CDU’s Indigenous Graduate Attribute Re-visited

1. 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

2. 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.

3. 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).

4. 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.

5. Key Developments • The Indigenous Higher Education Advisory Council (IHEAC) Strategic Plan 2006-2008 – released in 2005; • IHEAC Conference 2007,NgapartjiNgapatji ~ 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 2009-2010Guiding Principles for Developing Indigenous Cultural Competency in Australian Universities, Universities Australia, October 2011; • Embedding an Indigenous Attribute Project: Final Reportfor 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).

6. Responses of Selected Australian Universities • 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).

7. UWS (http://www.uws.edu.au/badanami/badanami_centre_for_indigenous_education/indigenous_australian_studies_major/why_study_ias/indigenous_graduate_attribute).

8. 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_capabilities.cfm).

9. 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/what-are-they-learning).

10. 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)

11. 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 student-centered learning and supporting the effective construction and application of their knowledge” (http://www.cdu.edu.au/graduateattributes/)

12. CDU Graduate Attributes and Employability Skills Core Attributes: • Personal Practical Knowledge • Citizenship • World View • For each core attribute several generic skills are listed.

13. 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).

14. 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”.

15. 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”.

16. 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.

17. 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 PVC-Academic. • This Learning & Teaching Session provides the opportunity for preliminary input to the review process.

19. Challenges 1 To craft Indigenous Graduate Attributes that satisfy the following criteria: • An overarching Indigenous Graduate Attribute for the University that matches the strategic direction of the University as a whole; and • 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.

20. Challenges 2 DIISRTE Review identified 3 key challenges: • Dealing with the scale of embedding graduate attributes across the curriculum; • 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; • Ensuring that content is relevant and appropriate.

21. 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.

22. What About Challenges 2? How would you recommend these challenges could be addressed? • Dealing with the scale of embedding graduate attributes across the curriculum; • 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; • Ensuring that content is relevant and appropriate.