CTLC Forum Presentation

Placing Indigenous Health and Wellbeing in Academia: Everyone’s Business?

1. Context

2. Whose Business?

• Current Activity

• Interest

• Relevance

3. A new subject using open platforms

1. Faculty of Health Sciences Review

(said we must!!):

‘Develop:

a) Indigenous Engagement Strategy:

Staff & Student/Recruitment & Support

b) More Indigenous curriculum’

2. Whose Business?

La Trobe Subject Handbook 2013

16 subjects with either ‘Aboriginal’ or ‘Indigenous’ in

the subject title (none in FHS).

No FHS subjects with ‘Aboriginal’ or

‘Indigenous’ in title.

10 have ‘Indigenous’ x1 in

descriptions

Is this even an Issue?

‘Most of our graduates will never

have to treat an Indigenous person.’

What is an appropriate level of

Indigenous-related content in

the different disciplines?

(… 0.7%? … 2.7+%?...)

2(cont’d). Quick Surveys

117 students, 71 staff

strong interest & support

for

Involvement & New curriculum

1. FHS Review!! ‘Develop a) Indigenous Engagement Strategy:

Staff & Student/Recruitment& Support b) More Indigenous curriculum’

2. Audit: No FHS subjects with ‘Aboriginal’ or ‘Indigenous’ in title.

10 have ‘Indigenous’ x1 in descriptions

3. Quick Surveys: 117 students, 71 staff; strong interest,

support for involvement & new curriculum

4. New subject: Indigenous & Intercultural Health:

Openly flipped, flexible, multidisciplinary

FHS Quick Student Survey

N = 117 Female: 93%

Mean age: 33 years

Indigenous students: 4%

FHS ‘Quick’ Staff Survey

N = 71

Indigenous: 4%

3. New subject: Indigenous & Intercultural Health:

Openly flipped, flexible, multidisciplinary

+ + LMS

http://en.wikiversity.org/wiki/Indigenous_and_Intercultural_Health

http://tinyurl.com/indighealth

Possible Starting Points

Consultations with Ngarn-gi Bagora staff suggest, for example:

Increasing Indigenous student interest, access and supportby

Developing Health Graduate Alumni community

e.g. healthheroes.health.gov.au/

Is this even an Issue?

La Trobe Essentials

Develop students’ capacity to:

• Understand the major … political and social challenges of our time

• Apply their learning effectively and responsibly to these major challenges.

Challenges

Managing the new subject- need significant Indigenous input to delivery and governance

Developing a thematic stream or program vsone-off

Growing a cohesive Indigenous-related teaching & research community

Funding, developing & implementing a realistic, meaningful Faculty & Institutional strategy

Global Citizenship

• Understanding the diversity of values and perspectives across the globe

• Developing skills to effectively interact with a diverse range of people in a world of complex interdependence

• Actively engaging with states and other institutions to meet the demands of global challenges and obligations.

Innovation & EntrepreneurshipThe introduction of the new… renewal, & change… • Understanding the dynamics of change• Generation & effective management of

new ideas• Flexibility & creativity in developing

ideas & in resolving complex problems• Apply theory, locate & synthesise

knowledge resources, prioritise action & manage associated risks.

Sustainability ThinkingEngage effectively with • Social, environmental & economic

change & challenges • Complex interactions between natural,

economic, social, political & cultural systems

• Our obligations to future generations• How the choices we make will affect

the public good & the wellbeing of future generations.