© 2017 ICCLAP
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The Indigenous Cultural Competency for Legal Academics Program (ICCLAP) aims to increase the inclusion of Indigenous cultural competency in legal education. This will improve Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander student outcomes in law as well as developing Indigenous cultural competency in all students. This will lead to better legal service delivery for Indigenous communities in the long term.
ICCLAP is a cross institutional project involving five universities including the University of New England, University of Technology (Sydney), RMIT University, Australian National University, and Queensland University of Technology. The project is funded by the Australian Government Department of Education and Training.
The Australian Law School Standards, developed by the Council of Australian Law Deans, have recently been updated to include new areas of knowledge required for law degrees. In 2020 this includes a statement that curriculum will ‘develop knowledge and understanding of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander perspectives on and the intersections with the law.’ This standard was introduced in response to the Behrendt Report (2012) on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander access and outcomes in higher education, and Universities Australia’s Indigenous cultural competency project, and Universities Australia’s Indigenous Strategy 2017-2020. The Australian Law School Standards, cites the ICCLAP Final Report, as providing resources and guidance for how law schools can implement Indigenous cultural competency in curriculum. The addition of Indigenous perspectives in legal curricula is a welcome development and an important step towards developing ICC for all law students. CALD has also demonstrated its commitment to supporting the embedding of ICC in legal education, through the establishment of a Working Party on First Peoples Partnerships, which will develop strategies to foster a full and equitable partnership between CALD and First Peoples.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF COUNTRY
We acknowledge the Traditional Owners of Country throughout Australia and recognise their continuing connection to land, waters and culture. We pay our respects to their Elders past, present and emerging.
FUNDING ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
Support for this project has been provided by the Australian Government Department for Education and Training. The views in this project do not necessary reflect the views of the Australian Government Department for Education and Training.
CONTACT
Marcelle Burns
School of Law, University of New England
Phone: 02 6773 2686
Email: mburns7@une.edu.au or info@icclap.edu.au