We are pleased to announce that the sixth Academy of Social Sciences in Australia Summer School for Indigenous postgraduate students will be held at Trinity College, University of Melbourne, from February 11 to 15, 2008. The Indigenous Postgraduate Summer School is hosted by the Academy of the Social Sciences in Australia in conjunction with the Cooperative Research Centre Aboriginal Health, the Australian Indigenous Studies Program and the Centre for Indigenous Education at the University of Melbourne.

The Summer School is a five day fully residential program which brings together Australian Indigenous postgraduate students and their supervisors with a distinguished faculty of senior 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 move into their careers.

We are inviting applications from students who are currently enrolled in PhD or at Masters level to participate in the 2008 Summer School. We are also encouraging Indigenous applicants who are presently enrolled at Honours level.

The first five Summer Schools held in 2002, 2004, 2005, 2006 and 2007 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 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 23rd November 2007. An application form is attached.

For enquiries and further information about the Summer School contact Simone Brotherton, Project Officer at the Centre for Indigenous Education at This email address is being protected from spam bots, you need Javascript enabled to view it  or by telephone 03-8344 0451; or fax: 03- 9347 5487, AND Prof Marcia Langton at This email address is being protected from spam bots, you need Javascript enabled to view it or by telephone 03-83449156/9159; fax: 03-83449162. Each of us will be taking leave at different times, so it is important that you send your application forms and other ecorrespondence to both of us.

Professor Marcia Langton FASSA, Professor Ian Anderson FASSA, and Professor Ruth Fincher FASSA, Dr Markham Rose, Summer School Co-Directors.