REVIEW OF INDIGENOUS EDUCATION

The Work Slate Review of Indigenous Education was completed in August 2009 by an external panel of esteemed Indigenous academic leaders.

The Review made 46 recommendations designed to achieve a model for ‘Indigenous education’ (student support, teaching, research, community engagement and internationalisation) at the University that is innovative and of international significance in both its quality and scale. Preparation of the University’s response has been delayed, as it has coincided with the University’s broader strategic planning process which will conclude in July 2010.

The following links connect to further information on this page outlining each stage undertaken in the process to date:

• Review of Indigenous Education (August 2009)
• Response by the Indigenous Education Advisory Committee (January 2010)
• University Initial Response to the Review of Indigenous Education (June 2010)
• SEG Indigenous Education Working Group (July 2010)
• Indigenous Working Group Report (September 2010)
• SEG Indigenous Education Working Group Final Report (November 2010)

Review of Indigenous Education

The University of Sydney is committed to the empowerment and self-determination of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders through education. For more than twenty years the University of Sydney has offered academic support for all Indigenous Australian students enrolled at the University through the Koori Centre, located on Camperdown Campus and Yooroang Garang: Indigenous Student Support Unit (YGISSU) located at the University’s Cumberland Campus. Both units work closely to develop Indigenous education policy for the University, while also working on marketing strategies to recruit and retain Indigenous students and administering and monitoring Indigenous scholarships.

Throughout 2007 preliminary discussions undertaken by the Indigenous Education Advisory Committee focused on the need to a review Indigenous support services leading to the possible formation of a new support entity for Indigenous students. The Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Education), Professor Derrick Armstrong, with the endorsement of the Indigenous Education Advisory Committee and the support of the University community, resolved to conduct a review of Indigenous Education at the University, with a view to developing a University-wide strategy that aligns with the National priorities as specified by the Indigenous Higher Education Advisory Council.

A review panel was established to examine the current provision of Indigenous education and educational support services within the University. The University wishes to thank the review panel members:

• Professor Michael McDaniel (Chair) Dean, Indigenous Education, University of Western Sydney;
• Professor Boni Robertson, Professor of Indigenous Policy, Griffith University; and
• Professor Wendy Brabham, Director, The Institute for Koorie Education, Deakin University.

In considering the extent of the review, the panel was aware that the way in which the term “Indigenous education” is used within universities differs from how it is used within the Indigenous higher education sector. Within Universities the term “Indigenous education” is usually limited to access support and teaching functions. However, within the Indigenous higher education sector, Indigenous education has a much broader definition that is inclusive of student support, teaching, research, community engagement and internationalisation.

The panel took a visionary approach to Indigenous education and saw this as an opportunity to develop a model of national significance regarding the size of the enterprise and the significance of Indigenous education.

Download the full Report on the Review of Indigenous Education

Response by the Indigenous Education Advisory Committee

Having endorsed the terms of reference of the review, the Indigenous Education Advisory Committee (IEAC), was asked to provide a response to the Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Education, and the Vice-Chancellor regarding the recommendations contained in the Report on the Review of Indigenous Education. This response was considered by the senior executive in preparing the Unviersity's response.

Download the IEAC Response to Review of Indigenous Education

University Initial Response to the Review of Indigenous Education

At its 10 June 2010 meeting, the Senior Executive Group (SEG) approved the release by the University of an Initial Response to the Review of Indigenous Education. The University has released this Initial Response to the Review during its broader strategic planning process to affirm its strong commitment to embedding an ambitious, institution-wide Indigenous education and research strategy as a key element of its new strategic plan. The response confirms the University’s agreement, or in-principle agreement, with 25 of the Review’s 46 recommendations. It also seeks to provide clarity about how, as part of the broader planning process, the University will make decisions about those recommendations of the Review that raise the most significant strategic, operational and financial questions for the institution.

Download a copy of the Initial Response to the Review of Indigenous Education here.

SEG Indigenous Education Working Group July - November 2010

At its 10 June 2010 meeting, SEG established a working group to provide it with advice about how the University should proceed in relation to these key issues. SEG asked that the working group report back to it in time for its advice to be considered in the context of the finalisation of the University’s new strategic plan.

The working group held a total of 11 meetings between July and November 2010 meeting every second Thursday prior to the SEG meetings.

