Trinity helps create new University pathway for Indigenous students
Tuesday 24 February 2009
The Provost, Professor Peter McPhee, and Dr Marion Campbell, Associate Dean of Arts (Curriculum & Teaching), talk with BA (Extended) students at the launch.
Students in a new undergraduate degree course for motivated and aspiring Indigenous students – launched today at the University of Melbourne by the Provost, Professor Peter McPhee – will live and study at one of the University’s residential colleges while undertaking their degree.
Believed to be the first course of its kind in Australia, the Bachelor of Arts (Extended) is designed to achieve greater equity of access to the University of Melbourne for Indigenous students and help them make a successful transition to tertiary study.
The new course has been developed through a close partnership between Trinity College, the Faculty of Arts and the University’s Centre for Indigenous Education (CIE).
TCFS Lecturer David Collis and Trinity's Chief of Staff Dr Brenda Holt meet BA (Extended) students.
Dean of Trinity College, Mr Campbell Bairstow, says Trinity was uniquely placed to assist in creating this new course. 'We have the residential experience and – drawing on 18 years’ success in preparing international students for university entry through our Foundation Studies program – have also helped design specialised subjects for the degree.
'Living in college will ensure the BA (Extended) students are properly supported and enriched throughout their time at university by involving them in academic, social, sporting, cultural and pastoral programs,' Mr Bairstow, says. 'Six colleges are engaged in the program in 2009.'
The first intake of 13 students, drawn from around Australia, commenced their orientation program last week. All places in the BA (Extended) are fully funded through a combination of corporate and private philanthropic support and existing government programs.
General Manager of the CIE, Mr Chris Heelan, speaks at the launch of the BA (Extended)
The BA (Extended) is a four-year course that has eight specially designed subjects integrated into the first two years of the course. These cover areas such as literature, philosophy, communication and performance. They have been designed to help students develop the confidence and skills to thrive in a culturally different and academically challenging environment. Trinity College’s Foundation Studies lecturers will teach seven of these subjects.
Since 2001, staff and supporters of Trinity College have been actively working – in close liaison with Indigenous leaders – to increase opportunities for able Indigenous students to access higher education and develop leadership skills, and to raise the level of knowledge of Indigenous culture and affairs across the wider non-Indigenous community.
In that time, generous support from benefactors has enabled 19 Indigenous students to benefit from the collegiate experience at Trinity through residential scholarships.
The College has also sourced the philanthropic commitment needed to underpin the introduction of the BA (Extended). This support, which will fund some of the teaching costs for this year, has come particularly from the Rio Tinto Aboriginal Fund.
The Chancellor of the University of Melbourne, the Hon. Alex Chernov, talks with BA (Extended) student Abby Rose Lee, who spoke at the launch on behalf of the students.
The Flora and Frank Leith Trust, the Jack Brockhoff Foundation, the Bryan and Rosemary Cutter Foundation, and many private donors have also been instrumental in making this program a reality.
The introduction of the BA (Extended) is the culmination of several years’ collaboration between Professor Marcia Langton and other Indigenous leaders, the Arts Faculty, the CIE and Trinity College, and has been further facilitated by the Office of the Provost at the University.