Story: Pathways to Success
Indigenous education specialists come together to improve our outcomes.
The second annual Indigenous Higher Education Conference was held in September of this year at the University of Western Australia, Perth.
The Conference, called Partnerships, Pathways and Policies: Improving Indigenous Education Outcomes, focused on improving partnerships between key organisations to develop guaranteed pathways for Indigenous young people to progress through secondary schooling to higher education.
Presentations were made by Indigenous Higher Education Advisory Council (IHEAC) members. Topics included:
- Partnerships for Pathways – schools, universities and vocational, training and education contributions to success;
- Releasing Indigenous Potential – barriers to success, best practice models of support for Indigenous students, and Indigenous employment – success after University; and
- Indigenous Education Culture and Protocols – increasing the profile and status of Indigenous culture, physical and cultural environment, and Indigenous participation in university governance and growing an Indigenous research culture.
The Conference participants held workshops after each presentation and provided feedback to the Council. The Council is now preparing policy advice to the Minister for Education, Science and Training from the discussion and feedback received from the Conference participants as well as the Council’s expertise and research on these issues.
During the conference, five Indigenous Elders were presented with special awards. Joan Winch, Professor Paul Hughes, Ms Matilda House, Mrs May O’Brien and Mr Peter Nyaningu were all given the award in recognition of their significant contributions to Indigenous peoples through education and community work