Indigenous units mooted for Murdoch

by Jason Della

April 11, 2008

COMPULSORY indigenous units in all Murdoch courses have been proposed by the university’s peak academic body.

The proposal, to the April 16 Academic Council meeting, suggests several options, to be implemented by 2010.

“This is not only an Australian first, but a world first,” said the council’s postgraduate rep’ Gerry Georgatos, who tabled the proposal.

Higher education is the way to ensure complete acceptance of any indigenous culture and improve conditions, Mr Georgatos added.

Murdoch deputy vice chancellor Jan Thomas supports indigenous content in courses.

“Education is a pivotal transformative tool to ensure people of Australia understand there are different ways of seeing and knowing, and that there are different perspectives,” Professor Thomas said. “As soon as people understand there are different perspectives, everyone has got closer to a shared understanding of where we need to go.”

Director of the Murdoch-based Kulbardi Aboriginal Centre, Glen Stasiuk, said the uni should: “acknowledge [Kevin Rudd’s recent] apology [to the stolen generations], recognise the apology, explain the apology to the Murdoch community, and embed things into the curriculum and through events and signage.”

Student guild education vice president, Basha Stasak, said indigenous education should be incorporated into existing courses so it did not create an extra burden for students.

This would be best achieved with a single introductory unit, replacing the currently ineffective foundation units, Ms Stasak added.

“Education is always the best way to address any form of racism,” Ms Stasak said, “because racism stems from a perception, a fear, that things are different.

“If you understand it, however, you’re not gonna have that fear of it.”