Indigenous Cultural Competence in Australian Universities: Challenges and Barriers.

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Title: Indigenous Cultural Competence in Australian Universities: Challenges and Barriers.
Author/Creator: Hollinsworth, D | Carter, J | Gilbey, Kathryn | Raciti, M
Description: The concept of Indigenous Cultural Competence (ICC) is broad and contested, with debates around tokenism, failure to recognize diversity within Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and lack of institutional ‘buy-in’. This paper explores challenges of advancing ICC through interviews and a survey with staff at two universities. Staff identified the need to understand social and cultural factors affecting Indigenous students’ access and retention, and the need for more training and support around staff cultural competence. Most felt the concept of ICC was largely superficial, and lacked understanding of power, racism and white privilege. We argue that universities must recognize the scale of the challenges involved, especially at a systemic level, and adopt policy and resourcing practices for whole-of-institution implementation.
Relation: Journal of Australian Indigenous Issues / Vol. 20, No. 3, pp.27-44
Relation: http://www.swinburne.edu.au/about/our-university/indigenous-matters/research/journal-of-australian-indigenous-issues/
Year: 2017
Publisher: Journal of Australian Indigenous Issues
Subject: FoR 13 (Education) | FoR 16 (Studies in Human Society) | FoR 21 (History and Archaeology)

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USC Research Bank - University of the Sunshine Coast, Queensland, Australia