The University of Queensland (UQ) and leading global architecture design firm, Buchan, have taken a bold step forward to support the next generation of Indigenous architects and designers.
In a first of its kind at UQ, the Buchan Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Architecture Industry Scholarship is intended to inspire the next generation of leaders in the fields of Design and Architecture and create a more inclusive industry.
The scholarship will open pathways for young Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students who have been under-represented in the School of Architecture by illuminating the possibilities of a career in Architecture and Design and providing community through a diverse network of academic and professional support.
UQ Pro-Vice-Chancellor Indigenous Engagement, Professor Bronwyn Fredericks, said education is a powerful tool and has a positive ripple effect - for the student, for the community and our society more broadly.
“Until we close the gap in higher education participation and outcomes, the goals of reconciliation will remain elusive,” Professor Fredericks said.
“By enabling this inaugural initiative through UQ, Buchan has made a commitment to the future of our Architecture students, their communities, and their built environments for years to come,” Professor Fredericks said.
Buchan CEO, Mr Stephen Auld, said education is a significant focus of Buchan’s Reconciliation Action Plan.
"Alongside this core pillar of education, the additional areas that our RAP is founded on are the pillars of inclusivity, connection, and the reconciliation pathway forward,” Mr Auld said.
UQ and Buchan are two of more than 1000 dedicated corporate, government, and not-for-profit organisations that have formally committed to reconciliation through the Reconciliation Action Program since its inception in 2006.
The three-year scholarship will support undergraduate students with the essential needs of their campus experience, engagement in industry opportunities, extracurriculars and other activities, preparing them for a rich future in Architecture and Design.
Indigenous hero image credit: Theresa Bower
