CDU’s Indigenous Graduate
Attribute Re-visited
Developing an Indigenous Graduate Attribute for CDU
Learning & Teaching Week
Red 6.1.05: 1:30 – 4:00pm
15 September 2014
What This Session is All About
Substantial developmental work has been undertaken
since 2006 in the Higher Education sector of Australia
leading to an advocacy for the inclusion of an
Indigenous Graduate Attribute(s) amongst Australian
universities’ lists of graduate attributes.
Is it time to expand CDU’s graduate attributes policy to
include an appropriately crafted Indigenous Graduate
Attribute reflective of the mission of the University as
“committed to the advancement and prosperity of our
region”, a region in which over 30% of the population
are Indigenous Australians?
This session will explore this question.
Defining an Indigenous Graduate Attribute
Indigenous graduate attributes
By establishing graduate attributes, universities seek to
ensure that all students complete their studies with the full
range of professional qualities appropriate to their chosen
career. Some universities now include Indigenous-specific
competencies within their graduate attribute statements.
Appropriately crafted Indigenous graduate attributes have the
potential to significantly alter the cultural competence of the
nation’s professional workforce in the future and to improve
outcomes for their Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander
clients.
Australian Govt: Dept of Industry, Innovation, Science, Research & Tertiary Education
(DIISRTE) – Review of Higher Education Access and Outcomes for ATSI People: Final
Report (July 2012).
National Context
Substantial developmental work has been
undertaken since 2006 in the Higher
Education sector of Australia leading to an
advocacy for the inclusion of Indigenous
Graduate Attribute(s) amongst Australian
universities’ lists of graduate attributes.
Key Developments
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
The Indigenous Higher Education Advisory Council (IHEAC)
Strategic Plan 2006-2008 – released in 2005;
IHEAC Conference 2007, Ngapartji Ngapatji ~ Yerra: Stronger
Futures: Six Key Strategies – Key Strategy 4: Indigenous Cultural
Competence as a Graduate Attribute;
Universities Australia/IHEAC Joint Working Party on Indigenous
Cultural Competency, 2007;
Universities Australia/IHEAC Indigenous Cultural Competency in
Australian Universities Project 2009-2010 Guiding Principles for
Developing Indigenous Cultural Competency in Australian
Universities, Universities Australia, October 2011;
Embedding an Indigenous Attribute Project: Final Report for
DEEWR, IHEAC and National Indigenous Higher Education
Network, Badanami Centre for Indigenous Education, University of
Western Sydney, (2012);
Review of Higher Education Access and Outcomes for Aboriginal
and Torres Strait Islander People: Final Report, Behrendt, L.,
Larkin, S., Griew, R. & Kelly, P. (July 2012).
Responses of Selected Australian
Universities
1. Southern Cross University:
• Graduate Attribute 7 - Cultural competence:
an ability to engage with diverse cultural and
Indigenous perspectives in both global and
local settings:
– Demonstrate an understanding of Indigenous
Australian contemporary realities and protocols
(http://policies.scu.edu.au/view.current.php?id=00091).
2. UWS
(http://www.uws.edu.au/badanami/badanami_centre_for_indigenous_education/indigenous_australia
n_studies_major/why_study_ias/indigenous_graduate_attribute).
knowledge base
Indigenous
Australian
Knowledge –
demonstrates
knowledge of
Indigenous
Australia through
cultural
competency and
professional
capacity
Appreciates the culture, experiences and
achievements of Indigenous Australians,
thereby encouraging an Australian
identity inclusive of Indigenous
Australians.
communication
Communicates ethically and effectively
within Indigenous Australian contexts.
social and
cultural
Understands and engages effectively with
the culturally and socially diverse world in
which they live and will work.
leadership and
partnership
Understands the circumstances and
needs of Indigenous Australians, thereby
encouraging responsibility in raising the
standard of professional service delivery
to Indigenous Australians;
Possesses a capacity to engage and
partner with Indigenous Australians.
3.
Curtin University:
• Curtin graduates demonstrate evidence, as
appropriate to their disciplines, that they can:
– Demonstrate intercultural awareness and
understanding:
• Respect individual human rights;
• Recognise the importance of cultural diversity
particularly the perspective of Indigenous Australians;
• Value diversity of language
(http://otl.curtin.edu.au/teaching_learning_practice/graduate_capabilitie
s.cfm).
