A world authority on Indigenous education who has worked across nine tertiary institutions and influenced thousands of educators over the course of her 35-year career is one of the recipients of the Australian Awards for University Teaching (AAUT) announced tonight.
Tracey Bunda, Professor of Indigenous Education at the University of Queensland, was presented with the Career Achievement Award by Universities Australia Chair Professor David Lloyd and Chief Executive Officer Luke Sheehy for ‘a legacy of transformative leadership in Indigenous education”.
The Ngugi/Wakka Wakka woman has changed the narrative on Indigenous education and created a sustainable global model for integrating Indigenous knowledges into both the research and higher education curriculum, according to the award citation.
Over the course of her career Professor Bunda’s more than 50 publications have been cited over 1,000 times by scholars globally. She has also secured $35.8 million in research funding to advance Indigenous knowledges and methodologies.
Awards for Teaching Excellence were also given to:
- Associate Professor Claudia Szabo – The University of Adelaide
- Dr Sarah Hattam & Ms Tanya Weiler – University of South Australia
- Professor Tracey Kuit – University of Wollongong
- Associate Professor Voula Gaganis – Flinders University
Universities Australia Chair Professor David Lloyd congratulated the award recipients, highlighting the role of university educators.
“University teachers matter. Without them, we couldn’t educate the 1.5 million students studying at our institutions,” he said.
“Their work changes lives, opening doors to careers, further study and lifelong learning. We are grateful for all they do.”
Since 1997, the Australian Awards for University Teaching have celebrated outstanding educators who excel in teaching, leadership and enhancing the student in Australian higher education. A full list of the 2024 AAUT Teaching Award, Program Award and Citation recipients is available here.
