Reconciliation Post-Referendum: What's Next for Universities?

This report, "Post-Referendum: What’s Next for Universities?" focuses on the role universities can play in advancing reconciliation efforts following the 2023 Indigenous Voice to Parliament Referendum. The report captures insights from a National Reconciliation Week event, hosted by Murdoch University in collaboration with Edith Cowan University and James Cook University, featuring First Nations leaders in higher education. It explores the impact of the failed referendum on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities and outlines the challenges and opportunities for universities in advancing Indigenous matters across their organisations. Key points of discussion include the importance of Indigenous self-determination in higher education, the role of Reconciliation Action Plans (RAPs), and the importance of embedding Indigenous perspectives into university governance, teaching, and learning. Insights from reflective activities and discussions from the event provide actionable steps for institutions to engage in meaningful reconciliation practices, including increasing Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander workforce and student enrolments, supporting student and staff success, and fostering community-led initiatives. The report emphasises the need for universities to lead by example and act as transformative spaces that support self-determination, justice and equity in relation to Indigenous people and communities.