As Australia marks National Close the Gap Day, Monash University has launched a refreshed version of its flagship intercultural learning unit, offering students an immersive on-Country opportunity to learn directly from Indigenous leaders, knowledge holders and community organisations across Victoria.
National Close the Gap Day is a national day of action calling for meaningful progress on the 19 targets in the National Agreement on Closing the Gap. Despite national commitments, progress remains uneven – particularly where Indigenous leadership and decision‑making are not embedded in program design.
The redesigned program Global Encounters: Indigenous knowledges, entrepreneurship and cultural exchange puts this principle into practice. It helps students build the cultural capability they need to work respectfully and effectively in diverse settings, while placing Indigenous self‑determination at the heart of the learning experience.
Aunty Sharon Jones, Yorta Yorta Elder and Principal Practitioner at the Rumbalara Aboriginal Co‑operative Healing Centre, hosted an on‑Country learning session with the students.
"Like all of Rumbalara Aboriginal Cooperative's services, the Healing Centre is rooted in cultural understanding and supports healing in a way that makes sense to our people," Aunty Jones said.
"Healing starts when our mob feel seen, safe and connected, and we're bringing culture back to the centre of wellbeing so our people can walk forward with strength – grounded in who they are, where they come from, and the community that surrounds them. When students from the unit come to sit with our Elders and community, they're not just learning history, they're learning responsibility, and understanding that true partnership begins when our knowledge systems are valued, respected and allowed to lead the way.
"It's important that Monash equips students with the cultural capability and cultural literacy to contribute to a society that values, respects and understands our ways of being, living and healing."
Professor Robyn Bartel, Deputy Dean (Education) in Monash Arts, said the program reflects Monash's commitment to embedding Indigenous knowledges across the curriculum.
"This program demonstrates the impact of Indigenous-led, on-Country learning. Students aren't just taught abstract concepts – they build relationships with Elders and communities that deepen their knowledge through relationship building, so that our students and our communities, including our environments, may grow and develop to be more connected and valued," Professor Bartel said.
Jami Tye, Executive Director, External Community Engagement and Impact at Monash University, said the renewed curriculum places a strong emphasis on Victorian and Koorie perspectives, deepening students' understanding of Indigenous knowledge systems and their relevance to contemporary social, ecological and economic challenges.
"The unit was designed to help students engage with local Koorie culture and the history of Aboriginal activism through our Elders' efforts in Victoria that led to national change. It has been incredibly rewarding to see how much students have learned," Mr Tye said.
The program's intensive, on‑Country component is where the learning experience becomes truly transformative. Students engage directly with Indigenous community leaders, educators and entrepreneurs who share cultural practices, ecological stewardship principles, and community‑led approaches to business and creative industries. Through these encounters, students gain firsthand insight into place‑based education, Indigenous leadership, and models of intercultural collaboration that are grounded in respect, reciprocity and community priorities.
The launch of the refreshed program comes as Victoria continues its truth‑telling and Treaty processes through the Yoorrook Justice Commission. The program offers a practical example of how universities can contribute to Closing the Gap by centring Indigenous voices, strengthening community partnerships and redefining success through Indigenous perspectives.
Global Encounters is now open for enrolments as part of the Faculty of Arts' commitment to fostering meaningful, community‑engaged learning experiences that support Indigenous advancement and self‑determination.
