Associate Professor Simon Forrest

INDIGENOUS EDUCATION STATEMENT

2013

Contact:

Associate Professor Simon Forrest

Director, Centre for Aboriginal Studies

Telephone: (08) 9266 7091

Facsimile: (08) 9266 2888

Email:

CURTIN UNIVERSITY
(trading as the Curtin University of Technology)
INDIGENOUS EDUCATION STATEMENT 2013
THE CENTRE FOR ABORIGINAL STUDIES
SECTION 1 OBJECTIVES FOR INDIGENOUS HIGHER EDUCATION
What is your approach to improve higher education outcomes for Indigenous Australians, and how is this being implemented?
Curtin University (Curtin) is Western Australia’s largest university with more than 40,000 students from around the world. Curtin embraces its cultural diversity by actively encouraging and fostering acceptance and understanding across its community.
Important to Curtin is the importance of reconciliation between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians, and the significance of the learning and consultation process necessary to move towards a future of genuine equity, equality and understanding.
Curtin’s long standing commitment towards reconciliation, Indigenous education and culture is evident by a number of significant steps and actions taken. These include:
·  The establishment 30 years ago of the Centre for Aboriginal Studies, an Indigenous-led and managed academic school;
·  The Nyungar Welcome to Country given at Curtin staff inductions;
·  The ongoing appointment of a Nyungar person as Professor of Writing;
·  The acknowledgment of the Traditional Owners of the Land at all official occasions and conferences;
·  Flying the Aboriginal and the Torres Strait Islander Flags permanently on flag masts outside the Centre for Aboriginal Studies and flying the Aboriginal Flag at all times on one of the four main flag masts together with the national and state flags;
·  The appointment of an Indigenous Employment Consultant to Staff Services;
·  The appointment of an Indigenous Equity Officer;
·  The appointment of an Indigenous Customer Service Officer in Student Central;
·  Cultural awareness and competency training available to all university staff through the “Ways of Working” program run by the Centre for Aboriginal Studies;
·  The continuing highly successful partnership with the Centre for Aboriginal Studies and the Faculty of Health Sciences co-teaching and Indigenous culture and health unit delivered to all first year health students;
·  The continuing successful partnership with the School of Education whereby the Centre for Aboriginal Studies is wholly responsible to the teaching of third year core unit Indigenous Australian Education.
·  The continued work and relationship with the Martu people in Wiluna and the Faculty of Health Sciences and the Centre for Aboriginal Studies;
·  The inclusion of Indigenous perspectives in units in the areas of Education and Social Work;
·  The development of a Pre-Engineering course for Indigenous students as a pathway into Engineering;
·  The Curtin Volunteers! Laverton project and work with the Wongutha people.
·  The monitoring and continued advancement of Curtin’s Reconciliation Action Plan.
·  The highly successful partnership with the Centre for Aboriginal Studies and the Faculty of Science and Engineering in establishing and delivering the annual Indigenous Science and Engineering Summer School for senior highs school students.
How are Indigenous perspectives embedded in your strategic plan and/or other key institutional documents?
Curtin University continues to implement its Reconciliation Action Plan launched on 27th May 2008, which is now live on the Reconciliation Australia website and on Curtin’s website. This promotes Curtin University of Technology’s vision and process for reconciliation: that it be a place of learning that respects Indigenous culture and diversity and a place where Indigenous and non-Indigenous people come together to learn their chosen discipline contextualised within Indigenous culture and history.
Responsibility for the implementation of RAP lies within the DVC Education’s portfolio with Responsible Officers comprising senior executive and management staff. Leadership and implementation of the RAP in the Centre for Aboriginal Studies and the four Faculties, lies with the Director and the PVCs; rollout is at different stages within the Faculties. The DVC Education chairs a bi-monthly RAP Working party, comprising staff (including Centre for Aboriginal Studies [CAS] staff) and student guild members, to address RAP actions. This is an advisory working party of the Curtin Indigenous Policy Committee (CIPC) responsible for advising the Vice Chancellor and the Planning and Management Committee (PMC) on the implementation and review of the University’s policy on Indigenous Governance. CIPC meets each semester and reports annually to the PMC.
Curtin also has a contracted part-time RAP Facilitator position.
RAP’s impact on the CU community: everyday awareness is not high, but there are areas of significant change due directly to RAP. The Indigenising the curriculum commitment is most apparent in the Faculty of Health Sciences where the inaugural common first year Indigenous unit for all 1400 commencing students started in S1 2011; the successful residential Science and Engineering Summer Schools for prospective Indigenous students is now an annual event; funding for Indigenous-related research projects steadily increases; the Student Guild is now fully engaged; the TL Robertson Library has committed itself to leadership amongst its national peers with regard to support for Indigenous students, staff and visitors; staff education (WOW) attendances have markedly increased and the program bookings are now organised and part-funded by the Curtin Organisational Development Unit (ODU) in conjunction with CAS.
