Decolonising and Indigenising a psychology curriculum using a strategic, holistic, transformative, iterative long-term journey approach: Overview, reflections and learnings

Traditionally, the purpose of education is to contribute to all life, including humans, being healthy and interacting in ways that ensure life continuing. However, the predominate Western worldview led to an education system that perpetuate a Western worldview that has led to a culture and society that increasingly undermines health and creates compounding existential crisis. Worldwide, recognition is burgeoning that ancient and Indigenous ways of being-knowing-doing are the most potent antidote for restoring health and overcoming the existential crisis. Utilizing this antidote requires Western’ peoples individually and collectively transforming their worldviews, knowledges and practices. Two effective interlinked pathways for accomplishing this paradigm shift are (1) exchanging respectfully two-way with Indigenous peoples who still live largely according to their ancient natural laws, and (2) decolonising and Indigenising universities. However, Australian Indigenous peoples are suffering one of the largest inequalities globally, undermining their health and their ability to contribute. Universities have been misused for sustaining the colonising Western project, meaning that decolonising and Indigenising efforts are challenging contemporary university aims, systems and processes. Consequently, decolonising and Indigenising needs to be astute. Whilst there is increasing knowledge about regarding specific decolonising and Indigenising projects, little is known about a comprehensive transformative long-term approach. We will offer an overview of and learnings from our strategic, holistic, iterative and emerging journey approach we are ongoingly co-creating, co-implementing, and co-adapting with Indigenous peoples and allies. Core interconnected and unfolding journey dimensions are creating and renewing a big why; using a strategic team approach and a governance that is consistent with Indigenous governance as it is based on ecological principles (sociocracy/deep democracy); applying Indigenous values and principles; using multi-faceted strategies for parallel building staff capabilities, empowering Indigenous students and shifting ways of being-knowing-doing of staff and students; and monitoring and evaluating using an Indigenising audit.