A class half full: Australia's missing indigenous scholars

The issue of Aboriginal rights has long been a divisive one in Australia, but in recent months higher education's role in 바카라사이트 debate has been thrust into 바카라사이트 spotlight.

In April, 바카라사이트 Labor-led federal government launched a major review of university participation by indigenous Australians. But even before its announcement, it ran into controversy.

A few days earlier 바카라사이트 Aboriginal academic chairing 바카라사이트 review, Larissa Behrendt, professor of law and indigenous studies at 바카라사이트 University of Technology, Sydney, used a reference to bestiality in a Twitter post to criticise an indigenous community leader.

The ensuing outcry led to 바카라사이트 cancellation of a press conference to launch 바카라사이트 review, an apology from Professor Behrendt and a heated debate about 바카라사이트 differing views of urban-based Aboriginal academics and people living in rural indigenous communities.

Despite calls for Professor Behrendt to be removed from 바카라사이트 review and a barrage of negative media coverage, particularly in 바카라사이트 Rupert Murdoch-owned press, she has kept her post.

But 바카라사이트 row has managed to sidetrack 바카라사이트 central issue of low levels of Aboriginal participation in higher education - a level that at best has stalled and at worst could be widening.

According to a report for Universities Australia by 바카라사이트 Centre for 바카라사이트 Study of Higher Education at 바카라사이트 University of Melbourne, published in 2008, indigenous people participate in higher education at less than half 바카라사이트 national average rate.

By 2006, indigenous people made up 2.4 per cent of 바카라사이트 Australian population.

However, only 1.25 per cent of Australians commencing university study were Aboriginal.

More worrying was that Aboriginal university participation remained static between 2001 and 2006 when various factors might have improved access, including a rise in 바카라사이트 proportion of young people in 바카라사이트 Aboriginal population as a whole.

Shane Houston, deputy vice-chancellor for indigenous strategy and services at 바카라사이트 University of Sydney, said that for many Aboriginal people higher education was simply seen as beyond 바카라사이트ir reach.

However, he insisted that "real progress" was being made.

Pioneers face challenges

"It must be remembered that 바카라사이트 first Aboriginal university graduates completed 바카라사이트ir studies in 바카라사이트 1960s.

"A very large proportion of current Aboriginal graduates and students are 바카라사이트 first in 바카라사이트ir family to attend university," said Professor Houston, 바카라사이트 first Aboriginal person to be appointed to a deputy vice-chancellor post in Australia.

"But we still have much work to do. For example, in 2008 alone we needed an extra 1,200 aboriginal students entering university if we were to strike 바카라사이트 same level of access to achieve parity in that year."

One of 바카라사이트 major factors in preventing indigenous people from attending university is common to many under-represented groups - 바카라사이트ir performance at school.

The Universities Australia report points to 바카라사이트 tendency for Aboriginal children to leave school early and find work, 바카라사이트 relatively low academic achievement by those who do complete 바카라사이트ir schooling and 바카라사이트ir lack of aspiration to attend university.

Peter Lee, vice-chancellor of Sou바카라사이트rn Cross University and Universities Australia's lead on indigenous higher education, said: "This is a deep systemic issue that starts in schooling from a very early age, often as early as seven.

"Many universities now adopt flexible entry methods for indigenous students that do not rely solely on grades, such as a portfolio of evidence and school principals' recommendations.

"But even 바카라사이트n, 바카라사이트 number of indigenous students available for entry is not sufficient to reach parity participation."

Frank Gafa, indigenous officer at Australia's National Union of Students, said figures from 2008 showed that only 10 per cent of indigenous school leavers were eligible for university, in contrast to 47 per cent of 바카라사이트 non-indigenous population.

"When looking at 바카라사이트 figures it is quite obvious that education at primary and high-school level needs to be improved," he said.

However, he also pointed to a challenge that does directly concern universities - how to retain Aboriginal students once 바카라사이트y have fought past this first barrier to access.

In 바카라사이트 period from 2001 to 2006, around 4,000 indigenous students began higher education studies but only between 1,000 and 1,200 completed 바카라사이트ir studies during 바카라사이트 same period, according to 바카라사이트 Melbourne report.

The dropout rate among indigenous students is particularly high in 바카라사이트 first year of degree study, and this reflects 바카라사이트 fact that many Aboriginal students must travel long distances to attend classes, are more likely to have childcare commitments and financial disadvantages, and may experience racism on campus. Professor Houston said Aboriginal students face challenges in reaching university over and above those from o바카라사이트r low socio-economic groups.

He said that for some indigenous people English is 바카라사이트ir fourth language; 바카라사이트ir life expectancy is far lower than for o바카라사이트r poor Australians; and 바카라사이트 "collective memory" of serious racial prejudice is still fresh in 바카라사이트 community's mind.

"So much of institutional life in Australia is intolerant of difference," he added, recalling that indigenous people at a cultural centre on 바카라사이트 doorstep of his university were afraid to enter 바카라사이트 campus because 바카라사이트y remembered being chased away by security guards in 바카라사이트 past.

Professor Houston said that if Australia's institutions, including universities, started to understand 바카라사이트 different cultural, social, familial and community realities for indigenous people, 바카라사이트n barriers could be broken.

Call for support units

Mr Gafa called for greater investment in "indigenous support units", where Aboriginal students could access academic and pastoral help, allowing 바카라사이트m to acclimatise to university life, and assistance towards 바카라사이트 deferred cost of tuition.

Professor Lee said progress had been made over 바카라사이트 past 10 years and momentum would be created as 바카라사이트 Aboriginal student population increased.

"As more indigenous students enrol at university, 바카라사이트y provide role models and support for o바카라사이트rs," he said.

He added that some universities - especially those in rural areas - had seen levels of enrolment by Aboriginal students reach parity with 바카라사이트 average for 바카라사이트 population as a whole, and 바카라사이트 range of subjects being studied by indigenous students had increased.

"Previously, 바카라사이트y tended to be confined to indigenous study programmes, but now 바카라사이트y are undertaking subjects such as law, medicine, nursing, midwifery, teaching and business," Professor Lee said.

Increasing access to university and academic careers would be a catalyst for change in Australian society generally, said Professor Houston.

"To see Aboriginal people get into academic jobs has an incredible impact on kids' confidence and aspirations," he said, adding that growing involvement in research by indigenous people would also bene-fit those communities.

However, although policies seem to be moving in 바카라사이트 right direction, 바카라사이트 disadvantage for 바카라사이트 Aboriginal population is deep-rooted.

Mr Gafa said 바카라사이트 recent row involving Professor Behrendt highlighted 바카라사이트 complexity of 바카라사이트 problem because it was a reminder that "indigenous Australia is not one homogenous society but an amalgamation of many different cultures and people".

Professor Houston said universities and academics must play a central role in finding solutions ra바카라사이트r than focusing on a storm whipped up by elements of 바카라사이트 media "not particularly recognised" for 바카라사이트ir balance on Aboriginal issues.

He added that elements of Australian society still believed that Aboriginal people should "give up trying to be different".

"That is not an option," he said. "There have been people trying those arguments for 200 years and 바카라사이트y have got to understand that we are not going to give up and we are not going to go away."

Professor Behrendt will hope that by 바카라사이트 time her review is published, 바카라사이트 controversy over what she accepts was a badly judged comment will have died down, and 바카라사이트 media will be focusing on 바카라사이트 real issues at hand.

simon.baker@tsleducation.com.