Governance

The Federation University Australia Indigenous Governance Committee (IGC) is advisory to the Vice-Chancellor with a brief to advise on, review and make recommendations related to the acquittal of all financial operations supporting the education and employment outcomes of Indigenous students and staff.

Although not limited to, this includes overseeing expenditure related to funding from the following:

  • Federal Government Indigenous Student Success Program (ISSP) as set out in the Indigenous Student Assistance Grants documentation.
  • Federal Government Higher Education Participation and Partnerships Program (HEPPP)
  • Victorian State Government Wurreker Implementation Plan

Membership

To satisfy Clause 11 (a) membership must always be majority Aboriginal and or Torres Strait Islander peoples with skills and experience relevant to the role. To date membership consists of 13 Aboriginal members out of 19. The Committee may co-opt additional members with experience, passion or research interests relevant to its work, to promote a diversity of views and perspectives. IGC may also establish working groups as needed to give focus to particular student and/or staff issues.

Federation University Australia is committed to ensuring that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people are involved in the governance and decision-making of the University.

The University's key objectives are to be:

  1. Regional in focus, national in scope and international in reach
  2. Comprehensive in its offerings, student-centred in its approach and providing access to effective and high quality learning
  3. Strategic in fostering world-class research
  4. Productive and effective in forming partnerships and engaging with its communities and regions; and
  5. Accountable for what it does.

Education is a key factor in improving well being. The Australian Government also understands the significant benefits of achieving an education and requires information from higher education providers regarding their outcomes and future plans for all students including Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students. In order to fulfill this information requirement the following documents have been provided to the Australian Government.

Our Reconciliation Action Plan contributes to these objectives by ensuring that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander staff and students are fully engaged in Federation University Australia governance, education, employment and community endeavours. Reconciliation thus addresses the inheritance of inequity and enhances and enriches those qualities that define Federation University Australia.

The Manager of the Aboriginal Education Centre is a member of, and makes significant strategic and operational input to, the University's

  • Academic Board
  • Learning and Teaching Committee
  • Social Inclusion Committee
  • Reconciliation Action Plan Committee.

The Aboriginal Education Centre is stationed in the Office of the Vice-Chancellor's portfolio, and reports to the Head of Campus, Ballarat who in turn reports to the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Global and Engagement).