The group identified the following ten core components of a comprehensive Indigenous Strategy:

1. Pre-university, recruitment and access
2. Undergraduate student support and retention
3. Postgraduate student recruitment, support and retention
4. Curriculum and cultural competency
5. Recruitment and support of Academic and General Staff
6. Indigenous research and knowledge
7. Relationships with Indigenous communities
8. Internal and external communication
9. Fundraising for Indigenous activities
10. Leadership, governance, administration, evaluation and resources - including physical resources.

The group consulted widely during the course of the project. Discussions have been held with the Deputy Vice- Chancellor, Education; the Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Research; the Director, Learning and Development and Staff and Student Equal Opportunity Unit; the Manager, Indigenous Employment; the Acting Director, Student Support Services; the Indigenous Education Advisory Committee (multiple); and staff of the Koori Centre and YGISSU. The Poche Centre for Indigenous Health, SRC and SUPRA presidents and Indigenous students were all consulted through their representation on the IEAC.

SEG Working Group’s Interim Report

At its meeting on 16 September 2010 SEG approved the Working Group’s Interim Report its recommendations. This included the recommendation that SEG support the appointment of an appropriately qualified Indigenous Australian, at an appropriate level, and that this person:

1. report directly to the Vice-Chancellor,
2. be a member of SEG, Chair the proposed Indigenous Sub-Committee of SEG, and
3. be responsible for the detailed development and coordinated implementation of the comprehensive Indigenous Participation, Engagement, Education and Research Strategy set out in the Strategic Plan and White Paper.

The report also proposed SEG Indigenous Strategy and Services Committee be given principal responsibility for monitoring performance against agreed goals for Indigenous participation, engagement, education and research, at the University-wide, Division and Faculty levels; and for reporting regularly to SEG on progress towards the achievement of these goals.

SEG Working Group Final Report

The Group tabled its final response to its terms of reference at the SEG meeting on 11 November. The Final Report comprises three documents:

1. a summary Final Report to SEG
2. a detailed Indigenous Strategic Framework Report
3. a detailed Indigenous Data Overview Report.

The Final Report is accompanied by two detailed supporting documents – an Indigenous Strategic Framework Report and an Indigenous Data Overview Report. Drawing on data sourced from numerous external and internal sources, the Data Overview Report seeks to provide a comprehensive picture of the ‘current state’ of relevant data at the national, state, University and individual faculty/administering unit levels. The Strategic Framework Report is the result of a systematic analysis undertaken of the University’s current approach and performance in each of ten interlinked areas of activity, which should form the core ‘elements’ of a comprehensive University-wide Indigenous strategy. Taken together, these three reports represent the group's overall response to its terms of reference. SEG noted the three reports and agreed to discuss them at its meeting on 25 November.

On the Vice-Chancellor’s recommendation, SEG agreed to release the reports to members of the IEAC, and staff in the Koori Centre and YGISSU, to give members of these groups an opportunity to consider and provide feedback on the reports in advance of the discussion. SEG also agreed to provide the reports to the members of the Indigenous Education Review Panel for comment.

At its meeting on 25 November SEG approved the Final Report and all seven recommendations as follows:

Recommendation 1 Accept and endorse the Final Report, the Indigenous Strategic Framework Report, and the Indigenous Data Overview Report, and allow these to be provided to shortlisted applicants for the Indigenous Leadership position, to the successful candidate and to the inaugural members of the SEG Indigenous Strategy and Services Committee.

Recommendation 2 Approve the release of the three reports to the members of the Review of Indigenous Education, with advice that these reports and associated developments represent the next step in the University’s development of a comprehensive, University-wide strategy in response to their Review.

Recommendation 3 Approve the release of the three reports within the University, to provide interested staff and students with an opportunity to provide feedback, and to enable the documents to inform planning in Portfolios, Divisions, Faculties and other units.

Recommendation 4 Approve the use of Indigenous reserves to fund the Indigenous Leadership position with appropriate executive support for 2011.

Recommendation 5 Commit to approving an integrated Indigenous Participation, Engagement, Education and Research Strategy, with an appropriate supporting budget from 2012.

Recommendation 6 Approve the changes to the governance and reporting lines of the Koori Centre as proposed in this report and set out in some detail in the Indigenous Strategic Framework Report, and allow work to commence immediately to give effect to these changes.

Recommendation 7 Determine the membership of the SEG Indigenous Strategy and Services Committee and ask the group to convene as soon as possible to commence consideration of the reports in advance of the commencement of the Indigenous leader. The Committee’s first task would be to consider those initiatives that have been recommended under section 4.2 of the Final Report and in the Indigenous Strategic Framework Report, that the University could implement in advance of the appointment of the Indigenous leadership position, in order to signal its renewed commitment to the area and to maintain momentum.