James Cook University

The James Cook University (JCU) Indigenous Education and Research Centre stands at the forefront of advancing Indigenous education research and fostering engagement through effective and enduring programs and services. We were honoured to collaborate closely with the centre in documenting and delivering a series of student narratives, aimed at highlighting the potential and myriad possibilities that higher education pathways offer to Indigenous students.

There are many obstacles facing Indigenous students in the pursuit of higher education pathways. One of the hurdles the Indigenous Education and Research Centre (IERC) confronted was instilling the belief that pursuing higher education is a feasible path and creating awareness about the support the IERC extends to its students. The short documentary films produced were crafted to tackle these challenges and to motivate and inspire students to consider the possibilities offered by higher education pathways.

To accomplish this, the centre carefully selected five students, each with unique backgrounds and upbringings, to share their stories. This comprehensive process spanned over a 12-month period, involving travel to various locations across regional Queensland and NSW.