World leading research to embed Indigenous knowledge into PhDs

Full release issued by the Batchelor Institute.

Two high profile academics from Batchelor Institute, in a team with six other renowned Australian and international researchers, have received an ARC grant to conduct world leading research to embed Indigenous knowledge into PhD studies in Australia for the first time.

The Discovery Projects grant of $277,500 will allow the team to investigate how to integrate Indigenous knowledge into doctoral education to address ecological and social issues in Australia, such as the unprecedented bushfires last summer.

Kungarakan Traditional Owner-Custodian and Elder Academic, Dr Sue Stanton, and Alyawarre woman, Associate Professor Kathryn Gilbey, both from Batchelor Institute, along with their team, will harness the knowledge of multiple Indigenous cultures to better prepare Australia for future challenges.

Dr Stanton said Australian research could be greatly enriched if the knowledge, histories, languages and cultural practices of Indigenous, migrant, refugee and international student communities were given greater recognition.

“Our unique research project will start with Indigenous knowledge of local land and old cultures, to help Australia identify solutions to emerging issues, by privileging First Nation and transcultural old ways of doing things and applying that to contemporary Western doctoral education.”

The research team will analyse policy and protocols of local and international Indigenous knowledge in history, geography, language and cultural practices, to produce research-informed recommendations for universities to develop respectful guidelines for intergenerational and intercultural doctoral supervision and examination.

The Discovery Projects grant is administered by the University of the Sunshine Coast, with academics also based in Western Sydney University and RMIT University.

 

Kungarakan Traditional Owner-Custodian and Elder Academic, Dr Sue Stanton, and Alyawarre woman, Associate Professor Kathryn Gilbey. Image Credit: Batchelor Institute.