University of Canberra

“We have to elevate the voices of Indigenous women and children, and we have to keep speaking up, challenging. We’re not done until racism itself is in decline. I’m all in – are you?”

The powerful closing words of Aunty Marcia Ella-Duncan OAM as she delivered this year's Ngunnawal Lecture were also a challenge to the audience, a reminder of the importance of centering, amplifying and listening to Indigenous voices, and walking together towards Reconciliation.

The event celebrated Indigenous women's leadership, with Indigenous affairs leader and Indigenous Basketball Australia (IBA) co-founder Aunty Yvonne Mills, and Associate Professor Jodi Edwards from the University of Wollongong joining Aunty Marcia, the first Indigenous netball player to represent the Australian Diamonds.

The event also focused on the importance of sport in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities.

Academic Advisor Indigenous Leadership Stirling Sharpe, with UC's Office of Indigenous Leadership and Strategy (OILS), said that sport has a unique power to inspire and unite.

“For me, Reconciliation is all about uniting Indigenous and non-Indigenous people. We wanted a headliner who has seen and lived the struggles, and successes, of Indigenous people, who would speak from the heart – I could think of noone better than Aunty Marcia.”

Read more at https://bit.ly/4fzaQuk

Tendon pain is surprisingly common. In fact, “tennis elbow” (or lateral elbow tendinopathy) affects around three percent of the general population, while one in five middle-aged women will be affected by gluteal tendinopathy.

A new UC study has, for the first time, revealed the mental health toll of these injuries, showing that tendinopathy patients had significantly worse mental health than healthy controls.

But why is this? And what can be done about it?

Jack Mest, a PhD researcher with the UC Research Institute for Sport and Exercise, unpacks the findings on UC News: https://bit.ly/4xgv4zj

If you or someone you know suffers from Achilles tendinopathy, take part in Jack’s next study: https://bit.ly/4xBiT0m

Huge congrats to Professor Mark Lintermans AM from the UC Faculty of Science and Technology, who was named a Member of the Order of Australia in conjunction with the King’s Birthday Honours, joining 18 other members of the UC community on the honours list.

A leading fisheries ecologist, Professor Lintermans was recognised for his service to freshwater conservation and the environment, and to fisheries ecology. With a career spanning over 40 years, his areas of focus have been in the management of threatened species, as well as the interaction of native and alien fish species.

“Receiving the award was a great honour, that I certainly wasn't expecting,” he says.

“It's nice to know that someone out there has recognised the work – and not just what I’ve done, there's a whole tribe of fish ecologists and general ecologists out there beavering away to save threatened species, and I’m just proud to have made a contribution.”

Professor Lintermans hopes that receiving the award goes some way to shine a light on the plight of the freshwater environments he has dedicated his life’s work to.

“Our freshwater environments are severely contested ... and ecological values often get lost in the process. It can be hard for people to appreciate what’s underwater because they can’t see it – ‘underwater, out of sight’ is a term I often use,” he says.

Read more 👉 https://bit.ly/3S0vda3

University of Canberra researchers were at the forefront of the ACT’s Reimagining Placements showcase last Friday, presenting innovative, multidisciplinary and alternative placement models across allied health, nursing and midwifery.

The showcase, held at CIT’s Woden campus, was an opportunity to communicate – to health professionals, educators, researchers and students – how university programs are making positive contributions to the health workforce while training the next generation of workers.

Among the presenters were Dr Helen Holloway, Clinical Liaison Manager at the Centre for Ageing Research and Translation (CARAT), who spoke about embedding transdisciplinary allied health students in a residential aged care facility, and the resulting myriad benefits to residents, while Professor Kasia Bail spoke about the award-winning Clinical Placements with Older People (CPOP) program.

Thomas Bevitt, senior lecturer in Occupational Therapy, presented three case studies of OT and other allied health students working within the education sector to meet health needs of children who reap the benefits of early intervention.

Dr Allyson Flynn, the academic lead at UC health clinics, and OT lecturer and PhD candidate Sarah Fenn presented on their co-designed pilot program that has OT students from the UC clinic work with neurodivergent students, who are less likely than their neurotypical peers to attend or complete university to help meet their needs.

Professor Bernie Bissett emceed the showcase and chaired a panel discussion with members of Canberra Health Service’s Acute Medical Unit and a physiotherapy student who did a placement with the transdisciplinary team.

Professor Bissett said the fact all the presenters were from UC reflects the commitment of the University to high quality placements in the region.

She implored attendees to look at gaps in healthcare services, think creatively about solutions and reach out to the Reimagining Placements Group to workshop ideas and help turn them into action.

The group is funded through the ACT Government Health and Community Services Directorate through the Office of the Chief Allied Health Officer Dr Sue Fitzpatrick, who opened the showcase and asked the audience to reflect on how they could use the novel ideas and scale them across the ACT.

Choosing a university is a big decision, and the best way to make it is by experiencing it for yourself.

This week, nearly 2000 students from 65 schools across the ACT and regional NSW joined us for Explore UC, getting a firsthand look at life as a university student.

Students in Years 10, 11 and 12 built their own itinerary, taking part in faculty workshops, campus activities and interactive experiences tailored to their interests.

Read more about the jam-packed week via https://bit.ly/4dR7BgH

In high school, Tali Adams didn't have university on her bingo card - especially since she decided not to get an ATAR.

