ANNUAL REPORT 2011
As with every year the academic team supported a number of Indigenous student support and recruitment programs. This year staff provided valuable assistance and leadership through attendance the Indigenous Employment Market, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Entry Program, and NAIDOC activities. Individual academics are continuing to develop their research and scholarship skills. Of the eleven full-time academic staff, seven are enrolled in their research higher degree. One academic was granted study leave in second semester to develop a monograph project. In addition to the Director with responsibilities in Indigenous Health, we also have a lecturer employed within the Indigenous Health Unit, School of Medicine and Public Health. In 2011, the lecturer’s activities included assisting in the review and development of curriculum in medicine and nursing, provision of specific Indigenous health focused lectures and tutorials, and co-ordination of the provision of tutorials and tutorial staff for nursing students. During the year the lecturer was also involved in the development of a pre-medical program and all that entails including curriculum and logistics. Medicine also uses special entry processes and the health lecturer has been involved in 2011 with the review of admission process and the interview processes.
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Other external projects Wollotuka was approached this year by a number of organisations external to the University to assist with the skill developments of their staff. Wollotuka is in the process of developing appropriate curriculum and articulation processes for these organisations. Within the University we have been responsible for work on a number of curriculum development projects. After being approached by Environmental Sciences the Wollotuka Institute was contracted to write a module for students in the area of Indigenous knowledges. A review of the Public Health program lead to a recommendation for the inclusion of Indigenous knowledges and content. This led to the specific development of a course which will fulfil the requirements of accreditation by the Public Health association. That course successfully went through the University’s accreditation processes for new courses and will be offered in 2012. Continuing the directions established within the University for Indigenisation of curriculum, the Wollotuka Institute responded to an approach by the school of Midwifery to write a course for the Midwifery program which has been through accreditation in late 2011. The course will be offered in second semester 2012.