The Riawunna Plan for 2006 will continue to focus on improving student recruitment, stabilizing staff and increasing research performance.

The main goals are to:

1. Secure further growth in UG (including Honours) by:
   
   
   • Continuing to cross list units to sustain delivery and increase flexibility. (Rec16 BAR)
     
     
   • Implementing Recommendation 2 to facilitate graduation of all BA students with an understanding of contemporary Australian Indigenous issues
     
     
   • Progressing development of an interdisciplinary Honours program in Australian Studies, with core Aboriginal Studies content to attract both domestic and international students in 2007.
     
     
   • Including early assessment & assistance program in 100-level units in order to improve the SPR (student progression rate)
     
     
   • Making use of existing advanced streams for high performing students (e.g. negotiated assignments, early honours induction and enrolment, etc.)
     
     
   • Expanding community outreach activities to encourage Aboriginal community members to undertake university studies.
     
     
2. •  Achieve the load targets in PG and RHD enrolments through:
   
   
   • Increasing RHD enrolments and interdisciplinary Research Higher Degrees (e.g. Sociology & AS, History & AS, Philosophy & AS.
     
     
   • Continuing to encourage interdisciplinary theses.
     
     
   • Exploring ways to support RHD students to undertake Graduate Certificate in University Teaching.
     
     
3. Support RHD completion on time,
   
   
   • Riawunna expects one PhD completion in 2006.
     
     
4. Promote and further develop UTAS theme area Community, Place and Change, by:
   
   
   • Continuing to provide leadership in this area as it is central to teaching and research within the Centre, both through the undergraduate Aboriginal Studies units, which directly address these theme areas and Honours and RHD which focus on them.
     
     
   • Progressing implementation of the Partnership Agreement
     
     
5. Widen the ranks of research active academics and further improve research performance, through:
   
   
   • Recruiting research active staff
     
     
   • Lodging two grant applications
     
     
   • Identifying key research areas for action and encouraging students
     
     
   • Supporting appointment of Prof Reynolds to the Centre.
     
     
   • Awarding two new scholarships.
     
     
6. Support balanced growth on Hobart, Launceston and Cradle Coast campuses, through:
   
   
   • Delivery of Cradle Coast & Hobart Summer Schools
     
     
   • Providing Distance Tutorial support at Cradle Coast
     
     
   • Delivery of 1 st Year Aboriginal Studies Unit at Cradle Coast
     
     
   • Continuing trainee appointments at Cradle Coast , Launceston & Hobart.
     
     
   • Supporting cadetship appointments in Launceston and Hobart.
     
     
7. Promote internationalization of curricula, research and student experience, and attract international students, by
   
   
   • Providing orientation sessions for international students.
     
     
   • Building and maintaining relations with International Office to encourage over seas students to take an Aboriginal Studies Unit (Note: Riawunna advocates competence in English prior to admission to UTAS).
     
     
   • Ensuring Aboriginal Studies information is available at International Office for students.
     
     
   • Developing connections with over seas universities, e.g. UNITEC in Auckland , N.Z.
     
     
   • Including comparative units in the Aboriginal Studies program.
     
     
8. Further improve the provision of career-relevant skills, including generic and analytical skills, through
   
   

• Building these skills into teaching units and linking them with student assessments.
  
  
• Reflecting elements of critical cultural literature in all units.
  
  
• Offering cultural familiarization and safety sessions to all students prior to completion of their degree.
  
  
• Including the provision of information literacy skills in all units.