Program Overview

Return to Country Overview

The inaugural Faculty of Engineering and Information Technology (FEIT) Return to Country Program aims to bridge the gap between FEIT Indigenous students, staff, and their cultural roots while cultivating interest in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) pathways among Indigenous, regional, rural and remote communities.

The program invites selected FEIT Indigenous students and staff to reconnect or enhance their connection to their Indigenous culture and surrounding communities by providing them with an avenue to share and celebrate their success with their community and wider Australia.

Whilst visiting regional and rural communities, the FEIT delegation engages with primary and secondary school students to showcase pathways to higher education and careers in STEM. Additionally, the group meets with those supporting students on this journey, including Elders, teachers, careers councillors, other community leaders, and parents.

Aims

Through storytelling and a suite of activities, the program aims to enhance access to STEM pathways for primary and secondary school students in regional, rural, and remote areas. The program enables a group of FEIT Indigenous staff and students to reconnect with their mobs and make meaningful contributions to their communities and inspire the next generation of STEM students and professionals.

2024 Program Delivery

In 2024, the inaugural Return to Country Program sees a group of FEIT Indigenous staff and students travel to Bourke, NSW and visit the surrounding region. The delegation is led by the Faculty’s first Associate Dean, Indigenous - Dr Joseph West. Dr West is a Murawarri Engineer from the Culgoa River region in regional New South Wales and a Fulbright Scholar in the School of Computing and Information Systems at the University of Melbourne.

Dr West leads the delegation back to his home community, and through a series of STEM outreach activities, the group connects with primary and secondary school students, teachers, Elders, parents and other community leaders with the aim of enhancing access and pathways to STEM tertiary education.

Return to Country Oration

As a key part of the program, the Return to Country Oration aims to help foster a national dialogue regarding access and pathways to STEM higher education for students in regional and rural communities.

The event serves as a forum for highlighting the participation of Indigenous students in engineering and acknowledging the obstacles they face when approaching tertiary education. The Oration represents an opportunity to bring together influential figures from the local community to participate in dialogue regarding higher education and its importance.

The theme for the inaugural Oration centres on ‘Indigenous participation in Engineering and Information Technology at university’.