The Indigenous Data Network (IDN) will hold its first Indigenous Datathon on October 11 and 12, co-located with the biennial International Data Week 2025, one of the world's leading data events for data science, research, and policy communities.
The lead partner in the IDN is the University of Melbourne's Indigenous Studies Unit, which is part of Onemda Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health & Wellbeing in the Melbourne School of Population and Global Health at the University of Melbourne.
The inaugural event, in Brisbane – Indigenous Datathon: Applying Indigenous Data Governance to Healthcare – will focus on health data and ethical and practical approaches to real-world questions.
Participants will explore real-world questions using data science, guided by the CARE Principles (Collective Benefit, Authority to Control, Responsibility, Ethics) of Indigenous data governance.
Working in teams and guided by mentors, participants will analyse datasets on healthcare while learning how to apply ethical, culturally responsive data practices.
Expressions of Interest for participation were over-subscribed, with 42 participants selected to attend, along with nine mentors in various areas including epidemiology and Indigenous data governance.
Paul Ruiz is a biomedical research assistant and will be attending the datathon.
"I am from Peru and the reason I applied for datathon was because I am interested in learning not only from western knowledge, but also from different communities," he said.
"I am from a different part of the world and this content is really different for me and I'm interested in how Australia approaches different topics. I also want to be able to contribute my skills to that community."
Working in biomedical sciences, the Datathon's focus on health science had strong appeal.
"I have taken some units where they teach us how to handle data in Aboriginal communities, but it was a couple of modules or two or three weeks, so very short," he said.
"I wanted to have that personal approach of a datathon and learn from the way the mentors handle and combine tools."
Melbourne University Foundation Chair of Australian Indigenous Studies, Melbourne School of Population and Global Health and head of the Indigenous Studies Unit Melbourne Laureate Professor Marcia Langton AO will serve as the event's "judge".
"This is a crucial opportunity for students, clinicians, researchers and emerging data scientists, to sharpen their data analysis skills, connect with their peers, and contribute to meaningful, data-driven solutions to real world problems faced by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities," Professor Langton said.
"Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples could take more control of their own lives, destinies and communities by developing their data ecosystems and Indigenous data governance. We know that self-determination works when sustainable and effective approaches are taken. Indigenous data governance should be a key platform in Indigenous futures."
The event is sponsored by the Australian Research Data Commons (ARDC), which supports the IDN's work in the Improving Indigenous Research Capabilities project. The ARDC is enabled by the Australian Government's National Collaborative Research Infrastructure Strategy (NCRIS).
Other eventindustry partners include the Australian and New Zealand Intensive Care Society, the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare, QUT Centre for Data Science, the Australian and New Zealand Dialysis and Transplant Registry and the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Community Health Service Brisbane.
