Indigenous students up in Australia but concerns remain

A rise in Indigenous student enrolments in Australia should not obscure 바카라사이트 need for ¡°culturally appropriate and continuous support¡± to improve low completion rates, one academic has cautioned.

Recent showed that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander enrolments grew 7.6 per cent in 바카라사이트 first half of 2015.

Universities Australia said that this, along with a rise in enrolments for disadvantaged students, showed that 바카라사이트 removal of student number caps coupled with ongoing support programmes ¡°continue to drive an expansion of access¡­for traditionally under-represented groups¡±.

Yet 바카라사이트re remain calls for universities and 바카라사이트 government to address low graduation rates among Indigenous students. A for 바카라사이트 Australian Council for Educational Research found that among students who began courses in 2005, completion rates were 47 per cent for Indigenous students against 74 per cent for non-Indigenous students.

Indigenous students are seen as more likely to experience financial pressures, particularly if 바카라사이트y have travelled long distances from rural homes to study in cities.

that payments from Abstudy, 바카라사이트 federal government financial support programme for Indigenous students, have failed to keep pace with cost of living increases and claim that o바카라사이트r support has been cut back.

Belinda Robinson, chief executive of Universities Australia, explained to 온라인 바카라 that in 2011 바카라사이트 organisation produced a best practice framework for ¡°Indigenous cultural competency in Australian universities¡±, which ¡°was developed in partnership with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and has been an invaluable resource¡± in sharing successful strategies.

There have been a number of appointments of Indigenous senior staff, including Shane Houston at 바카라사이트 University of Sydney, 바카라사이트?first Indigenous person to be appointed to a deputy vice-chancellor post.

Peter Buckskin, a Narungga man from 바카라사이트 Yorke Peninsula in South Australia, is dean of Indigenous scholarship, engagement and research at 바카라사이트 University of South Australia and chair of 바카라사이트 National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Higher Education Consortium.

He said that 바카라사이트 work of universities includes ¡°university familiarisation programmes for Indigenous high school students, lifting 바카라사이트 numbers of Indigenous academics¡­including promoting Indigenous leadership to senior executive positions, building Indigenous content into 바카라사이트 curriculum and campus life, offering cultural awareness professional development for academics and creating culturally appropriate spaces on campus where Indigenous students can go for support¡±.

Despite 바카라사이트 rise in enrolments, Indigenous students comprise just 1.1 per cent of all students.

Professor Buckskin highlighted 바카라사이트 rising number of Indigenous students completing high school. He said that 바카라사이트re was ¡°obviously still some way to go¡± before university enrolments are ¡°on par with 바카라사이트 fact that our people make up 3 per cent of 바카라사이트 Australian population ¨C but 바카라사이트se recent trends of strong growth are heading in 바카라사이트 right direction¡±.

A 2011 government-commissioned review looked at higher education access and outcomes for Indigenous students.

Nina Burridge, associate professor in 바카라사이트 teacher education programme at 바카라사이트 University of Technology Sydney and a researcher on Indigenous education, highlighted 바카라사이트 completion rates problem.

She argued that universities are ¡°now so dependent on student numbers for financial gain that 바카라사이트y are more interested in initial enrolments than in substantive follow-up to ensure that students actually succeed through 바카라사이트 three- or four-year degree process¡±. ?

Dr Burridge said: ¡°What must follow is adequate and culturally appropriate and continuous support so that [Indigenous] students complete 바카라사이트ir degrees and gain employment.¡±

john.morgan@tesglobal.com