Importing/Exporting Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Culture via Offshore Higher Education

Overview & Synopsis

This discussion explores issues that arise when the work to embed Indigenous perspectives within an Australian higher education institution is exported to offshore campuses where identical courses are delivered. The recent "Australian Universities Accord Final Report" (2024) prioritises the inclusion of Indigenous peoples, perspectives and knowledges across the Australian sector, while globally, demands by First Peoples have called for inclusive education in Western universities. The authors bring a Western and First Peoples' perspective to this discussion and identify key themes including 'Communication', 'Belonging and Identity', 'Global Concerns and Colonisation' and 'Place' that require further investigation. Consideration is given to the challenges associated with inclusive education, global communities and the exporting of Indigenous perspectives, which can expose inequalities. We centre the importance of 'Place' in the context of higher education and discuss how this might translate globally and be relevant to education institutions wishing to create inclusive education environments.