Universities Australia 2017–2020 Indigenous Strategy: a meta-synthesis of the issues and challenges

ABSTRACT

The University Australia (UA) 2017–2020 Indigenous Strategy has offered Australian universities a focus that would work to increase Indigenous participation in the higher education sector in Australia. Despite the high-level involvement and detailed monitoring by Universities Australia as the sector’s peak body, Australia’s universities have not made significant progress in achieving the targets in the strategic plan. Using a meta-synthesis methodological approach, we provide an overview of published reviews and research on increasing Indigenous participation in the higher education sector in Australia, with particular reference to the three initiative foci and targets in the UA 2017–2020 Indigenous Strategy. Findings revealed that Indigenous students’ experiences at university, the shortage of Indigenous academics, and the embedment of Indigenous knowledge and perspectives are significant elements that affect the achievement of the UA targets. We conclude by discussing the implications and gaps in the existing UA strategies and offering recommendations to enable higher educator stakeholders to progress the Indigenous Strategy agenda.

KEYWORDS:

• Higher education
• Indigenous education
• Australia

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Peter J. Anderson

Peter J. Anderson is an educational consultant His research theorises the understandings of the organisational value of academic freedom in Australian universities and also more broadly in the polar south. He also teaches and researches in the areas of organisational leadership, Indigenous and traditionally-oriented peoples' education, and teacher and academic professional development.

Sun Yee Yip

Sun Yee Yip is a lecturer at La Trobe University, Melbourne. She researches Indigenous education, cross-cultural teaching, and teacher identity. Before teaching in higher education, she worked as a vice-principal in a secondary school.

Zane M. Diamond

Zane M. Diamond is a teacher educator and researches wisdom studies in education and organisational development. International and comparativist in approach, she researches culturally responsive pedagogies for embedding Indigenous and other ancient wisdom traditions in modern universities and schools.