Office of Indigenous Strategy and Engagement

The name Yunggorendi was given to us by the Kaurna people, traditional owners of the lands and waters on which the Bedford Park campus of Flinders University is situated. Yunggorendi means ‘to impart knowledge, to communicate, and to inform'. 

Yunggorendi staff seek positive transformation of Indigenous social, political and economic life and well-being through supporting the higher education aspirations of Indigenous peoples from pre-enrolment through the student lifecycle to graduation and beyond.

Our philosophy is to work with Indigenous students to empower each student to take responsibility for their own educational journey. We work from a strengths based perspective that acknowledges that all students can be successful when provided with a supportive environment.  The team works collaboratively with academic and professional staff cross institutionally to achieve these goals.

The Indigenous Student Support Program (ISSP) is a Commonwealth funded initiative aimed at supporting the Government’s vision and continuing commitment to the goals of the National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Education Policy for:

• equality of access to educational services
• equity of educational participation
• equitable and appropriate educational outcomes
• the involvement of Aboriginal people in educational decision making.

Funding is provided annually and facilitates the delivery of services focussed on supporting the engagement of Indigenous students through outreach activities, scholarships, academic support, tuition and pastoral care services.

Annual reports of the University’s activities are available to download:

• 2017 Indigenous Student Success Program performance report (PDF 480KB)
• 2017 Indigenous Student Success Program financial acquittal (PDF 215KB)
• 2016 Indigenous Education Statement (PDF 1MB)
• 2015 Indigenous Education Statement report (PDF 1MB)

Further information

• Australian government Indigenous Student Success Program
• National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Education Strategy

In 2009 the Government of Australia declared its support for the 2007 United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. The Office of Indigenous Strategy and Engagement endorses the declaration and in particular Article 15 (1) recognising that Indigenous Peoples have the right to the dignity and diversity of their cultures, traditions, histories and aspirations and strives to ensure that these rights are appropriately reflected in education and public information.

Observing the Articles of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples ‘as a standard of achievement to be pursued in a spirit of partnership and mutual respect’, the Office of Indigenous Strategy and Engagement recognises Indigenous Peoples as sovereign peoples with rights to the affirmation of their cultural, spiritual and social development. In recognising and practicing these rights, we aim for excellence in our governance, teaching, research, student support and community service to provide meaningful outcomes for Indigenous and non-Indigenous Peoples’ engagement with Flinders University.

To achieve our aims, we are guided by and apply important values at every possible opportunity – in our work, in our relationships, in our working environment and with our Communities for whom our effort is conducted and is relevant.

The name Yunggorendi (now used by Yunggorendi Student Engagement), was given to us by Kaurna people, traditional owners of the lands and waters on which the Bedford Park campus of Flinders University is situated. The values by which we conduct our affairs are framed from our name and core purpose – ‘to impart knowledge, to communicate, to inform’ in and through higher education:

• Respect -  for First Nations Peoples’ knowledge systems.
• Commitment - to ourselves and others to explore and define the depths of knowledge locally and globally, to enable us to re-enrich ourselves, to know who we are, to know where we came from and to claim our place in the future.
• Empowerment – of the descendants of Indigenous Australian people to claim and develop their cultural heritage and to broaden and enhance their knowledge base so as to be able to face with confidence and dignity the challenges of the future.
• Reciprocity - as a guiding principle of sovereignty, reconciliation and nation-building.
• Inclusiveness - of the aspirations of our students, staff and Communities for the purposes of positive transformation of Indigenous social, political and economic life and well-being.
• Collaboration – in culturally safe environments to serve the needs of Indigenous peoples, their Communities and the broader community.
• Interconnectedness – by recognising that our collective future involves connectedness, relatedness and synergies, where sharing and trust are critical to pathways by which knowledge and understanding within, between and across communities of interest can be fostered.
• Integrity - through transparency, commitment and high standards.
• Generosity of spirit – through a desire to share joy, knowledge and insights with others.
• Creativity – by drawing upon human and non-human spirit, emotion, intellect and physical capability to find solutions, seize upon opportunities and create gifts for the world.