Momentum is rapidly growing with plans in place to significantly raise the RAP’s profile. To this end a non-Indigenous staff member within the Office of Teaching and Learning has taken on a part time role within the Deputy Vice Chancellor’s (Education) Office as the Reconciliation Action Plan Co-ordinator.
While not explicit in the Strategic Plan the supporting Teaching and Learning Plan is explicit in embedding Indigenous cultural competencies across the University curricula (in accordance with the Indigenous cultural competence framework).
Curtin’s Graduate attribute number 8 states: Demonstrate cultural awareness and understanding; Respect individual human rights; Recognise the importance of cultural diversity particularly the perspective of Indigenous Australians; and Value diversity of language.
If you have developed an Indigenous education strategy, we invite you to include a copy in this statement, or provide the web address.
See attached: Centre for Aboriginal Studies Faculty Plan 2009 – 2013
SECTION 2 ACHIEVEMENT OF NATIONAL ABORIGINAL AND TORRES STRAIT ISLANDER EDUCATION POLICY (AEP) GOALS IN 2012 AND PLANS FOR FUTURE YEARS
2.1 Establish effective arrangements for the participation of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples in educational decision-making
·  The Centre for Aboriginal Studies (CAS) representatives continue to serve on university-wide and Faculty committees, including the Academic Board.
·  The Curtin Indigenous Policy Committee (CIPC) is chaired by the Deputy Vice-Chancellor – Education, and draws membership from CAS and senior University officers across Faculties and Areas. The CIPC reports to the Planning and Management Committee, with appropriate referral of academic issues to the Academic Board. The CIPC has responsibility for monitoring the achievement of the Policy objectives outlined in Section 1 across the University and reporting on these matters to the University’s Planning and Management Committee.
·  An Aboriginal community member on University Council.
·  The Centre for Aboriginal Studies aims to promote increased participation of Aboriginal and Islander people in tertiary studies, to ensure this education is culturally appropriate, and to create new ways of learning and working or the benefit of all people. In pursuance of this aim, CAS offers courses predominantly for Aboriginal and Islander people. These courses focus on increasing the skills and abilities needed when working within both the Aboriginal community and non-Aboriginal community.
Additionally, CAS is actively engaged in educating non-Aboriginal people about the diverse and rich culture and history of Aboriginal people, and about the social and political issues that affect and concern them. It is committed to fulfilling its mission of excellence and leadership in representing and empowering Indigenous Australians which includes the promotion of intellectual engagement with a diversity of Indigenous and community-based cultural knowledge and concepts and a commitment to quality teaching and learning and research.
Aboriginal communities throughout Western Australia have input into, and co-operate with, CAS in working towards these goals. Through an Aboriginal Advisory Committee and other mechanisms, CAS strives to be responsive to the needs of Aboriginal communities.
·  How many Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders are involved in institutional decision making processes? What is the nature of their involvement?
·  Aboriginal staff (10) in the university are members of the following University boards and committees:
o  University Academic Board
o  Curtin Indigenous Policy Committee
o  Academic Services Committee
o  Curtin Marketing Working Group
o  Health Faculty’s Advisory Group of Indigenous Health Outcomes
o  Health Faculty’s Academic Board
o  Curtin University’s Participation, Equity and Partnerships Group
o  University Teaching and Learning Committee
o  Academic Workload Management System Working Group
o  Nyungar Consultative Committee
·  The Director of CAS reports to the Deputy Vice-Chancellor- Education. The CAS remains a stand-alone teaching and research centre and is one of the five teaching areas (faculties) within the university.
·  What are the roles and responsibilities of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australian leaders in your institution?
·  The principle that the Centre for Aboriginal Studies is headed by an Indigenous person is maintained.
·  Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander leaders at CU work together to:
o  achieve the desired excellence in teaching, research and administration. In particular, implement the Aboriginalisation employment process within CAS and participate in its implementation across the University.
o  establish and maintain strong, collaborative relationships between CAS and other areas of Curtin to maximise teaching and learning and research and development outcomes for the Centre and the university.
o  develop and maintain effective communication with government, the education sector, business and industry, and the wider community to promote the interests of CAS and the University.
o  provide leadership to facilitate appropriate organisational change.
o  ensure that the University develops and monitors strategies that foster Indigenous governance (eg. Policy on the Role of the Centre for Aboriginal Studies).
o  advocate, implement and monitor appropriate policy and processes for the Aboriginalisation of CAS and University positions.
o  ensure appropriate Indigenous community input to CAS and University policy through the Aboriginal Advisory Committee and other community mechanisms.