Today, Tali is one of the inaugural recipients of a Snow Scholarship, made possible with the support of The Snow Foundation, one of Australia’s most generous and transformative undergraduate programs.

She’s now enjoying the uni experience as she pursues a Bachelor of Occupational Therapy at UC's Faculty of Health.

“The road to uni isn’t always a straight line, but I think it’s important to know there are many paths. If you just have a goal you want to reach, you’ll find a way to get there. Just be open to different perspectives and opportunities – and persevere,” Tali says.

Most of all though, she's looking forward to taking her skills and knowledge into remote Indigenous communities after graduation.

"As a First Nations Australian, it’s important to me to give back to Indigenous communities and peoples, and help to uplift our mob, to help give them a voice and make them feel heard and appreciated within the healthcare system,” she says.

“I am where I am because of my community, and they continue to inspire me to work hard.”

Read more on UnCover: https://bit.ly/43b1sWp

As wars and global conflicts increasingly spill into online spaces, parliaments and everyday conversations, how can multicultural democracies like Australia respond constructively rather than become more divided?

Researchers from UC's Centre for Deliberative Democracy and Global Governance are tackling this growing challenge through a new Australian Research Council-funded project exploring the relationship between foreign conflicts and domestic social cohesion.

From the war in the Middle East to the conflict in Ukraine, the project examines how overseas conflicts are reshaping public debate, social media discourse and relationships within and between communities in Australia.

The project lead, Professor Selen Ercan says social cohesion is often misunderstood as simply the absence of disagreement.

“Social cohesion doesn’t mean everyone agrees,” she says. “It’s about how we create spaces where people can engage constructively across difference, even during periods of tension and conflict.”

The interdisciplinary project brings together expertise from political science, media and communication studies to analyse how these conflicts unfold across multiple spaces – from parliamentary debate and media framing to online interactions and everyday community conversations.

Researchers are also investigating how social media platform norms and moderation shape public responses to conflict, including what kinds of digital spaces may reinforce division, and which conditions help foster more reflective and respectful dialogue.

At the centre of the project is a deliberative approach: the idea that meaningful dialogue, listening and respectful exchange can help communities engage with and navigate even deeply polarising issues.

Professor Ercan says one of the most inspiring aspects of the research on deliberative democracy has been seeing the capacity and willingness of ordinary Australians to be part of complex conversations.

“There are many inspiring examples of deliberative engagement emerging across Australia, particularly at the community level. We’ve seen community groups organising local discussions – sometimes even around kitchen tables – to create opportunities for people to listen to one another and engage differently. There is no reason why similar approaches cannot be used to address the spillover effects of foreign conflicts in local communities,” she says.

The project aims to help governments, institutions and communities better respond to social division in a digital age, while strengthening democratic resilience and intercultural understanding across Australia.

The project team includes: Dr Jordan McSwiney and Distinguished Professor Emeritus John Dryzek from the Centre for Deliberative Democracy along with Dr Ehsan Dehghan from QUT (Queensland University of Technology), Dr Sofya Glazunova from The University of Melbourne, and Dr Kurt Sengul from Macquarie University.

UC’s littlest learners from Kirinari and Wiradjuri Early Childhood Education filled our Ngaladjima Garden with joy yesterday as they celebrated National Simultaneous Storytime (NSS) 📖

Now in its 26th year, NSS brings millions of children across Australia together at the same time to share the joy of storytelling.

This year, the children listened wide‑eyed as Library Services Coordinator Sam Ferrara read Luna Roo the Kangaroo Baller, written by Adam Jackson and Adrian Lloyd, and illustrated by Jake Minton 🦘

“NSS is such a wonderful opportunity to bring our on-campus Early Learning Centres together in the library space and share a story with children all over Australia,” Sam said.

“We can’t wait to bring more events like this to the library.”

The fun continued with Luna Roo-themed crafts and soccer activities led by local Monaro Panthers FC players Heath Ilitch and Jonathan Olaoye ⚽

The National Walk for Truth arrived on Ngunnawal and Ngambri Country yesterday, marking the end of a journey of more than 900km from Victorian Parliament in Naarm to Parliament House in Canberra.

Led by Kerrupmara Gunditjmara man Travis Lovett, the walk brought thousands of people, including our own UC community members, together across Country to deliver an open letter to the Prime Minister supported by more than 10,000 signatures.

It formed part of a national call for truth‑telling – recognising the full history of this country and the experiences of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, as a step towards Reconciliation, healing and meaningful change.

At the University of Canberra, we recognise and support the importance of this work, and the role universities play in listening, learning and engaging more deeply with First Nations knowledge and perspectives.

As National Reconciliation Week begins, it’s a reminder to keep that work going.

Expressions of interest are now open to partner in the design and delivery of a world-class North West Health and Wellbeing Neighbourhood at the University of Canberra.

The University’s vision is to create a prevention-focused precinct that brings together integrated services to support community wellbeing and meet growing demand for modern health infrastructure across the ACT.

Successful partners will have the opportunity to collaborate across UC’s faculties, research centres, and specialist groups to drive innovation, learning, research translation, and workforce development.

EOIs close Friday 12 June.

Find out more: https://bit.ly/49jEsbi

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