Warawara and Internationalisation
While many (up to 40%) of students enrolled in ABST Undergraduate units run by Warawara are in fact International Exchange and Study Abroad Students, the Department is also working in partnership with the International Office to further bring Indigenous Australia and the Department to the world stage, via overseas lecture series’ and overseas study programs for Indigenous Students studying on Block Programs (BCM and Bteach).
March 2008
Te Rere Ao: Native Conversations
On March 18th Warawara staff and colleagues participated for the first time in the Te Rere Ao: Native Conversations video conference. Currently this group meets to discuss issues related to Indigenous studies and Indigenous knowledge. Participants in this 'conversation' included colleagues from Victoria University Wellington, University of Montana, Missoula, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, University of Alaska, Fairbanks.
December 2007
Collaborative Strategies between Warawara, Department of Indigenous Studies, Macquarie University, Australia and the leading Universities of New Zealand/Aotearoa
Between the 4th and 7th of December, 2007, Dr Kristina Everett and Associate Lecturer Lana Leslie from Warawara visited New Zealand/Aotearoa to investigate collaborative strategies with the University of Auckland and Victoria University of Wellington.
An expression of interest was sought on the following:
• Production of more Indigenous PhD qualified people in both countries
• Negotiation of a Postgraduate (and Undergraduate) Student Exchange Agreement
• Negotiation of a Teacher Exchange Program
• Co-tutelle arrangements
• Benchmarking
Outcomes of Visit
• Information gained regarding strategies to produce Indigenous PhDs. This has provided the catalyst for Warawara embarking on a research project concerning the factors affecting Indigenous student’s learning.
• Invitation to participate in international seminar presentations. This has resulted in Warawara engaging in Te Rere Ao: Native Conversations with other participating Universities. These are: the University of Montana;Victoria University; University of Otago; University of Saskatchewan and the University of Alaska.
• Benchmarking of similar units. As a result, unit outlines have been shared to allow for comparison and analysis.
• Identification of staff who interested in staff exchange. This has resulted in an arrangement for a staff member from NZ to attend Warawara in semester 2, 2008 for teaching and research.
• Topics for collaborative research projects identified with staff from the University of Auckland. This has resulted in a collaborative research project involving Dr Kristina Everett, who will attend NZ in 2009 to collect data for the project.
February 2006 – 3 rd USA Indigenous Lecture Series –HUGE SUCCESS!
Again in 2006, at the invitation of eight of Macquarie ’s international partners, Anita Heiss embarked on a lecture series across the USA . At many campuses, Anita gave a one-off lecture: “A Snapshot: Indigenous Australia in the 21 st century” which was a birds-eye view of current population statistics right through to the evolution of contemporary Indigenous arts. Audiences at each campus provided feedback that demonstrated they were enriched by being given a small window into the oldest surviving culture in the world, and how the history of colonisation in Australia has impacted on its people.
The tour included visits with lectures, seminars, tutorials and meetings with faculty at the following colleges:
University of Colorado ( Boulder ), Colorado State University , St. Norbert College ( Wisconsin ), North Central College ( Illinois ), Muhlenberg College ( Allentown , Pennsylvania ), University of Pennsylvania , Dickinson College ( Carlisle , Pennsylvania ), University of North Carolina (Pembroke) University of South Carolina.
As part of the tour Anita was also featured on KPDI –TV in Colorado on "Global Agenda” interviewed by Reggie Rivers.
For detailed information on some visits, checkout the following:
St Norbert College article: “Dr. Anita Heiss: The Aborigine Who Wears Dolce & Gabbana”, By Heather Mayer Class of 2007:
http://www.snc.edu/pjc/PDFfiles/Feb2006.pdf (page 11)
or
www.snc.edu/pjc/newsletter.html
November 2005 – World Indigenous Peoples’ Conference on Education, Hamilton , Aotearoa
Warawara Staff Michael McDaniel (Director), Anita Heiss (Deputy Director), Estelle Walker (ITAS Officer) and Tania Singleton (Administrative Assistant) travelled to the tri-annual conference with eight students from the Bteach and ADCM programs run through Warawara as part of another IO funded initiative.
The students who attended were: Jacinta O’Bree and Alice Tabuai (Bteach students) and Aunty Marianne Coconut, Marlene See, Carmel Dargan, David Ross, Stephanie Willliams and (ADCM students). The purpose of the conference was to provide an opportunity for students to observe and compare similar educational issues, systems and strategies as well as share their own knowledge and experience.
Pictured left to right: Michael McDaniel, Tania Singleton, Anita Heiss and Estelle Walker at the Closing Ceremony at Hamilton Stadium.
