The new ARC Centre of Excellence for Indigenous Futures (IFC) is setting a new precedence of what it means to conduct Indigenous-led research and has officially launched at a ceremony in Meanjin (Brisbane) today, making it the first Indigenous-led Centre of Excellence.
Not only are all the IFC Chief Investigators and Executive Team Indigenous Peoples, but the Centre has invested in a community research approach where community partner organisations and community participants are integral to each stage of the research process.
The Centre received $35 million in funding from the Australian Research Council (ARC), supported by a further $8.3 million from the 7 University partners nationwide. This makes the IFC amongst a handful of government and university funded Indigenous-led research centres in the world, with none at this size or scale. Answering the call for change in the way governments work with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander People and communities, through research, the IFC will the deliver outcomes intentionally focused on all four of the 2020 National Agreement on Closing the Gap Priority Reforms.
The Centre’s research focuses on three main themes of education and economy, health and wellbeing, and law and justice, with projects run in collaboration with community partners and across disciplines.
Centre Director, Professor Brendan Hokowhitu, said the Centre brings together leading Indigenous researchers nationally and from around the world who, with community organisations, will create a truly relational and transdisciplinary research approach.
“The Centre’s goals are to listen and work with First Nations communities and the various partners working at the coalface, to ensure they are a part of the research and, in turn, will advocate for policy and best-practice reform,” he said.
“Our research will be transformative as we work towards creating a self-determined future for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander People and an end to systemic racism in Australia.”
The Centre’s Elder-in-Residence, Gregory ‘Uncle Cheg’ Egert, says the new research approach by IFC will help break research silos and ensure better outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples.
“This approach is setting a new precedence for research in Australia and around the world,” he said. “Not only is research Indigenous led and utilising Indigenous knowledges, but we will be working directly with community through the entire research process. So instead of just researching on people, we are researching with people.
“Through our post-doc and PhD programs we are also helping establish the next generation of Indigenous scholars, who can also help create a more equitable future.”
Uncle Cheg’s unique position also sets a precedent in research centres, with his role guiding the Research Committee, Community and Partner Advisory board as Chair, and the crucial space of community engagement.
For media enquiries contact:
ARC Centre of Excellence for Indigenous Futures partner organisations include;
- The University of Queensland
- University of the Sunshine Coast
- The University of Western Australia
- University of Technology Sydney
- The University of Melbourne
- Charles Darwin University
- The Australian National UniversityA uckland University of Technology
- Te Whare Wānanga o Awanuiārangi
- The University of Auckland
- University of Alberta
- THE LOWITJA INSTITUTE
- AIME Mentoring
- AUSTRALIAN INSTITUTE OF HEALTH AND WELFARE
- CYP PROPERTIES PTY LTD
- COMMONWEALTH DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH
- THE DHADJOWA FOUNDATION LTD
