Indigenising Curriculum Working Party

The Indigenising Curriculum Working Party (ICWP) supports faculties and schools to expand their existing curriculum with Indigenous perspectives.

The Teaching and Learning Committee (TLC) established the Indigenising Curriculum Working Party (ICWP) in 2020 to address Action 14 of the UQ Reconciliation Action Plan.

Review and facilitate UQ-wide approach to embedding Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander curriculum and inclusive teaching practices in programs.

ICWP focus

The focus of the ICWP was to develop a coordinated approach to support faculties and schools to expand existing curriculum to incorporate Indigenous knowledges, perspectives and pedagogies. This supports UQ's goals to:

• develop Indigenous curricula for all students in specific majors and programs, and
• support Indigenous students to become knowledge creators through and within the curricula or extra curricula activities.

The ICWP advised the University Teaching and Learning Committee on:

• the adoption, configuration and integration of best practices for embedding Indigenous perspectives in UQ curriculum
• emerging educational developments and practices in relation to the Indigenisation of curriculum, including related technological developments and digital platforms
• support, training, communication and professional learning requirements related to embedding Indigenous perspectives in curriculum, including the development of training to teach Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander content and the establishment of a network/community of practice.

The group worked closely with the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Unit to embed Indigenous knowledges into the UQ curriculum.

Read about the ICWP members from across UQ

ICWG achievements

2024

Indigenous Education Advisory Committee and Sub-Committee established

The Sub-Committee will be established, with the following terms of reference:

Advise and make recommendations to the Committee for Academic Programs Policy (CAPP):

• on the adoption, configuration and integration of Indigenous knowledges, studies and/or perspectives in new coursework programs and structural amendments to existing coursework programs
• on the appropriateness of strategies adopted, reported and considered in Academic Program Reviews and School Reviews that relate to Indigenising Curriculum.

Monitor and analyse reports and data to:

• review Indigenous students’ academic performance, retention and completion rates, and make recommendations to the Teaching, Learning and Student Experience Committee (TLSEC) to support these students
• review existing feeder programs specifically designed for Indigenous students (including InspireU, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Pathway Program and UQ College) and scholarships
• make recommendations to CAPP and TLSEC on initiatives and improvements in existing programs that will encourage Indigenous students to enter coursework programs.

Liaise with faculties and the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies Unit to:

• develop discipline-specific strategies and processes, including professional development of staff, to support Indigenous students to progress and complete their studies
• provide advice to faculty committees responsible for Indigenising curriculum for courses and programs.

2023

Implementation plan endorsed

The work of ICWP was concluded with the Implementation Plan (PDF, 743.2 KB), which was endorsed by Academic Board in November 2023.

Community of Practice established

The Community of Practice (CoP) supports those seeking to Indigenise their curriculum.

2022

UQ Library Curated Collection established

UQ Library curated an online searchable depository of Indigenised scholarly works and peer-reviewed modules.

Indigenising Curriculum principles developed

Complementing the RAP, the ICWP developed the Indigenising the Curriculum Consultation Green Paper (PDF, 1.9 MB) to guide the ongoing work in Indigenising the curriculum at UQ.

Indigenising Curriculum Colloquium held

Decision-makers from across UQ developed an action plan to implement Indigenising Curriculum principles. View the workshop slides (PDF, 2 MB), keynote presentation slides (PDF, 430.9 KB) and keynote audio recording by A/Prof Jay Phillips.

2021

Benchmarking of Australian universities' practices conducted

A Desktop Survey was conducted to identify how other Australian universities were engaging with activities and practices to Indigenise their curriculum. Read the benchmarking report (PDF, 272.6 KB)

Database of courses with Indigenous perspectives developed

John Graham, ITaLI Elder in Residence, identified courses across UQ that included Indigenous curriculum content. He developed a framework (PDF, 554.2 KB) to aid identification of such courses. The courses identified were curated into a database (XLSX, 35.9 KB). 

ICWP members

The ICWP provided a university-wide representation from Indigenous scholars, Directors of Teaching and Learning (T&L), faculties and schools, and Indigenous students.

• Professor Tracey Bunda* (Chair), Academic Director, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies Unit
• Professor Karen Benson (Deputy Chair), Director, Institute for Teaching and Learning Innovation
• Professor Pauline Ford, Acting Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Teaching and Learning)
• Professor Craig Franklin, President of Academic Board
• A/Prof Sandra Phillips*, Associate Dean (Indigenous Engagement), Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences
• Dr Marnee Shay*, School of Education, Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences
• Professor Blake McKimmie, Faculty of Health and Behavioural Sciences
• A/Prof Greg Birkett, Faculty of Engineering, Architecture and Information Technology
• A/Prof Deanne Gannaway, Institute for Teaching and Learning Innovation
• Professor Lisa Ruhanen, Faculty of Business, Economics and Law
• Dr Preetha Thomas, Faculty of Medicine
• Professor Liza O’Moore (invited member), Faculty of Engineering, Architecture and Information Technology
• Jim Walker*, Faculty of Science
• Corin Walker*, Undergraduate student representative
• Coen Hird*, Postgraduate student representative

*Indigenous members