New Director of Indigenous Strategy, Leanne Holt, at last week’s Patyegarang Oration.

Macquarie University warmly welcomes Walanga Muru’s new Director of Indigenous Strategy, Leanne Holt. Leanne is a Worimi woman (Karuah, New South Wales) with further connections to Biripai Country (Port Macquarie).

She joins Walanga Muru after a number of years at Wollotuka, University of Newcastle and is keen to transfer the knowledge and skills she has developed over 19 years in higher education to create an empowering and successful space for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people at Macquarie University.

Professor John Simons, Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academic), says he is delighted to welcome a colleague of Leanne’s calibre.

“Leanne brings a wealth of success and experience to this crucial role,” he says.  “I have every confidence that under her leadership we will achieve our ambitions to create more opportunities for Indigenous students and to enhance the visibility of Indigenous people and Indigenous culture on our campus.”

Leanne has recently submitted her PhD which traced the journey of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people that contributed to the development of Aboriginal education policy in Australia from 1975 to 1989.

“We are now walking in their footsteps and enjoying the fruits of their legacy. It is so important that we don’t forget those that walked before us and paved the way and take hold of the baton that they passed on to continue the journey they started,” Leanne says.

Leanne joins Walanga Muru as the University launches a 10-year Indigenous strategy. The Indigenous Strategy 2016 – 2025 (PDF, 2.2MB) was presented at last Wednesday’s annual Patyegarang Oration. It is the culmination of almost two years of planning, research, policy development and consultation.

“The strategy offers the University a pathway towards a more equitable and inclusive future for Indigenous Australians at our University,” Professor Simons says.

The Indigenous Strategy reflects a commitment from Macquarie University to Indigenous communities and is built on Macquarie University’s own purpose: to serve and engage. Key points of the strategy include:

• Unlocking the capacity and building the aspirations of Indigenous students and staff through increased access to and opportunity for tertiary education
• Developing cultural capability and discovering new and innovative ways of embedding Indigenous knowledges and perspectives into curriculum to support Indigenous students and staff in the discovery of new paradigms
• Empowering Indigenous students and staff to evolve, to be responsive, to change and to embrace the entire world

Walanga Muru encourages the University to engage with the strategy and consider how holistically we can all contribute to Indigenous success over the coming years.

---

Read more about our Indigenous commitment.