Woolyungah Indigenous Centre
History
In 1982 the Faculty of Education established a Unit to respond to the needs of Aboriginal students on campus. It was the first time that Aboriginal staff were consciously employed by the University of Wollongong, and the AEU’s first role was to make positive contact with all the Aboriginal students who were studying here. By 1985 there had been a major move to recruit Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students into study programs, but mainly in Teacher Education. Since that time the Unit has expanded to become a Centre and now supports Indigenous students across the nine Faculties within the University. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander graduates from Wollongong are currently employed across Australia in a range of specialisations.
The Centre had a name change in January 2005 and is now known as Woolyungah Indigenous Centre (WIC) to more appropriately reflect on the varied roles and activities undertaken by the Centre for the academic development of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander People.
The Centre has developed an Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Alternative Admissions Program, a specific Orientation Program, responsible for recruiting Indigenous students to the University and has moved into teaching areas, including specific Aboriginal Education subjects in the Faculty of Education, and in co-ordination of an Aboriginal Studies specialisation and delivery of the core subjects for that program within the Faculty of Arts. The Centre is an Associate Unit of the Faculty of Arts, where the Aboriginal Studies major is offered as an interdisciplinary program as a major area of study with the Bachelor of Arts degree. (See Aboriginal Studies for more information)
Five (5) full time WIC teaching staff coordinate and lecture in the Aboriginal Studies subjects throughout the academic year.
The Woolyungah Indigenous Centre is now involved in support, teaching, course development, research, tutoring programs and in Aboriginal community projects
In its long journey since coming into existence in 1982, the WIC has come a long way and in the process has developed close relationship with the Shoalhaven City Council , Illawarra Aboriginal Medical Service, NSW AECG Inc. and Nowra Aboriginal Land Council.
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