Indigenous educators from Australia and New Zealand recently met to discuss ways in which the neighbouring countries could work together towards increased co-operation and cultural understanding in universities.

BMA Chair and CQUniversity's Pro Vice-Chancellor (Indigenous Engagement) Professor Bronwyn Fredericks recently met with the University of Sydney's Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Indigenous Strategy and Services) Professor Shane Houston and Professor Graham Hingangaroa Smith, Vice-Chancellor and Chief Executive Officer of Te Whare Wananga o Awanuiarangi Indigenous University in Whakatane, New Zealand.

University of Sydney's Professor Shane Houston, CQUniversity's Professor Bronwyn Fredericks and Te Whare Wananga o Awanuiarangi Indigenous University's Professor Graham Hingangaroa Smith

The trio met at the University of Sydney to discuss strategies for teaching, research, student support and systemic change in universities, and how such reforms encourage Indigenous and non-Indigenous people to critically reflect and participate in education activities which foster greater understandings of culture, diversity and inclusion.

Professor Fredericks said she was pleased to be able to meet and discuss strategy with such educational leaders. 

"These strategies have the capacity to encourage Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people to forge ahead in participation and leadership and encourage non-Indigenous people to more comfortably stand beside Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in a shared Australia" she said.

Professor Smith will be visiting CQUniversity later in the year as a key contributor to the development of CQUniversity's Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Strategy.

Professor Smith was formerly Pro Vice Chancellor (Maori) of the University of Auckland where he was responsible for developing a Maori University ‘structure' within the University of Auckland. His academic work has centred on developing theoretically informed transformative intervention strategies in Maori cultural, political, social, educational and economic crises.

He has extensive experience with Indigenous people in Canada, the USA and Australia in addition to his native New Zealand.