The Indigenous Academic Success Program (IASP): 

  1. increases participation of Indigenous Australians in higher education 
  2. increases graduation rates of Indigenous Australians in higher education 
  3. improves and accelerates the educational outcomes for Indigenous Australians enrolled at Swinburne.
     

The program is funded by the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet and is provided free to eligible students.

Apply as a student

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students at Swinburne can apply to work with qualified tutors to assist with their studies as part of the Indigenous Academic Success Program.

Eligible students receive two (2) hours’ tuition per unit of study per week. Additional tuition for exam preparation is also provided.

The availability of tuition is based on funding and need. The program is provided free to eligible students. Students are required to IASP Tutor and Student Log to keep accessing the service.

Eligibility

All Indigenous students enrolled at Swinburne (including Swinburne Online) are encouraged to apply for the Indigenous Academic Success Program.

To be eligible, you must be an Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander person and:

  • have accepted an offer for enrolment in a course that commences within one month of lodging an application for assistance.
     

Note: Priority is given to undergraduate (Bachelor degree) students. 

Conditions of participation

Students who participate in the Indigenous Academic Success Program are expected to conduct themselves in an honest and responsible manner. This includes:

  • respecting tutorial session arrangements and notifying tutors if a session needs to be changed or cancelled at least 24 hours prior to the agreed time. 
  • signing a completed claim form IASP Tutor and Student Log with their tutor at the end of each session — students should never sign a blank claim form
  • completing an assessment report for your tutor/s at the end of the semester.
     

How to apply

To apply for tuition through the Indigenous Academic Success Program, please lodge an online application.


Students are encouraged to apply before the beginning of each semester. Late applications will also be accepted.

Staff from the Moondani Toombadool Centre will work to pair you with a suitable tutor for each of your nominated units of study. You will receive an email with your tutor’s details so that you can contact them directly to organise tutoring sessions.

Note: Tutoring cannot begin without written permission from the Moondani Toombadool Centre each semester, regardless of whether you have already worked with a tutor in a previous semester.

Become a tutor

The Indigenous Academic Success Program offers staff the opportunity to expand their tutoring role at Swinburne by working one-on-one with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students.

Qualifications

The Moondani Toobadool Centre is seeking tutors who have:

  • completed minimum third-year level tertiary study with demonstrated high-level academic achievement (mandatory) 
  • experience in teaching, tutoring or mentoring students at undergraduate level (desired) 
  • experience in working with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in an educational environment (desired). 
  • Postgraduate students already engaged as tutors within their faculty or department are encouraged to apply.

Application Process

Successful applicants are required to complete one of the following mandatory Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultural awareness development opportunities:

  1. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Cultural Awareness – (online Swinburne compliance training module). 
  2. Indigenous Australian Cultural Competency Training — delivered face-to-face at a half-day workshop at the Koorie Heritage Trust, Melbourne, or selected workshops at Swinburne Hawthorn Campus.
     

Roles and responsibilities

Tutors are expected to assist students to:

  • develop and deepen their theoretical understanding of course content 
  • develop an understanding of key discipline-related concepts 
  • improve critical thinking stills 
  • improve research skills 
  • improve skills in seeking, retrieving and evaluating information 
  • evaluate course readings.
     

Tutors should:

  • submit a co-signed IASP Tutor and Student Log to track the hours students have received tutoring  
  • submit a T5 Timesheet
  • declare any conflict of interest or circumstance that compromises their professional integrity and participation in the Indigenous Academic Success Program.
     

Tutors should not:

  • do any part of a student’s reading, research or assignment work 
  • act as editors or proofreaders of a student’s work 
  • assess or grade a student’s assignment work 
  • discuss a student’s performance or progress with members of academic staff without that student’s permission. 
     

Rates

Tutors employed as part of the Indigenous Academic Success Program are paid A$65.63 per hour, negotiable depending on your qualification/s and/or experience.

The rate will increase in line with Swinburne’s Academic and General Staff Enterprise Agreement 2017 [PDF 1.8MB].

How to apply

To apply to work as a tutor with the Indigenous Academic Success Program, email your completed expression-of-interest form and your résumé to indigenousstudents@swinburne.edu.au.

Staff from the Moondani Toombadool Centre will work to pair you with suitable students based on their studies.

Note: We are unable to predict demand for this program.

Have any questions?

For more information on the Indigenous Academic Success Program please contact an Indigenous Student Adviser at indigenousstudents@swinburne.edu.au or leave a voicemail on +61 3 9214 8481.

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