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Statement from the Presidents of the Royal Society Te Apārangi, the Royal Society of Canada, and the Australian Academy of Science
Distinguished Professor Dame Jane Harding DNZM FRSNZ FRACP
President, Royal Society Te Apārangi
Distinguished Research Professor Emerita Françoise Baylis C.M. O.N.S. PhD FRSC FISC
President, Royal Society of Canada
Emeritus Professor Chennupati Jagadish AC PresAA FRS FREng FTSE
President, Australian Academy of Science
Presented by Dame Jane on Wednesday 26 November 2025, in response to the communiqué from Indigenous Fellows at the Summit.
The Tri-Academy Partnership on Indigenous Engagement was launched to recognise and celebrate the achievements of Indigenous scholars and knowledge-holders (including artists, innovators, thought leaders, and researchers) and to facilitate greater understanding and engagement that elevates their work for the benefit of all.
At our inaugural Tri-Academy Summit in 2024, hosted by the Royal Society of Canada, forthright discussion and debate centred on challenges and opportunities for Indigenous scholars and knowledge-holders, and how to uphold the rights of Indigenous Peoples through research and scholarship. The Taikura Summit has continued and built on those exchanges, and we have now learned of the achievements and experiences of hundreds of Indigenous scholars and knowledge-holders.
We have heard more about their journeys and achievements, and some of the myriad ways in which they are advancing understanding, particularly in the study of Indigenous histories, cultures, knowledges, and languages. These scholars and knowledge-holders have shown intellectual leadership by practising and advocating for research and education by, with, and for Indigenous communities. They have revitalised interest and awareness in Indigenous knowledge systems by connecting people through cultural activities, creative arts, and languages.
Indigenous scholars and knowledge-holders have pioneered research practices, methodologies, and ethical frameworks, grounded in traditional worldviews and values, that uplift different ways of looking at challenges and have reshaped research practices across disciplines. Their work has shown that Indigenous knowledge systems are not simply historical artefacts, but living bodies of understanding that continue to evolve and to generate new insights.
... Indigenous knowledge systems are not simply historical artefacts, but living bodies of understanding that continue to evolve and to generate new insights.
Throughout this Summit, presenters and participants have demonstrated why the urgent challenges facing humanity today - climate change, biodiversity loss, social polarisation, economic instability, and erosion of human rights - require collective, transformative, and transdisciplinary approaches that must include Indigenous knowledges and perspectives.
At the same time, we have heard about the enduring effects of practices that have marginalised, misrepresented, and appropriated Indigenous knowledges. We acknowledge that in all three of our countries there have been failures to uphold the rights of Indigenous Peoples to participate in and benefit from science, knowledge, and research. We have heard of the difficulties of fitting Indigenous scholarship into structures and timeframes that do not allow for principles such as relationship-building to enable engagement with communities. We understand that the impact of disadvantages and inequities can persist for many generations - and will require sustained efforts to eradicate, within academia and beyond.
For all these reasons, and in the spirit of our Tri-Academy Partnership, we will continue to prioritise building meaningful relationships with Indigenous scholars and knowledge-holders that are grounded in understanding, respect, and reciprocity. Working together with Indigenous Peoples, harmful impacts can be addressed - for example, by addressing barriers for Indigenous students, scholars, and knowledge-holders; providing professional support and mentorship; advocating for Indigenous data sovereignty; fostering diversity and inclusion; and promoting and celebrating inclusive excellence in Indigenous research and innovation - all of which support flourishing Indigenous scholarship.
Our academies reaffirm the commitment to help protect the rights and responsibilities of Indigenous Peoples to determine their own research agendas; to explore, preserve, and grow traditional knowledge systems; to participate actively in research; and to benefit from its applications and outcomes. We recognise that as learned academies and societies, we can play an important advocacy role within the broader academy. We have heard about the value of facilitating international multidisciplinary gatherings - such as this Summit - so that scholars can meet, collaborate, and exchange knowledge. We will share what we have learned at this Summit with other organisations - including other learned academies and societies - and identify specific initiatives to build together towards our next Summit, which will be hosted by the Australian Academy of Science and its partners in 2026.
Indigenous scholars and knowledge-holders make vital contributions to research, innovation, the academies, and society. Through greater engagement and cooperation, we can grow and share knowledge for the benefit of all.
