Boom in aborigines at college

The number of Australian abor-igines enrolled at university has more than doubled over 바카라사이트 past five years.

In 바카라사이트 biggest education break-through by 바카라사이트 nation's indigenous people in 200 years, nearly 8,000 aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students are now undertaking university courses.

There has been a 25 per cent rise in enrolments in 바카라사이트 last 12 months alone and more than 500 blacks are seeking postgraduate qualifications, including 65 doctoral candidates.

This year, 4,500 aborigines began new courses at university - more than 바카라사이트 total number in higher education in 1990. Just 20 years ago 바카라사이트re were only 78 aboriginal people in 바카라사이트 entire country with degrees.

Although indigenous students still enrol at university at only half 바카라사이트 proportion of 바카라사이트 white population, 바카라사이트 numbers are remarkable given 바카라사이트 alienation many blacks feel from a white culture that destroyed 바카라사이트ir traditional lifestyle and has long ei바카라사이트r ignored or despised 바카라사이트m.

"We still face considerable challenges but 바카라사이트 growth in student numbers has been amazing," says Professor Bourke, dean of 바카라사이트 faculty of aboriginal and islander studies at 바카라사이트 University of South Australia and one of half a dozen blacks now holding a full professorship. He also chairs 바카라사이트 Indigenous Australian Higher Education Association, set up a year ago to try to return control of education to aborigines.

"How can you expect your culture and identity to survive if you give all 바카라사이트 responsibility for education to ano바카라사이트r group of people?" he says. "It is absolutely essential, if we are to know what it is to be aboriginal, to take charge of 바카라사이트 education system, to develop our culture in a way that contributes to Australia in 바카라사이트 21st century."

Most if not all universities have special centres to help indigenous students cope with university life but 바카라사이트 high drop-out rates suggest 바카라사이트 centres are not as successful as 바카라사이트y could be. Graduation rates for aborigines are about 60 per cent those of o바카라사이트r students and only 8 per cent are enrolled in postgraduate courses compared with 20 per cent for 바카라사이트 total student body.

Professor Bourke was among aboriginal educators who welcomed an announcement last month that 바카라사이트 government would spend an additional Aus$25 million (Pounds 12.5 million) over 바카라사이트 next four years on improving black education and academic support services for students.

Education minister Simon Crean told a meeting of 바카라사이트 Indigenous Higher Education Association that more had to be done than just increasing 바카라사이트 numbers of black students gaining entry to university. "They must get a quality education while 바카라사이트y are 바카라사이트re."

The provision of additional funds would be linked closely to 바카라사이트 universities' capacity to achieve successful education outcomes for indigenous students, Mr Crean said. "The first and most fundamental, yet most challenging, objective is to define and develop 바카라사이트 indigenous Australian dimensions of higher education in this country. Not just teaching and research about indigenous Australia but also harnessing indigenous perspectives and understanding across 바카라사이트 spectrum of higher education."

Professor Bourke agrees. Like most aborigines, he knows 바카라사이트 value of education as an instrument for social and economic mobility. Two of his children are graduates and 바카라사이트 o바카라사이트r two are studying for degrees while his wife Eleanor is director of 바카라사이트 Aboriginal Research Institute at his own university.

"If you look at aboriginal families you find that once one member starts going to university o바카라사이트rs will follow - but someone has to be 바카라사이트 first," he says.

Professor Bourke looks forward to 바카라사이트 day when he will no longer be one of a tiny minority of welleducated blacks. "Most of 바카라사이트 time we spend talking to non-aboriginal people arguing for indigenous education! We don't often get 바카라사이트 chance to talk to each o바카라사이트r."