4. Charles Sturt University
• CSU aims to produce graduates who are:
– Able to engage meaningfully with the culture,
experiences, histories and contemporary issues of
Indigenous communities
(http://www.csu.edu.au/division/landt/sessionalstaff/knowyourstudents/wha
t-are-they-learning).
5. James Cook University
• JCU graduates appreciate the need to embrace
and be acquainted with the Aboriginal and Torres
Strait Islander Peoples of Australia. They are
committed to reconciliation, diversity and
sustainability. They exhibit a willingness to lead
and to contribute to the intellectual,
environmental, cultural, economic and social
challenges of regional, national, and international
communities of the tropics
(http://www.jcu.edu.au/policy/allatoh/JCU_131003.html)
Current Positioning Of CDU re Indigenous
Graduate Attributes
• In January 2012 CDU approved the current
version of its Graduate Attributes and
Employability Skills Policy
• Policy refers to “those skills, qualities and
understandings that should be acquired by
students during their time at the University
regardless of their discipline of study. The
attributes accord with the University’s strategic
directions and values, focusing on studentcentered learning and supporting the effective
construction and application of their knowledge”
(http://www.cdu.edu.au/graduateattributes/)
CDU Graduate Attributes and Employability Skills
Core Attributes:
1. Personal Practical Knowledge
2. Citizenship
3. World View
• For each core attribute several generic skills
are listed.
Core Attribute: Personal Practical Knowledge
• Under the generic skill of ‘Knowledge Base’ is the
descriptor:
– A CDU graduate “has an understanding of the broad
theoretical and technical concepts related to their
discipline area, with relevant connections to industry,
professional, and regional and indigenous knowledge”
(my emphasis).
Core Attribute: Citizenship
• Under the generic skill of ‘Social Responsibility’ is
the descriptor:
– A CDU graduate “is able to apply equity values, and
has a sense of social responsibility, sustainability, and
sensitivity to other peoples, cultures and the
environment”.
Core Attribute: World View
• Under the generic skill of ‘Flexibility’ is the
descriptor:
– A CDU graduate “can function effectively and
constructively in an inter-cultural or global
environment and in a variety of complex
situations”.
Overview of CDU’s Current Position
• CDU has taken a generalist ‘catch-all’ approach to cultural
competence for its students with an additional reference to
Indigenous knowledge in passing.
• With an absence of comprehensive references to Indigenous
cultural competency for the University’s graduates, the
current graduate attributes align weakly with the University’s
2012-2014 Strategic Plan.
• The absence of specific and comprehensive references to
Indigenous cultural competency for the University’s
graduates identifies an area for review and further
development.
Review & Further Development
• The PVC-Indigenous Leadership has initiated a
review of CDU’s Graduate Attributes and
Employment Skills policy.
• This review is supported by the PVCAcademic.
• This Learning & Teaching Session provides the
opportunity for preliminary input to the
review process.
Challenges 1
To craft Indigenous Graduate Attributes that
satisfy the following criteria:
1. An overarching Indigenous Graduate Attribute for
the University that matches the strategic direction of
the University as a whole; and
1. Indigenous Graduate Attributes specific to
nominated priority professional programs offered by
the Schools of CDU that reflect Indigenous cultural
competency as expected of graduates ready to enter
practice in the professional and vocational fields
relevant to their courses of study.
Challenges 2
DIISRTE Review identified 3 key challenges:
1. Dealing with the scale of embedding graduate attributes
across the curriculum;
2. Developing and delivering cultural training for academics
to ensure that they work within the teaching framework
and have the competence to communicate Aboriginal
and Torres Strait Islander content;
3. Ensuring that content is relevant and appropriate.
Workshopping through these Challenges
• Let’s consider in the remaining time what needs to be included
in, firstly:
–
An overarching Indigenous Graduate Attribute for the
University that matches the strategic direction of the
University as a whole;
And secondly,
–
Indigenous Graduate Attributes specific to priority
professional programs offered by the Schools of CDU that
reflect Indigenous cultural competency as expected of
graduates ready to enter practice in the professional and
vocational fields relevant to their courses of study.
What About Challenges 2?
How would you recommend these challenges
could be addressed?
1.
Dealing with the scale of embedding graduate attributes
across the curriculum;
2.
Developing and delivering cultural training for academics to
ensure that they work within the teaching framework and
have the competence to communicate Aboriginal and Torres
Strait Islander content;
3.
Ensuring that content is relevant and appropriate.