Kurongkurl Katitjin

13/08/2026

Kaya. Our doors opened this Open Day, and so did the yarns about what's coming next.

Professor Braden Hill shares how the new Edith Cowan University City Campus has been designed to honour Whadjuk Noongar culture — grounded in connection, respect and deep listening.

This is more than a building. It's a place shaped by Country and community, ready to welcome the next generation of students home to Kurongkurl Katitjin.

Thank you to everyone who came and imagined their journey with us.

31/07/2026

This Sunday, 2 August, marks 165 years since the birth of Edith Dircksey Cowan OBE, the reformer our University is named for. It's an opportunity to reflect on her legacy and the ongoing work of creating a more equitable future.

Edith Cowan believed education and opportunity should not be reserved for the few. She became the first woman elected to an Australian parliament and advocated for reforms that improved the lives of many women and children.

Like much of Australia's history, progress did not reach everyone equally. While women in Western Australia gained the right to vote in 1899, Aboriginal women continued to face exclusion and were not able to vote in Western Australia until 1962. Reflecting on this history reminds us that the journey towards inclusion and equity has been gradual and remains ongoing.

At Kurongkurl Katitjin, we come together to learn. We help carry Edith's belief in education forward, alongside Community and other partners doing this work, grounded in Country, Community and cultural authority. Kurongkurl Katitjin is where Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander education, research and community come together at Edith Cowan University.

Honouring Edith's legacy isn't only about looking back. It's about building it into the future, so Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people belong, lead and thrive for generations to come.

29/07/2026

A little encouragement from us to you. Everyone at Kurongkurl Katitjin got together to share what they would say to someone thinking about studying, and we hope it gives you a nudge. Come and see us at ECU City Open Day, Sunday 9 August. It is going to be deadly, and we would love to see you there. Watch the reel and register to come along: https://web.cvent.com/event/679f732b-81b3-4cea-ab57-dd2d58065293/register

24/07/2026

For three years, a small group of Kurongkurl Katitjin students and staff have travelled to Canada to take part in the in-person component of the Global Indigenous Learning Experience, in collaboration with KPU The Gathering Place at Kwantlen Polytechnic University — and every year we’re reminded why it matters. 💛

This program brings our mob together with First Nations, Métis and Inuit students and communities on the other side of the world. Though we’re separated by oceans, we share so much: the strength of our cultures, the resilience of our peoples, and a deep connection to Country and community.

For our students, it’s a chance to stand alongside other Indigenous peoples, to see their own identity reflected back in new ways, and to learn that our stories of survival, of pride, of knowledge passed down through generations — are part of a much bigger global story. These are the connections and lessons they carry for life.

That’s why we come back year after year. Deep thanks to the Elders, community partners and staff who make it possible, and to all students involved for embracing every moment with open hearts and open minds.

📷 KPU The Gathering Place

Today, we wrap up this year's Global Indigenous Learning Experience, a valued partnership between Indigenous Services at KPU and Kurongkurl Katitjin at Edith Cowan University (ECU) in Perth, Australia.

This program continues to have a meaningful impact on the Indigenous students from both universities. Each year, we hear inspiring stories of learning, personal growth, cultural exchange, and the lifelong connections formed through this experience.

A heartfelt thank you to our colleagues at KPU and ECU, Elders, community partners, and everyone who helped make this program possible. Most importantly, thank you to our students for embracing every opportunity with open hearts, open minds, and a willingness to learn from one another. We look forward to continuing this partnership for many years to come and seeing its lasting impact on future generations of Indigenous students.

22/07/2026

Our research does not start in a lab.

It starts in community, on Country, in a yarn with an Elder, and it stays there.

Nat and Jocelyn say it better than we can, so we will let them do the talking.

There is a lot happening across Kurongkurl Katitjin right now. Work alongside families on health and wellbeing. Work on justice, and on holding systems to account when they were never built for community in the first place. Work on child wellbeing and mental health. And the Australian Indigenous HealthInfoNet, a national knowledge centre used by health workers everywhere from remote clinics to major hospitals.

Different projects, one way of working. Listen first. Partner properly. Make sure the evidence actually gets used, not just collected.

If you want to be part of it, there is room. Follow along here, come and yarn with us about an idea, or get in touch if you would like to work with our researchers. When a study is looking for people to take part, we share those calls here too.

Have a watch, and tell us what you reckon in the comments.

15/07/2026

📢 Calling Aboriginal young people aged 13 to 25
Do you use social media at least once a week? Researchers at Edith Cowan University (ECU) would love to have a yarn with you.

Your voice can shape better support for Aboriginal young people and communities around body image and eating concerns.

✅ A relaxed, face to face yarn of around 60 minutes
✅ At a time that suits you, by appointment
✅ $50 gift card for your time and travel

To register your interest, call 0489 146 929, email [email protected], or register online: https://bit.ly/4hc0Mbk

Please share this post so it reaches young people who may want to take part. 📢

If anything in this post brings something up for you, support is available. Anyone in Australia concerned about eating disorders or body image issues can call the Butterfly Foundation on 1800 33 4673.
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people who want to yarn with someone about how they are feeling can call 13 Yarn on 13 92 76, any time of day or night, to talk with an Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander crisis supporter.

This study has been approved by the Western Australian Aboriginal Health Ethics Committee (HREC 1485) and the Edith Cowan University Research Ethics Committee (2026-07623).
This research was funded by a Healthway Exploratory Research Grant ( -202509-88648).

14/07/2026

Heard of HPV? Have a yarn. 💛

Meet Our Business HPV, a health campaign like no other, born right here at Kurongkurl Katitjin, Edith Cowan University (ECU).
Here's the story. Too many young Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people are missing out on the free HPV vaccine, the one that helps protect against cervical cancer and is offered free at school. So instead of another stiff health message, Our Business took the conversation online and put community front and centre.
Led by Associate Professor Natalie Strobel, the campaign came to life with a whole crew of people. And yes you heard that right - it's Nan Roma narrating. triple j's N***y came on board as a creative consultant. Born Bred Agency brought in First Nations content creators from all over the country, singers, WAFL players, journalists and actors. Associate Professor Jocelyn Jones had yarns with young people and their families and Ms Kim Gates from Aboriginal Health Council of Western Australia provided advice, great ideas and networks to help the campaign along. And best of all, a group of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander young people had the final say on everything, the words, the artwork, the whole feel of it.

Why so many people? Because a message for community works best when it's made by community.
Have a watch of the showreel to see what Our Business is all about, and keep your eyes peeled, because there's plenty more on the way. 💛