Indigenous strategies and reports
The University's formal reconciliation journey began in 2008 with our Vice-Chancellor’s 'Apology to Indigenous Australians', in which he committed to using the University’s wealth of expertise and resources to make a sustained contribution to lifting the health, educational and living standards of Indigenous Australians.
Since then, the University has implemented three Reconciliation Action Plans, an overarching Indigenous Strategy supported by a range of related plans and strategies and reported on the outcomes from this strategic planning.
View our Indigenous strategy, plans, frameworks and reports below.
Murmuk Djerring
In 2023, the University of Melbourne released an ambitious five-year Indigenous Strategy — Murmuk Djerring 2023-2027 which centres around five priorities:
- Leadership
- Place, heritage and culture
- Partnerships
- Indigenous knowledge
- Truth-telling and justice
Supporting strategies and documents
Murmuk Djerring 2023-2027 is supported by the following strategies:
- Indigenous Student Plan 2023-2027 (PDF File 1.9 MB | Accessible version)
- Indigenous Employment Plan 2023-2027 (PDF File 2.7 MB | Accessible version)
- Indigenous Research Framework 2023-2027 (PDF File 1.9 MB | Accessible version)
- Indigenous Internationalisation Plan 2020-2024 (PDF File 259.1 KB | Accessible version coming soon)
- Indigenous Research and Education Highlights (PDF File 3.5 MB | Accessible version coming soon)
Our past Reconciliation Action Plans
Our first Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP) 2011–2013 was structured around six action areas
- Partnerships with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities
- Cultural recognition
- Indigenous student recruitment and retention
- Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander staff employment
- Teaching and learning strategies
- Research opportunities.
Our Reconciliation Action Plan 2015–2017 reinforced our commitment and extended our vision for reconciliation to incorporate a holistic, inclusive, two-way relationship between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians, based on mutual responsibility and respect. It also articulated hard targets for both Indigenous student recruitment and retention, and for growing our cohort of Indigenous Australian staff.
Our third RAP, Reconciliation Action Plan April 2018 - December 2022, classified by Reconciliation Australia as an Elevate RAP, saw a shift in focus to the development of 14 Signature Projects. The University believes that the outcomes of these substantial projects will have a transformational impact well beyond the University, and signal our intention to invest in reconciliation at a deeper level.
RAP 3 Performance
In 2023, the University of Melbourne engaged Think Change Resolve consultancy to conduct an independent limited assurance review of RAP 3. This is the final report on RAP 3.
The 2022 Limited Assurance Audit conducted by Think Change Resolve can be found at:
2022 University of Melbourne RAP - TCR Limited Assurance Report
Indigenous Student Success Program (ISSP)
The Indigenous Student Success Program commenced 1 January 2017 and provides supplementary funding to universities to provide strategic support for Indigenous students. ISSP funding is based on enrolments, unit success rates and course completions of Indigenous students. A special loading also recognises the additional costs associated with assisting Indigenous students from regional and remote areas.