Indigenising the curriculum: A dialogic exchange between Brazil and Australia

This project aims to develop Indigenous Knowledge pedagogy in Business Education.

The first phase of the project is an international institutional exchange to lay the groundwork for translating the successful intensive postgraduate Bem Viver program from Brazil to the Australian context. Historically, there has been limited engagement between Indigenous Knowledge research and Business Education. While this has distinct outcomes for Business Education, its impact transcends discipline by focusing on the sustainability of Indigenous Knowledge research and teaching across the University in areas such as cultural tourism, land management practices, and food security.

It will:

• develop a program of study that demonstrates the purposeful engagement of Indigenous Knowledge in Business Education.
• build a partnership and exchange between the University of Melbourne and Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina established on shared visions for reconciliation with each continent’s First Peoples and the purposeful Indigenisation of curriculum.
• summarise and disseminate findings.

This project addresses significant gaps in Business Education that are regularly cited as among the least engaged in this work. It also demonstrates a novel methodological approach to the challenges facing educators seeking to embed and integrate Indigenous Knowledge into their curriculum that offers insight into the role of language in curriculum Indigenisation strategies.

The project will develop a novel intercultural dialogue between First Peoples of Brazil and Australia. Considering the parallel between each country’s histories, environmental challenges and economies, there is an added imperative to improve knowledge through partnership and collaboration.