o  provide Indigenous managerial focus and support for the deliberations of the Curtin Indigenous Policy Committee.
o  foster and facilitate a scholarly culture that encourages participation by all staff (particularly Indigenous staff) in the context of CAS strategic priorities.
o  encourage a high profile in the Indigenous research through the activities of the Centre.
o  Facilitate and participate in the development and review of CAS academic programs to ensure they remain academically sound, culturally appropriate and responsive to the changing needs of students and the Indigenous and wider communities.
o  develop, manage and review student support systems to ensure Aboriginal students are empowered to maximise the educational opportunities provided by the University.
o  maintain and develop supportive networks with Indigenous community leaders and groups to collaborate on issues associated with social change.
o  foster CAS’s collaboration with local elders and advisory groups to develop and promote understanding of cultural protocols.
·  What is the role of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Education Unit in decision making processes?
·  The Centre for Aboriginal Studies is represented on all major University decision making committees
2.2 Increase the number of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples employed, as academic and non-academic staff in higher education institutions
·  Please outline your active Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Employment Strategy – How was it authored? When was it last updated? Is it publicly accessible on the internet?
The Curtin University Aboriginal and Torres Strait Island Employment Strategy 2007-2012 is embedded in both of the University’s enterprise agreements:
·  Curtin University Academic Staff Enterprise Agreement 2009-2012 (Clause 10); and
·  Curtin University General Staff Enterprise Agreement 2009-2012 (Clause 10)
·  What are your strategies for increasing the number of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians employed at your university? When was it last updated? (Please provide a link to your current employment statement).
Curtin’s Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP) and updated progress plan for 2011 can be found at https://planning.curtin.edu.au/strategic/reconciliation.cfm The RAP details the actions, measurable targets and timelines for increasing the number of indigenous staff at Curtin.
The employment of indigenous staff is covered under Curtin’s Recruitment, Selection and Appointment Policy, Appointment of Fixed-Term and Continuing Staff Procedures and Guidelines.
The recruitments strategy for increasing A&TSI Australians are as follows:
·  Curtin has formed a partnership with Ochre Personnel Pty, a 100% Indigenous owned and operated, recruitment staffing agency to source Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders for employment at the University. The partnership includes membership of the preferred supplier list for the provision of temporary staff and a separate MOU for the provision of Fixed-term and Continuing Staff.
·  The Appointment of Fixed-term and Continuing Staff Guidelines provide hiring managers with sourcing strategies for employing EEO Target Groups (A&TSI) and offers exemptions from selection by a competitive process for (Indigenous Australians).
·  Request from Director, Corporate Values and Equity | Ethics, Equity and Social Justice for Hiring Managers to dedicate at least 1 (GJ04) position to an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Indigenous Australian.
·  How many Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander identified positions are there at your university? (Please detail by occupation and level).
Employment in the Centre for Aboriginal Studies is covered in the enterprise agreements:
·  Curtin University Academic Staff Enterprise Agreement 2009-2012 (Clause 18); and
·  Curtin University General Staff Enterprise Agreement 2009-2012 (Clause 18)
·  How many Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander staff are currently employed at your institution? What is their spread across the university? (Please note this includes both academic and general staff by level).
·  See table below
·  What is the role of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Education Unit or Support Centre in improving Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander employment at your institution?
·  The Centre for Aboriginal Studies provides a consultation point for all Indigenous employment across the university and has close links with the officer responsible for the implementation of the Indigenous Employment Strategy. The Centre for Aboriginal Studies has representation in the continuing development and ongoing evaluation and monitoring of the Indigenous Employment Strategy.
Continuing and Fixed term positions
Faculty/Institute/Section / Staff / Academic / Professional
Totals
Table 2 - Casual positions
Faculty/Institute/Section / Staff / Academic / Professional
Totals
Indigenous staff as at 30/07/2013
Count of Employee No / Emp Status
Faculty / ACLTM / ACTEN / CAS / GSLTM / GSPER / SESS / Grand Total
Centre for Aboriginal Studies / 10 / 6 / 5 / 5 / 1 / 27
Curtin Business School / 1 / 2 / 3
Curtin Information Technology Services / 1 / 1
Faculty of Humanities / 3 / 1 / 7 / 11
Faculty of Science & Engineering / 1 / 1 / 1 / 3
Health Sciences / 6 / 1 / 3 / 1 / 1 / 3 / 15
University Properties / 3 / 3
Vice Chancellory / 3 / 1 / 4
Grand Total / 19 / 7 / 8 / 8 / 11 / 14 / 67
ACLTM / Academic Fixed Term
ACTEN / Academic Continuing
CAS / General Casual
GSLTM / General Fixed Term
GSPER / General Continuing
SESS / Sessional

2.3 Ensure equitable access of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students to higher education