Indigenous Higher Education: The Role of Universities in Releasing the Potential

  • user warning: Got error 28 from storage engine query: SELECT t.*,v.weight AS v_weight_unused FROM term_node r INNER JOIN term_data t ON r.tid = t.tid INNER JOIN vocabulary v ON t.vid = v.vid LEFT JOIN term_data tac_td ON t.tid = tac_td.tid WHERE (t.tid IN (0, 16) OR tac_td.vid NOT IN (4,6)) AND ( r.vid = 2824 )ORDER BY v.weight, t.weight, t.name in /home/unicmsne/public_html/modules/taxonomy/taxonomy.module on line 640.
  • user warning: Got error 28 from storage engine query: SELECT DISTINCT b.* FROM blocks b LEFT JOIN blocks_roles r ON b.module = r.module AND b.delta = r.delta WHERE b.theme = 'lime' AND b.status = 1 AND (r.rid IN (1) OR r.rid IS NULL) ORDER BY b.region, b.weight, b.module in /home/unicmsne/public_html/modules/block/block.module on line 460.
Year: 2008
Author(s): Anderson, C., Bundaz T and Walter M.
Book/Journal: The Australian Journal of Indigenous Education
Volume and Page Info: Vol 37 pp1-8
Type: Journal
Topics:
Training Indigenous Health Practitioners
Publisher: The Australian Journal of Indigenous Education
Abstract
The participation rate of Indigenous people in higher education is comparatively disparately low across all sectors. In this paper we examine the pivotal role of the university sector in addressing this inequity and releasing the potential for increased Indigenous enrolment, participation and completion in higher education. Indigenous higher education, we argue, is core university business, not an equity issue, and a unique opportunity currently exists for achieving significant progress. Using examples of best practice we show how universities can take positive practical steps to overcome the commonly identified barriers to Indigenous higher education suCcess. We also propose four specific strategies for increaSing Indigenous higher education success across all facets. We extend our analysis to the low Indigenous representation among university staff arguing that a greater presence and nurturing of Indigenous staff, academic and general is a vitat facet of improving Indigenous higher education access and success. Finally, we argue that a longitudinal study of Indigenous higher education participation is needed to provide an evidence base to inform and increase the efficacy of policy in this area.