Examining Indigenous leadership in the academy: A methodological approach

Abstract

Formal Indigenous leadership within Australian universities has expanded significantly in the last decade. Given this advancement, understanding how to integrate Indigenous leadership into existing institutional governance structures is an area that requires investigation. Recognising the need to further examine Indigenous leadership in the higher education governance structure, the Walan Mayiny: Indigenous Leadership in Higher Education project commenced in 2018. This Australian Research Council funded project specifically aims to examine the roles and subsequent responsibilities of senior Indigenous appointments within the Australian higher education sector and senior Indigenous higher education roles across Canada, New Zealand and the United States. In doing so, it investigates the responsibilities, impacts, key advantages and barriers of senior Indigenous appointments within Australian universities from an Indigenous perspective. The article provides details of the theoretical framework and research methods adopted within the Walan Mayiny: Indigenous Leadership in Higher Education project. Preliminary findings and demographic information pertaining to the participants who have currently contributed to the study will be presented in order to help us gain a better understanding of the role and subsequent value of Indigenous leadership within the higher education sector.

Peak bodies: Indigenous representation in the Australian higher education sector

“…While details pertaining to the adopted methodological approach and theoretical framework have been previously published (see Coates et al, 2020b), we note the wider project is underpinned by Rigney's (1999) notion of emancipatory, Indigenist research and Indigenous standpoint theory (Foley, 2003) which centres Indigenous epistemologies. It is structured in a way that centres Indigenous voices in three of the five stages of the study, to highlight their significant contributions to the higher education sector.…”