University of Melbourne launches third Reconciliation Action Plan

The University of Melbourne has launched its third Reconciliation Action Plan, demonstrating its commitment to ensuring a just, equitable and reconciled nation for all Australians.

With this Reconciliation Action Plan, April 2018 – December 2022 the University builds on considerable advances that have been made since embarking upon its formal reconciliation journey in June 2010.

Just one measure of this is with respect to the University’s Indigenous student and staff numbers, which have increased by 93 per cent and 296 per cent respectively since the implementation of the first Plan in 2011.

Vice-Chancellor Glyn Davis said the University of Melbourne has implemented and progressed a growing number of partnerships, programs and initiatives that have resulted in tangible outcomes for Aboriginal, Torres Strait Islander and all Australians.

“Across the University, we are embarking upon a program to ensure that Indigenous knowledges are embedded throughout our curricula, and an extensive Indigenous cultural awareness training program to promote two-way learning,” Professor Davis said.

“This plan sees a shift in focus from the six Action Areas outlined in our two previous plans to the development of 14 Signature Projects, which address some of the critical dimensions of reconciliation identified by Reconciliation Australia – Race Relations, Equality and Equity, Institutional Integrity, Unity, and Historical Acceptance.

“We firmly believe they will produce outcomes that will have a transformational impact and I look forward to seeing the University of Melbourne achieve its vision for reconciliation.”