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| School of Indigenous Studies (Edith Cowan University) | |
|---|---|
| Name | School of Indigenous Studies |
| Parent | Edith Cowan University |
| Established | 200? |
| Type | Academic unit |
| Location | Perth, Western Australia |
School of Indigenous Studies (Edith Cowan University)
The School of Indigenous Studies at Edith Cowan University is an academic unit focusing on Indigenous Australian knowledge, community leadership, cultural heritage and applied research. It offers coursework and research training linked with regional and national Indigenous organisations, collaborative projects with museums and health services, and engagement across Western Australia and national networks. The school collaborates with Indigenous and non-Indigenous partners to support cultural revitalisation, policy influence and capacity-building.
The school's origins are linked to initiatives at Edith Cowan University that engaged with the Noongar community, Noongar organisations, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Commission, National Aboriginal Conference, and advocacy by figures such as Charles Perkins, Lowitja O'Donoghue, Eddie Mabo, Vincent Lingiari and Faith Bandler. Early moments involved relationships with institutions including Western Australian Museum, Australian Institute of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies, Telethon Kids Institute, Australian National University, University of Western Australia, and Curtin University. Funding and program development were influenced by policies from Department of Education (Western Australia), initiatives like the Council for Aboriginal Reconciliation, and national frameworks following the Mabo decision and the Native Title Act 1993. The school’s expansion paralleled cultural events such as NAIDOC Week, partnerships with National Indigenous Television, and collaborations with communities affected by land claims and heritage listing processes exemplified by the Wave Rock and Swan River region.
The school offers undergraduate and postgraduate programs, including pathways into vocational courses associated with TAFE Western Australia, professional training for roles with Australian Human Rights Commission, Department of Health (Australia), and accreditation aligned with standards used by Australian Qualifications Framework. Programs incorporate placements with organisations such as MIRIAM (Mirrabooka) Aboriginal Corporation, Aboriginal Legal Service of Western Australia, Ngala, Centrecare, and cultural internships with Museum of Contemporary Art Australia, Art Gallery of Western Australia, and community language projects connected to Noongar Boodjar Language Cultural Aboriginal Corporation. Coursework often references the work of scholars and leaders like Martha Nussbaum (for ethics comparisons), practitioners linked to South Australian Museum, and case studies involving Yorta Yorta, Gamilaraay, Arrernte, and Yolngu communities. Graduates progress to roles in organisations such as Australian Institute of Health and Welfare, Reconciliation Australia, Australian Broadcasting Corporation, and local government bodies including City of Perth and Shire of Broome.
Research priorities span Indigenous-led methodologies, cultural heritage management, health equity, and legal rights, with collaborative projects involving CSIRO, Telethon Kids Institute, Western Australian Museum, AIATSIS, NHMRC, and universities such as Monash University, University of Melbourne, and Griffith University. Partnerships extend internationally through links with institutions like University of Auckland, University of British Columbia, and Indigenous networks connected to United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues initiatives. Research outputs engage with issues raised in inquiries such as the Royal Commission into Aboriginal Deaths in Custody, reports by Closing the Gap, and policy reviews by Australian Human Rights Commission. Granted projects have involved collaborations with land councils such as the Yamatji Marlpa Aboriginal Corporation, Northern Land Council, and heritage work with ICOMOS and Heritage Council of Western Australia.
Community engagement is central, involving local Noongar elders, Aboriginal corporations, and service providers including Kanyirninpa Jukurrpa, Derbarl Yerrigan Health Service, Goolarri Media Enterprises, Broome Aboriginal Media Association, and arts organisations such as Koorie Heritage Trust and Boomalli Aboriginal Artists Cooperative. Programs support language revitalisation informed by projects like those at AUSTLANG and collaborations with community-research models exemplified by Patricia Clarke-style local histories and oral history programs similar to work archived by Trove. The school participates in cultural protocols relevant to ceremonies and sites such as Perth Cultural Centre, King Leopold Ranges, Yanchep National Park, and engages in public events like NAIDOC Week and Reconciliation Week.
Facilities are based on ECU campuses in Perth metropolitan areas with connections to regional sites in the Kimberley, Pilbara, and Goldfields. The school utilises resources at the Joondalup Campus, partners with community hubs like Kwinana Hub, and accesses collections at Western Australian Museum Boola Bardip and library archives aligned with National Library of Australia collections. Teaching and fieldwork use community-based facilities including cultural centres in Boorloo, Bunbury, Kalgoorlie-Boulder, and remote community centres in locations served by organisations such as the Kimberley Development Commission.
Governance involves academic leadership within Edith Cowan University structures, advisory boards including Indigenous elders and representatives from groups like National Congress of Australia's First Peoples, regional land councils, and cultural organisations such as Reconciliation Australia and Aboriginal Affairs Western Australia. Staff include Indigenous academics, community scholars, and adjuncts with backgrounds linked to institutions including Telethon Kids Institute, Curtin University, University of Western Australia, and consultancy roles in policy work tied to inquiries like the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse.
Alumni have taken leadership roles in organisations such as Aboriginal Legal Service of Western Australia, WA Department of Communities, Reconciliation Australia, National Native Title Council, and media outlets including National Indigenous Radio Service and NITV. Graduates have contributed to projects influencing policy debates around Native Title Act 1993, cultural heritage protections under the Heritage Act 2018 (WA), and advocacy connected to cases like Mabo v Queensland (No 2). The school's community impact includes cultural revitalisation initiatives, input to heritage listings, and leadership in regional health and education programs supported by partnerships with agencies such as Telethon Kids Institute and WA Health.
Category:Edith Cowan University Category:Indigenous Australian education