A defining moment of the conference for me was one night sitting in the common room with 30 or more total strangers from different parts of the world, learning different dances (including a hula), moved by songs, inspired by stories and laughing . – Estelle Walker, Warawara ITAS Officer on WIPCE 2005
July 2005- Briefing session for prospective Indigenous Study Abroad students
Warawara in conjunction with IO held a briefing session for students interested in finding more about their Study Abroad options. Students had the opportunity to meet Seth Webb, Study Abroad Coordinator from Colorado State University and talk about the opportunities through their Centre for Applied Studies in American Ethnicity (www.colostate.edu/Depts/CASAE/) and Native American Student Service (www.nass.colostate.edu/).
April 2005 -Lecture Tour USA 2005: Indigenous Australia : a contemporary snapshot
Warawara was delighted to partner the International Office in a lecture series across the USA as part of strengthening the Study Abroad Program. Presented by the Deputy Director Anita Heiss, the tour provided the Department with the opportunity to showcase our ‘bestselling’ first year unit “ABST100: Introduction to Indigenous Studies”. It also provided an opportunity for us to build relationships with related Departments with the view of potential exchanges of Indigenous students and staff in the future.
The lecture program included the following University campus visits: Arizona State University , Colorado State University, Michigan State University , Marist College – Poughkeepsie , Monmouth College , New Jersey , North Carolina State University , Pembroke, North Caroline, Central / Chapel Hill .
Dr. JoLee Blackbear (Assistant Director, Study Abroad and International Academic Services) and Susan Krouse (Professor of Anthropology) and their Aboriginal flag presented by Warawara and donated by Senator Aden Ridgeway (Australian Democrats).
Pictured left to right: Dr. JoLee Blackbear (Assistant Director, Study Abroad and International Academic Services), Susan Krouse (Professor of Anthropology), Dr Wendy Genuis and Assoc Professor Anita Heiss (Warawara Dept
Heiss said of parental attendance at the US lectures, “Having the opportunity to meet parents of current Study Abroad Students enrolled in ABST100 was a valuable experience for all. This is also mirrored in US students occasionally bringing their parents to class when visiting in Australia . It helps parents realise the worth in their children studying the First Peoples of this nation.”
Robyn Asaro, Assistant Director of Study Abroad at Monmouth College also stated that her returning students claim that ABST100 is 'their favourite subject'. As the most internationalised Dept within the Division of SCMP, Warawara hopes to maintain this positive position by continuing to work with the International Office in maintaining current international relationships while developing new ones.
For more reports, checkout:
University Newswire: “Australian Addresses Aboriginal Issues at UNCP”: www.uncp.edu/news/2005/anita_heiss.htm
The Macquarie Globe: Aboriginal Studies goes global:
www.international.mq.edu.au/globe/default.aspx?id=243&editionid=45&contentID=505
November 2004 – Inaugural Overseas Study Tour (OST)
The Inaugural OST arose out of recognition by Macquarie’s International Office that students enrolled in Block attendance programs are the least likely to be able to access the University’s Study Abroad Program. Through the IO’s Scholarship Fund, monies were made available to fund one OST for a small group of students annually. Students would be selected by going through a competitive academic assessment task.
Successful students who had the opportunity to travel in 2004 were: Leslie Johnston, Julianne Lomas, Donna Meehan, Kylie Parsons, Debbie Pickering, Shawn Stubbings, Lisa Brown, and Kerryn Moroney.
The tour took in Waitangi (with an historical look at the Waitangi Treaty), the Rotorua - Whakarewarewa Thermal Reserve and Community, the University of Waikato - Indigenous Unit and a Residential Program for Troubled Youths in Hamilton .
September 2003 – Peace and Justice Lecture Series at Brethren Colleges Abroad, USA
Monday 15th September marked the start of the very successful Brethren Colleges Abroad (BCA) sponsored speaker tour of the USA . Two distinguished Indigenous Australians were invited by BCA to visit the six undergraduate member schools of BCA and to launch their “Peace and Justice Lecture Series”.
Anita Heiss, an Indigenous Australian writer and Michael McDaniel, Director of Warawara – Dept of Indigenous Studies at Macquarie University, gave a comprehensive lecture series on “Australian Aboriginal Identity: The Struggle for Place”. Anita and Michael ‘wowed’ packed lecture theatres across the USA whilst highlighting the challenges currently facing Indigenous Australians.
In her letter of appreciation to our Vice-Chancellor, Karen Jenkins, the President of BCA, praised that their skill as speakers was “impressive and their warmth was charming and infectious. Anita and Michael excited their audiences with their heartfelt stories and advocacy of peace with justice. With great power, Anita and Michael delivered a message to students urging them to study abroad at Macquarie University and learn how to make a difference.” (Reprinted with permission: www.international.mq.edu.au/staffNews_p.asp?itemID=211)
Pictured from left to right: Anita Heiss, Indigenous Australian writer; Donald Pollock, University of La Verne . Seated: Phillip Hofer, Director of International Office at University of La Verne ; Michael McDaniel, Director of Warawara; and Jarrod Koh, Inbound Program Coordinator, Macquarie Abroad.