Decolonising the academy: The process of re-presenting indigenous health in tertiary teaching and learning

Abstract

Indigenous health workforce development has been identified as a key strategy to improve Indigenous health and reduce ethnic inequities in health outcomes. Likewise, development of a culturally safe and culturally competent non-Indigenous health workforce must also occur if the elimination of health inequities is to be fully realised. Tertiary education providers responsible for training health professionals must face the challenge of engaging the Indigenous learner within health sciences, exposing the ‘hidden curriculum’ that undermines professional Indigenous health learning and ensuring tertiary success for Indigenous students within their academy. This chapter summarises recent developments, research and interventions within the Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences at the University of Auckland that aims to address these challenges by re-presenting Indigenous student recruitment, selection and support, re-presenting bridging/foundation education and representing Māori health teaching and learning within the curriculum.

Citation

Curtis, E., Reid, P. and Jones, R. (2014), "Decolonising the academy: The process of re-presenting indigenous health in tertiary teaching and learning", Māori and Pasifika Higher Education Horizons (Diversity in Higher Education, Vol. 15), Emerald Group Publishing Limited, Leeds, pp. 147-165. https://doi.org/10.1108/S1479-364420140000015015