Australia Appoints Third Indigenous Higher Education Advisory Council

The Minister for Education, Julia Gillard, and the Minister for Innovation, Industry, Science and Research, Senator Kim Carr, today announced the appointment of the third Indigenous Higher Education Advisory Council.

Professor Steven Larkin from Charles Darwin University will chair the Council and Professor Aileen Moreton-Robinson from Queensland University of Technology will take the role of Deputy Chair.

Other Council members are:

• Professor Roger Thomas, University of Adelaide, Chair of the second Council

• Associate Professor Ngiare Brown, University of Sydney

• Professor Paul Chandler, University of Wollongong

• Associate Professor Susan Green, University of New South Wales

• Professor Lynette Russell, Monash University

• Mr Russell Taylor, Australian Institute of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies

• Mr Asmi Wood, Australian National University

Ms Gillard today addressed the Council’s first meeting, being held in Melbourne.

The new Council will provide policy advice to the Australian Government on higher education, research and research training issues in relation to Indigenous higher education students and staff.

The Rudd Government is committed to at least halving the gap for Indigenous and non-Indigenous students in year 12 or its equivalent by 2020. The Government is also committed to halving the gap in literacy and numeracy within a decade.

Ms Gillard said the Government is providing resources to enable universities to form broader and deeper relationships with the schools, teachers, and parents of Indigenous and non-Indigenous students who have little exposure to higher education. A new partnership program worth $108 million over four years is being developed to link universities with schools and vocational education and training providers.

An important function of the Council will be to continue its joint project with Universities Australia, the Indigenous Cultural Competency in Australian Universities initiative. The Government has provided $500,000 for this initiative which aims to undertake a stock-take of existing Indigenous cultural competency initiatives in the Australian higher education sector, undertake pilot projects identified through the stock-take process, and develop a national best practice framework.

Ms Gillard thanked the previous Councils for their valuable achievements and said she looked forward to working with the new Council.

Senator Carr said the new Council would play an important role in implementing reforms to higher education, research and the National Innovation System.

Ms Gillard and Senator Carr said they were particularly interested in exploring ways to increase the number of Indigenous students in higher education including the number going on to higher degrees and research careers. This will build on the range of existing initiatives that are funded by the Government, including scholarships for Indigenous students and staff, and funding programs specifically designed to support Indigenous students in higher education, including in research.

For further information, visit: http://www.deewr.gov.au.

Topics: Australia, education, Governance, Indigenous Higher Education Advisory Council, indigenous peoples, innovation

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