Is there only one measure of success? Enabling and environment

Abstract

The Ngunnawal Indigenous Higher Education Centre was established to provide an alternative pathway in undergraduate study for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students at the University of Canberra. The program concentrates on developing students’ study and communication skills. Of necessity (due to funding guidelines) access, participation, retention, and success rates of Indigenous students in higher education enabling programs such as this continue to be the measures that inform institutional policy and practices. Success is measured in terms of transition into, and completion of mainstream studies. One of the challenges for Indigenous enabling programs is that these gauges essentially represent many of the difficulties students face in transition. Generalisations about the ‘barriers’ to higher education for Indigenous students often mask decisions students themselves have made about their own educational needs. Indigenous perspectives integrating family, community and Student Support shift the focus to the student’s overall wellbeing and extend beyond tuition in Study and Communication Skills. This approach requires closer attention to the overall environment and factors that encourage student persistence by facilitating the development of physical, emotional and spiritual resilience. A holistic approach recognises the complexities of creating and maintaining surroundings that are conducive to positive outcomes for all Indigenous students. This paper will discuss the importance of environment in the ‘success’ of an enabling program.