system driven by Indigenous staff at the University.
Indigenous representation is included in the following committees of the University: Academic Board; Executive Team Committee; DVC Team Committee; University Collections Committee; University Research Committee; University Teaching and Learning Committee; STEMQ Committee; Senior Leadership Committee; Convocation; Place Plus Advisory Committee; Moree Steering Committee; Land and Sea Hub; Indigenous Employment Governance Committee; Graduation Steering Committee;
Safety, Wellness and Culture Review Committee; Orientation Steering Committee; Academic Portfolio Executive Committee; WHS Committee; RAP Committees; NSW DVC/PVC Committee; National UA DVC/PVC Committee. Working Groups: Tamworth Aboriginal Working Group; Campus Master Plan; Graduation Working Group; Indigenous Education Strategy Working Group; Indigenous Research Working Group; Indigenous Employment and Career Development Working Group; University Indigenous Collections.
