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Indigenous Higher Education Student Equity: Focusing on What Works

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  22 July 2015

Marcia Devlin
Marcia Devlin*
Affiliation:
Office of the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academic), Deakin University, 221 Burwood Highway, Burwood, Victoria, 3125, Australia
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Abstract

The rates of higher education access, participation and completion for Indigenous students are much lower than those for non-Indigenous students in Australia. This paper argues for a research-led focus on what works in terms of Indigenous student equity in higher education. Undertaking independent evaluation of existing initiatives and leveraging the experience of hundreds of successful Indigenous graduates, it may be possible to articulate some of the ways in which success has been, and can be, achieved, despite the challenges that face Indigenous students. In other words, it may be possible to articulate some aspects of what works for some Indigenous people in relation to higher education. A focus on articulating strategies that Indigenous individuals and communities might adopt in relation to higher education should be developed alongside the management of systemic problems through a range of means. The “success-focused” approach would provide one of a suite of approaches that may be helpful in addressing Indigenous student equity.

Type
Research Article
Information
The Australian Journal of Indigenous Education , Volume 38 , Issue 1 , January 2009 , pp. 1 - 8
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2009

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