1. Cover and report artwork ‘Seeing Country’ by Walmajarri artist and educator, Yangkana Laurel.

2. Acknowledgement
We would like to acknowledge the Traditional Owners and Custodians of the Country we are meeting on Today.
We would particularly like to pay our respects to elders, past and present.

3. Outline Project background - research partnership
Provide an overview of project outcomes
Key themes and trends of the Literature Review
Key enablers and constraints
Elements of leading practice
Models supporting student transition

4. Project aims
The project addressed the four key objectives:
To identify the key enablers and constraints to successful transition of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students into higher education
To identify the best practice models or frameworks that can be utilised to achieve successful transitions of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students to higher education
To investigate current initiatives, intended to support under-represented groups, not delivering intended outcomes
To identify strategies to assist potential Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students to transition successfully into higher education.

5. Underrepresented Groups
Particular consideration, where data and information
was available, was given to ‘under-represented groups’
identified by OLT which included:
women who are principal carers
young men
young people not transitioning from VET
people with disabilities
people in the prison system, and
remote Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students.

6. Project participants Chief Investigators:
Professor Lyn Henderson-Yates (UNDA)
Professor Patrick Dodson (UNDA) and
Professor Marguerite Maher (UNDA).
Professor Lyn Henderson-Yates led the project in collaboration with
Research Coordinator, Mr Bruce Gorring (UNDA) and Project Manager
(Sue Thomas).
Project team:
Dr Judith Wilks (SCU)
Mr Stephen Kinnane (UNDA)
Ms Katie Wilson (SCU)
Ms Terri Hughes (CDU)
Professor Keith McNaught (UNDA)
Professor Neil Drew (UNDA) and
Associate Professor Kevin Watson (UNDA).

7. Project Outcomes

8. ‘Can’t be what you can’t see’
Valuing and engaging with family and community is a common theme of those universities with successful programs. Outreach to schools by introducing students to the opportunities of higher education is essential early in their schooling, and, as one respondent observed: “you can’t be what you can’t see”. A leading Indigenous educator also reflected on the necessity of good community outreach noting: “Gaps, generally are the biggest constraint. Universities also need to be resourcing significant university outreach. Regardless of what life might be dishing out and the lack of resources, there are always opportunities to reach out to your community. It helps to have resources to target students in schools, but community involvement should always be part of the process. The commonwealth and the states should be funding these kinds of mentoring experiences..... You can't imagine what you haven't seen.”

9. Project Outcomes
The Report and Literature Review are available from:
Elements of Leading Practice
Student Profiles
Entry Pathways
Challenges and Constraints
Key Enablers
Models Supporting Transition
Web-site pages
Background
Acknowledgements
Summary of Findings
Final Report and Literature Review
Key Findings and Fact Sheets
Web Resources
Government Policies

10. Lit Review - Statistical trends
2012: 1.0% of university enrolments, 1.1% of all commencements
2012: VET 4.6% of national student enrolment
Variations in reporting, population categorisation, data gathering, baselines

11. Lit Review - University websites
Front page links for Indigenous students:
April, – 15 websites
November, 2013 – 26 websites
University Indigenous Education Statements

12. Identified Limitations
Lack of ongoing funding, integrated, holistic approach
Short term projects, limited follow up
Lack of evidence-base, ongoing, consistent longitudinal research
Uneven engagement and embedding knowledges, perspectives, pedagogies

13. Drivers for change across university cultures
“[It is] a good university for Aboriginal people. [I] felt comfortable as an Aboriginal person [The] university knows about Aboriginal people, there are Aboriginal people around in high positions….”

14. Relationships and community engagement
“In universities, we need to put as much time into building relationships with Indigenous groups and communities as we can – in addition to doing all the ‘right’ things. This means the hard yakka of getting out, and getting active…”

15. Flexible strategies based in evidence
“…looking at the data , identifying what it working and minimising the areas that are failing… Focussing on accountability and performance… how we actually measure success” (National Indigenous Congress)

16. The Individual - additional pressures on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students
“My university courses portray Aboriginal people as ‘living in the past’ … This has an incredibly alienating impact when you’re already feeling like you don’t belong”

17. The Institution - siloing, separating and sidelining
“Indigenous support centres as the ‘go-to’ people for all things Indigenous”

18. Governance – Processes, programs, data, statistics and demography
“They think we understand how unis work, they ask you to choose your units. They need to sit down with people and explain it properly. People could be ticking anything and not knowing what they are doing”

19. Elements of Leading Practice
1. Early Indigenous student engagement 2. Outreach and aspirational programs 3. Targeted student and community outreach programs 4. Preparedness pathways and enabling programs 5. Targeted student case management and skills development 6. Mentors and tutorial assistance 7. Blended delivery for remote student access 8. Finances and employment pathways 9. Life cycle approach 10. Policy contexts and strategies 11. Governance – Whole of University approach 12. Indigenous Education Unit foundations 13. The value and role of Indigenous Knowledge Centres 14 Cross cultural competency

20. Identified Models
1) The Standard Model - Table A - Indigenous Education Unit focused
2) The School Model - larger Indigenous Studies Programs linked with student support
The Governance Driven Model - (i) (IEU) governance tied to Key Performance Indicators (KPI) led by IEUs ii) (Executive) governance tied to KPIs led by Executive staff members
The Indigenous Knowledge Centre Model – highlighting the relevance of IK
Mainstream Enabling Support Model - with minimal or no IEU facilitation

21. Thank You http://www. nd. edu