We are inviting applications from students who are currently completing a thesis at PhD or Masters level to participate in the seventh Indigenous Postgraduate Summer School to be held at Trinity College, University of Melbourne, from 16th - 20th February 2009. We also encourage Indigenous students who are presently enrolled at Honours level to apply. 
 
The Summer School is a five day residential program, bringing together Australian Indigenous postgraduate students and their thesis supervisors with a distinguished faculty of senior Indigenous and non-Indigenous scholars and Fellows from the Academy of the Social Sciences. The purpose of the Summer School is to provide students with the knowledge, skills and mentoring to help them toward successful completion of their postgraduate degrees and furthering of their careers. 
 
If you are interested in attending the Summer School, please contact Simone Brotherton and Michelle Earthy as described below.
 
The Summer School will be hosted by the Centre for Indigenous Education (CIE) at the University of Melbourne in conjunction with the Australian Indigenous Studies Program at the University of Melbourne, the Cooperative Research Centre for Aboriginal Health and the Academy of the Social Sciences.
 
The first six Summer Schools held since 2002 were each attended by Indigenous postgraduate students and their supervisors from eleven universities across Australia. Each was a great success. The future of the Summer School is assured through the generous support of the Commonwealth Department of Education, Science and Training and the Cooperative Research Centre Aboriginal Health. Scholarship support has been generously provided by the Pratt Foundation, CSIRO, Hecht Foundation, Rio Tinto Aboriginal Foundation, Newmont Australia and the University of Melbourne.
 
The Summer School will focus on social science topics, including those in the health sciences and public health, as well as other areas in the social sciences. The program provides informative and exciting workshops for students and their supervisors that enhance their understanding of the process of undertaking and completing a doctoral, masters or minor thesis, and the research and writing processes involved.
 
The Summer School will cover subjects such as selecting and refining a thesis topic; research design and methodology; research access and ethics; building research networks; maintaining sound communication with supervisors; community and other stakeholders; building research skills in the collection; analysis and presentation of data; and report and thesis writing .
 
Students selected to attend the Summer School will be provided with return airfares to Melbourne (discount ticket), meals and accommodation at Trinity College, instruction and course materials. Places are limited to 15 students. Supervisors are encouraged to attend with participating students, and a number of places will be allocated to them.  Students applying to the Summer School must be supported by their Thesis Supervisor (or where relevant, Head of Department). Closing date for applications is Friday 28th November 2008. An application form is attached.
 
For inquiries and further information about the Summer School contact:

Simone Brotherton
Project Officer
The Centre for Indigenous Education
Email: This email address is being protected from spam bots, you need Javascript enabled to view it
Tel: 03 8344 0451
Fax: 03 9347 5487

Michelle Earthy
Email: This email address is being protected from spam bots, you need Javascript enabled to view it
Tel: 03 8344 5330
Fax: 03 9347 5487

As Simone and Michelle will each be taking leave at different times, please direct correspondence to both of them where possible.

For ASSA Application form for  20009, assa_application_09.