Cindy strengthens university resolve

The University of Queensland has created its first senior management position dedicated to improving Indigenous education.

Professor Cindy Shannon has been appointed as the University of Queensland’s inaugural Pro Vice-Chancellor (Indigenous Education).

It is a hugely-significant move. The position comes with a whole-of-university brief to improve Indigenous outcomes and is backed with the authority of UQ’s senior management.

Cindy says it is the first such position created in any of Australia’s “group of eight” leading universities.

The role gives great weight to her efforts to improve the participation and success of Indigenous students at the university.

“For UQ, it’s an internal recognition of its own need to do more and at a higher level, but it’s also recognition of the issue generally,” she said.

As PV-C of Indigenous education, Cindy leads the university’s efforts to embed Indigenous perspectives into its curricula.

One of her first tasks will centre on the university’s latest, five-year strategic plan. It makes specific mention of strategies to strengthen the university’s leadership in Indigenous education.

“(My job) is to get it ratified and to develop an action plan to get it implemented,” she said.

One point of focus will be on how the university recruits Indigenous students.

“Historically, the university has relied on special entry programs,” Cindy said.

“We want to rely more on (recruiting directly from) the high schools.” That is, she wants the university to promote tertiary education as a normal path for Indigenous high school students to follow, rather than it being exceptional. It involves working with them, their schools and their communities.

“We ... intend to take a proactive approach to Indigenous student recruitment through developing close relationships with communities,” Cindy said.

As part of her new role, Cindy will be director of the university’s Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies Unit. It was formed in 1984 as a centre of excellence and expert opinion on teaching, research and consultation in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures.

University Vice-Chancellor Professor Paul Greenfield said Cindy’s new position signalled the university’s commitment to stronger leadership in Indigenous higher education.

“UQ has a responsibility to extend to young Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people the same excellent opportunities that we offer all young Australians,” he said.

“For maximum impact we must work alongside Indigenous Australians, and the respect earned by Professor Shannon in academic and Indigenous circles makes her the ideal person to fill this demanding leadership role.”

Outside the university, Cindy is the chair of the Queensland Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Foundation. It currently funds 450 scholarships to support years 11 and 12 Indigenous students in Queensland schools.

For further information visit: www.uq.edu.au

Cindy Shannon

Cindy is a descendant of the Ngugi people from Moreton Island. Professionally, she is an Indigenous health expert and has worked in urban, regional and remote Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities during her 18 years in the field.

Prior to her latest appointment, she was UQ’s Director of the Centre for Indigenous Health. She guided Australia’s first degree-level program that specifically targeted Aboriginal health workers. Cindy has an ongoing affiliation with the Queensland Aboriginal and Islander Health Council and led the establishment of the Institute for Urban Indigenous Health in South East Queensland in 2010.

 Cindy is a member of the National Health and Medical Research Council, and chairs its Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Research Advisory Committee. She also chaired the national Indigenous Australians’ Sexual Health Committee from 2001 to 2008.

Cindy’s other key appointments include:

• member, Queensland Injury Prevention Council;
• member, Queensland Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Advisory Council; 
• member, Queensland Ministerial Advisory Committee on Clinical Ethical Issues;
• member, PMSEIC Working Group on Indigenous Health;
• chair, Board of Lourdes Hill College;
• member, Queensland Government Smart State Council; and
• chair, Queensland Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Foundation.