We need to secure our future Indigenous workforce in higher education

Reducing educational disparity between Indigenous and non-Indigenous people is fundamental to the accord.

The Australian Universities Accord final report marks a defining moment in reforming Australian higher education to meet the nation’s need out to 2050. Fundamental to this reform is how government works with the higher education sector to tackle enduring education disparity between Indigenous and non-Indigenous people. .

The final report provides significant cause for optimism. From the outset it calls for First Nations people and culture to be “at the heart of the higher education system”. The report recommends growing the proportion of undergraduate First Nation university students, elevating First Nations knowledge and knowledge systems, and increasing the representation of First Nations people in university governance and leadership positions. Steps to tackle racism in Australian universities are also outlined in the report. These and many other recommendations that specifically address Indigenous student and staff participation, success and Indigenous self-determination are welcome and long overdue.

As the government now considers its response to the Accord final report, growing the First Nations workforce and the pipeline of early career First Nations researchers must be a top priority.

Strong leadership in Indigenous higher education matters at a local, national and international level. Education has a major role in achieving better economic outcomes for Indigenous Australians and is considered one of the main strategies to close the gap in Australia. Indigenous leadership has the potential to transform and enrich the higher education sector and nation more broadly, bringing a wealth of cultural knowledge and professional skills.

Securing our future Indigenous research workforce requires a long-term vision and accompanying strategies to increase the number of Indigenous academics across the research system. This includes building a strong and resilient talent pipeline, beginning in schools and continuing through to our research institutions and into the research workforce.

Indigenous Australians comprise 3.7 per cent of the working age population. Despite a significant increase in Indigenous student higher degree by research (HDR) enrolments (95 per cent growth since 2008), completion figures remain low with Indigenous students comprising just 1.3 per cent of HDR completions. In 2022 only 58 Indigenous Australians completed a doctoral qualification – averaging only 1.5 per Australian university per year. Similarly, Indigenous Australians make up only 1.2 per cent of the workforce at Australian universities, with only one-third in academic roles. As a nation we must do better.

Australia has two unique Indigenous academic leadership programs that play a vital role in supporting the success of Indigenous HDR students and early career academics across Australia. For over two decades, the Professional Certificate in Indigenous Research and the Graduate Certificate in Indigenous Research and Leadership have been offered annually, attracting participants from across the country at no cost to the individual or institution.

Hosted by the University of Melbourne, the programs offer crucial support at key points in candidature and build Indigenous academic leadership, which is critical to growing Australia’s Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander academic workforce and addressing broader educational and social inequity. The programs are used by universities around Australia to support their Indigenous students entering higher level research-based degrees. Participants are often the only Indigenous HDR student in their faculty or school. The programs are key to overcoming isolation by creating a safe and supportive Indigenous academic community and fostering opportunities for academic collaboration.

Critically, the programs are centred on fostering candidate success and completion. Since 2018, 126 students from twenty universities have enrolled. Supervisors of Indigenous HDR students from institutions across Australia highly recommend these programs to their students, and some have set them as a compulsory requirement. Eight current holders of pro vice-chancellor (Indigenous) and deputy vice-chancellor (Indigenous) positions completed the programs. A further 15 graduates currently hold associate dean (Indigenous) and other senior professorial roles highlighting the extraordinary impact of this initiative.

The programs are key to addressing the disparity in HDR completions between Indigenous and non-Indigenous students. With philanthropic funding ending, the future of these programs is uncertain. The Accord provides the government with an opportunity to support and strengthen this vital training for our future Indigenous academic workforce and foster the type of cross institutional collaboration that Indigenous higher education leaders have long been calling for.

There is work to do for our universities too in nurturing career success. Once in academia, Indigenous academics face a multitude of challenges, requiring nuanced and targeted support at the entry stage (PhD/early career researcher) and at more senior levels. Indigenous academics encounter distinct barriers including the often-untenable load between the official and unofficial requirements of their academic positions.

In many institutions Indigenous knowledge and community relationships remain undervalued. Dedicating time to building and nurturing enduring community partnerships is often not fully recognised in work plans and promotion criteria. Investing in community relationships and responsibilities also reduces time available to focus on traditional academic activities, negatively impacting career progression. Without appropriate support, professional development and mentorship, many Indigenous academics leave the sector.

To bring about real change in Australian higher education sector, Indigenous people must be in decision-making roles and empowered to influence the status quo. Investing in our Indigenous academic leadership is essential to uplifting all Indigenous students. It is also critical to delivering on many of the commitments outlined in the Accord, and to the government’s stated commitment to First Nations self-determination.

Michelle Trudgett is deputy vice-chancellor (Indigenous leadership) at Western Sydney University. Bronwyn Fredericks is deputy vice-chancellor (Indigenous engagement) at the University of Queensland. Barry Judd is deputy vice-chancellor (Indigenous) at the University of Melbourne.