$28.8 million adds up for Indigenous students

More Indigenous students into STEM: Background information

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander performance in science and mathematics

• Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students are more than two-and-a-half years behind their non-Indigenous peers in scientific and mathematical literacy¹.
• The gap between Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students and their non-Indigenous peers in achievement in science and mathematics remained the same from 2002 to 2012².
• Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians are significantly under-represented in higher education, comprising only 1.4 per cent of student enrolments at university in 2010³. This is even more pronounced in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) courses and in applied science professions.
• The significant gap in educational outcomes and achievement limits career opportunities for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians, including in Indigenous communities where STEM-related professions are essential for development.

Key issues in STEM education for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students include:

• Language processes underpinning conceptual development and understanding
• Potential mismatches between cultural beliefs about the world, and education in STEM
• Challenges for students in dealing with university cultures, particularly in STEM disciplines⁴

The six elements of the CSIRO and BHP Billiton Indigenous STEM education program

1. Science Pathways for Indigenous Communities targets primary and middle school students in remote communities and uses on-country projects as the context for learning science.
2. Inquiry for Indigenous Science Students targets middle school students in mainstream metropolitan and regional schools, using hands-on inquiry-based projects to improve student outcomes in science.
3. Counting Futures targets primary and middle school students in mainstream metropolitan and regional schools, providing tools, support and career preparation to improve mathematics outcomes.
4. Aboriginal Summer School for Excellence in Technology and Science targets high-achieving Year 10 students, bringing them together for a residential camp, as well as providing a mentoring program to support these students through Years 11 and 12.
5. Excellence Awards recognises and raises the profile of the achievements of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander school students in STEM subjects.
6. Bachelor of Science (extended) provides a supported pathway to complete a mainstream Bachelor of Science at the University of Melbourne for students who show potential, but who might otherwise not have access to such an opportunity.

About education at CSIRO

For more than 35 years, CSIRO has delivered science education and outreach activities around Australia.

As the only organisation with a national science education infrastructure, we develop and present high-quality science programs, aiming to encourage students to take up careers in science, engineering and technology, as well as engage and enthuse students, teachers and the wider community about science and its applications.

About the BHP Billiton Foundation

BHP Billiton Foundation is an independent charitable entity set up to further BHP Billiton’s voluntary investment in community. The charity is designed to provide public benefit by enabling people living in regions where BHP Billiton has an interest, to improve quality of life through improvements in health, education and governance.

¹OECD Programme for International Student Assessment 2012 survey
²OECD Programme for International Student Assessment 2012 survey
³Australian Government Review of Higher Education Access and Outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander People 2012
⁴Australia Council for Learned Academies’ STEM: Country Comparisons 2013 report