Koori Centre

The University of Sydney's involvement in Aboriginal Education started in the mid-seventies. The Aboriginal Education Assistants program, also known as Aboriginal Teaching Assistants Training Program, was established in 1974 and first appointments were made in 1975. A number of the students went on to train as teachers, community and welfare officers and some as administrators.

Anticipating amalgamation with the Sydney Institute of Education the University of Sydney established the Aboriginal Education Centre in July 1989. The Centre was to combine the work of the Aboriginal Education Assistants Training Programme (AEA Program) within the University's Faculty of Education and the courses and services offered by the Centre for Aboriginal Studies (CAS) of the Sydney Institute for Education. CAS was established in 1987 to assist Institutes with design, development and implementation of relevant course units and to provide a support service for Aboriginal students enrolled in the College. ['In Transit...' by LM Koder, p. 154ff] Professor R. King, recently retired Director of the Aboriginal Education Assistants Training Programme, was appointed as Acting Director until the end of that year. [Annual Report Sydney University Aboriginal Education Centre 1989.]

In 1990 the Centre received substantial Commonwealth Government funding under the Aboriginal Participation Initiatives and the Aboriginal Education Strategic Initiatives Program. This enabled the Centre to provide a full range of support services. Centre staff also contributed to the newly established compulsory core course in Aboriginal Studies in the BEd (Primary) in the Faculty of Education. By 1991 the Centre had identified the following priorities: the development of student access and support, the identification of relevant research areas and the undertaking of research, and the development and implementation of Aboriginal perspectives in core and elective courses.

The name of the Aboriginal Education Centre was changed to the Koori Centre in 1992, to better reflect its purposes and community association. Its charter was to increase the successful participation of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in both undergraduate and postgraduate degrees, develop the teaching of Aboriginal Studies, conduct research in the field of Aboriginal Education, and to establish working ties with schools and communities. On 2 November 1992 Senate approved the change in name of the Aboriginal Education Centre to the Koori Centre. [Senate Minutes 92/225 (11), Report of the Vice-Chancellor] It was felt it was appropriate for the Centre to have an Aboriginal name, in line with other Aboriginal Education Units in other universities; the name change was supported by the staff of the Centre.

In 1994, the Koori Centre left the Faculty of Education and became a mainstream University initiative. It also moved from the Mackie Building to the Old Teachers College, a site in the heart of the Camperdown campus." (http://sydney.edu.au/koori/aboutus/history/shtml) [see Academic Board Minutes 20 December 1993, 245/93, item 14 for for the new administrative/management committees responsible for the support of academic programs and activities)

On 4 July 1994 Senate adopted new Resolutions of Senate in relation to the Board of Studies in Indigenous Studies and degrees, diplomas and other programs in Aboriginal and Indigenous Studies effective from 1 January 1995. The degrees, diplomas and other programs in the Koori Centre to be: (a) Diploma in Aboriginal Assistants Education (DipAAEd) and (b) Cadigal Program - Academic Skills I & II. The Cadigal Program was an access and support program for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders wishing to undertake bachelor level studies at The University of Sydney.The Centre reported to the Pro Vice-Chancellor Learning & Teaching and aspired to be a Centre of Excellence in Indigenous Australian Higher Education.

In 1998 the Vice-Chancellor established a Committee to Review Aboriginal Education at the University of Sydney under the Chairmanship of Professor Derek Anderson. The report submitted to the Vice-Chancellor included 24 recommendations. One included the role of the Academic Board in Indigenous education. Recommendation 18 of the Committee recommended that the Board of Indigenous Studies be disestablished, and all current course responsibilities currently assumed by the Board of Indigenous Studies be undertaken by a Standing Committee of the Academic Board. The Vice Chancellor was not convinced that the proposed new structure had either the composition or the focused responsibility for that important function. [Senate Minutes 5 June 2000, p. 850 ff]

An external Review of Indigenous Education at the University was completed in August 2009. One of its key recommendations was the appointment of a senior person with responsibility for Indigenous affairs. In an email to All Staff the Vice-Chancellor on 7 December 2010 announced that a new position of Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Indigenous Strategy and Services) would soon be advertised with a view to the successful applicant commencing in this important new role as early as possible in 2011. As a member of and working in collaboration with all other members of the SEG and key units across the University, the DVC (Indigenous Strategy and Services) was initially to be responsible for finalising the integrated Indigenous Participation, Engagement, Education and Research Strategy which was part of the new Strategic Plan 2011-15. From 2012 onwards the new DVC was to be responsible for leading the implementation of a comprehensive Indigenous Strategy, which was to be agreed by SEG in 2011 and supported by the University as a strategic priority.

Professor Shane Houston started in the DVC's position on 4 April 2011.The role of the Koori Centre changed to one of providing services for Indigenous Australian students studying in all faculties and courses across the University of Sydney. In 2016 facilities at the Koori Centre included a computer laboratory, student photocopier, research library, tutorial room for study and a staff / student common room with full kitchen.

John Cleverley & Janet Mooney Taking our place : Aboriginal education and the story of the Koori Centre at the University of Sydney (Sydney: Sydney University Press, 2010).