Indigenous student and employment plans

Overview

In line with the University’s Reconciliation Action Plan, the Faculty has developed strategies that support Indigenous undergraduate and graduate students, postdoctoral researchers, professional and academic staff through a range of initiatives.

To do so, we work closely with Indigenous Australians who bring a wealth of experience, expertise, knowledge and skills that inform, enrich and improve our understanding of the world. Indigenous Australian leaders, academic staff and researchers help us to embed Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians knowledge systems into our curriculum. We develop and improve cultural awareness among our community through teaching, research and engagement to provide a better understanding of Australian Indigenous and Torres Strait Islander history, culture, language and identity.

The University of Melbourne acknowledges the Traditional Owners of the lands on which of our campuses are situated. We pay our respects to their Elders both past and present and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians who have made a contribution to the life of the University community.

For more information about the University’s Indigenous Initiatives please visit Murrup Barak (Melbourne Institute for Indigenous Development).

Teaching

Bachelor of Arts Extended

The Bachelor of Arts (Extended) is a course for motivated and aspiring Indigenous students who have not obtained the results for direct entry into the Bachelor of Arts. The Bachelor of Arts (Extended) is a four year program which includes a year of bridging subjects to ensure success for students.

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Australian Indigenous Studies

Australian Indigenous Studies at the University of Melbourne is an exciting interdisciplinary program that offers students an opportunity to learn about the history and cultures of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.

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Research

Indigenous Postdoctoral Fellowships

The two-year Faculty of Arts Indigenous Postdoctoral Fellowship provides the opportunity for a postdoctoral researcher to develop a research project in the humanities. It is an integral part of the Faculty’s Reconciliation Action Plan which includes a range of measures and initiatives with the ultimate goal to create population parity for Indigenous students and staff.

Two working groups help the Faculty in supporting Indigenous Australian staff and crucially shape and help execute the Faculty’s Reconciliation Action Plan. Reports on their progress are submitted to Faculty Executive. One of the key goals of the Reconciliation Action Plan is to reach population parity (4%) overall amongst students and staff by 2020.

Research Unit for Indigenous Language

The Research Unit for Indigenous Language (RUIL) works with Indigenous communities across Australia and the region to expand and strengthen Indigenous language research, and to support efforts by communities to maintain their linguistic and cultural heritage.

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Minutes of Evidence

Minutes of Evidence is an innovative project that seeks to extend public and scholarly understandings of structural injustice. It is based upon the 1881 Victorian Parliamentary Inquiry into the Coranderrk Aboriginal Station, which was situated fifty kilometres northeast of Melbourne near Healesville.

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Support

Indigenous employment working group

This working group Faculty’s Indigenous Employment Plan (IEP), 2016-2018 aims to:

• Develop pathways for early career Indigenous Australian Researchers from undergraduate to graduate level as well as for Indigenous Australian professional staff
• Increase the numbers of continuing Indigenous Australian Academic Staff
• Provide professional development, support, and recognition for Indigenous Australian staff
• Develop cultural awareness program through public lectures and seminars

The Indigenous employment working group is chaired by:

Indigenous student recruitment and retention

The Faculty’s Indigenous Student Recruitment and Retention Plan (ISRRP) outlines strategies to increase the admission and retention of Indigenous students in Faculty of Arts programs. These include:

• Ensuring our marketing and communications campaigns reach a wide range of Indigenous applicants
• Stipends and scholarships for Indigenous students
• Prioritising Indigenous applicants for Access and Equity places, Commonwealth Supported Places (CSPs) and bursaries
• Articulate and raise awareness of further study options and career pathways for Indigenous Australian students enrolled in Arts
• Increase retention rates and enhance the student experience of Indigenous students more generally, and particularly in the Bachelor of Arts (Extended) program through increasing student support and cultural awareness training of staff

The Indigenous student recruitment and retention working group is chaired by: