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- Title
An investigation of Indigenous participation in a business degree programme.
- Authors
Fitzgerald, Louise K.
- Abstract
This paper reports on a study of Indigenous student and staff perceptions and experiences of a business degree programme, with the aim of identifying how participation by Indigenous students could be increased. Although an enabling programme for Indigenous students has been running in the business faculty of a large university in Australia for over ten years, by 2009 only 13 students identified as Indigenous, from a total enrolment of around 11,000. While structural factors, including multiple layers of disadvantage, are acknowledged and reported internationally as contributing to the disparity in higher education (HE) participation rates between Indigenous and non-Indigenous people, this discussion concerns how policy responses and programmes at institutional level can make a difference.The study examined the perceptions and experience of Indigenous business students and both Indigenous and non-Indigenous staff from Indigenous programmes across the university. The theoretical orientation was organisational culture and climate, including the dimensions of reward orientation, task support and socio-emotional support; this was selected to assess the perceived 'comfort level' and 'sense of community' of Indigenous students and how the faculty culture could be developed to improve access. An online survey, interviews and focus group discussion were used and data was analysed thematically, from both the dimensions above and those emerging.The findings revealed that students and staff perceive that the faculty could do more to provide support, including task support, research/study support and socio-emotional support, in order to retain currently enrolled as well as encourage future students. A sense of community for Indigenous students was found lacking. Recommendations include a cultural shift in the faculty towards engaging more deliberately with Indigenous topics in curriculum and research activities, expanding the enabling programme and strengthening relations with Indigenous high school students and communities.
- Subjects
BUSINESS school faculty; INDIGENOUS peoples; HIGHER education; INTERNET surveys; CURRICULUM; HIGH school students
- Publication
Widening Participation & Lifelong Learning, 2010, Vol 12, Issue 3, p19
- ISSN
1466-6529
- Publication type
Article
- DOI
10.5456/WPLL.12.3.19