UTS acknowledges the Gadigal people of the Eora Nation, the Boorooberongal people of the Dharug Nation, the Bidiagal people and the Gamaygal people upon whose ancestral lands our university stands.
We would also like to pay respect to the Elders both past and present, acknowledging them as the traditional custodians of knowledge for these lands.
The university recognises Indigenous Australian people as the first people of this continent, and understands that the history and knowledge developed over many thousands of years by Indigenous Australian people was severely disrupted at the time of early colonial settlements. The past 200 years have left many Indigenous people at the crossroads with poor health, education and employment prospects.
The UTS Reconciliation Statement reasserts an ongoing commitment by the university to provide educational opportunities in the higher education sector for Indigenous people and, through research and education, the restoration of their histories and knowledge systems.
As part of this ongoing commitment, the university will strive to build an educational environment that is genuinely inclusive of Indigenous people. This will be done through:
- ongoing collaboration with Indigenous people to develop and implement in all faculties educational programs/courses/subjects that recognise Australian Indigenous people, knowledge and experience
- increasing the representation of Indigenous staff and students throughout the university through the implementation of the Indigenous Education and Research Strategy 2019–2023 and the Wingara Indigenous Employment Strategy 2019–2023 and through other strategies as required
- continuing to develop a supportive organisational culture that values and respects Indigenous culture and accommodates cultural differences (wherever possible within the university's policies and practices)
- supporting activities and programs in all faculties that explore contemporary social justice issues
- supporting activities and programs that foster communication and collaboration between Indigenous and non-Indigenous staff, students and community members
- establishing relationships with Indigenous staff, students and community members based on the principles of self-determination, social justice, equal partnership and equity, and
- promoting across the broader community awareness and appreciation of Australia's Indigenous heritage, and the importance of the protection and preservation of significant Indigenous sites across the land.
This reconciliation statement demonstrates UTS's continuing commitment to provide opportunities for Indigenous Australian people in the higher education sector.