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Professor Peter Buckskin

Position: Dean & Head of School: Indigenous College of Education & Research Professor Peter Buckskin
Division/Portfolio: Division of Education, Arts and Social Sciences
School/Unit: The Unaipon School
Group: DUCIER Research
Campus: City West Campus
Office: Y2-75
Telephone: +61 8 830 29148
Fax: +61 8 830 27034
Email: Peter_dot_Buckskin_at_unisa_dot_edu_dot_au
URL for Business Card: http://people.unisa.edu.au/Peter.Buckskin


Welcome to my homepage. I am Dean and Head of School of the David Unaipon College of Indigenous Education and Research (DUCIER) within the Division of Education, Arts and Social Sciences, University of South Australia. I have been a teacher and professional bureaucrat for 30years, with a burning passion for the pursuit of educational excellence for Aboriginal students. I have worked as a classroom teacher in Western Australia and South Australia, Chair of the South Australian Aboriginal Education Consultative Committee, Ministerial Adviser, Superintendent of Schools, and a Senior Executive at both State and Federal level. For over a decade I worked as an officer in the Commonwealth's Senior Executive Service, where I occupied a number of strategic positions in the portfolios of Aboriginal Affairs, Employment, Education and Training. I was also privileged to served one term as a Commissioner of the Australian Commission to UNESCO. In recognition of my contribution to Aboriginal Education I have received numerous awards and honours. In the 2001 Australia Day Honours, I was awarded the Commonwealth Public Service Medal (PSM) in recognition of my outstanding public service in pursuing equality in education for Australia's Indigenous peoples. In 2002 I become a patron of Principals Australia’s, Dare to Lead Program, which encourages and supports Australian school Principals in improving Indigenous education outcomes and working for Reconciliation in their schools. In 2003, the International Council on Education for Teaching (ICET) awarded me the annual Frank H Klassen Award for my leadership and contribution to Teacher Education. In September 2005, I won the Commonwealth's Department of Education, Science and Training Award for Outstanding Achievement in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Education at the National Deadly Awards held in Sydney. In 2006 my education peers invited me to become a Member of the Australian College of Educators and nominated me a Fellow of the Academy in 2007 for my continuing contribution to education. I have recently taken up the Chair of the National Indigenous Higher Education Network and Co-Chair of the South Australian Aboriginal Education and Training Consultative Body.




Teaching interests

  • Aboriginal Education

Professional associations

Chair, National Indigenous Higher Education Network, 2008 - present

Member, National Indigenous Higher Education Network, 2006 - present

Fellow, Australian College of Educators (FACE), 2007 - present

Member, Australian College of Educators, 2006

Patron, Australian Principals Association Professional Development Council - "Dare To Lead" program, 2002 - present

Member, Australian National Commission to UNESCO, 1984 - 1986

Co-Chair, South Australian Aboriginal Education and Training Consultative Body, 2008 - present


AWARDS

DEST Award for Outstanding Achievement in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Education, National Deadly Awards, Sydney, September 2005

Frank G Klassen Award for Leadership and Contribution to Teacher Education, International Council on Education for Teaching (ICET), 2003

Aboriginal Person of the Year, South Australian NAIDOC Awards, July 2003

Commonwealth Public Service Medal (PSM), January 2001


Research interests

  • Aboriginal Knowledges
  • Race and Racism
  • International Perspectives and Perceptions
  • Reconciliation
  • Aboriginal Education
  • Public Policy

Research publications

Buckskin, Peter (Research Leader) Connecting Cultures, Review of Victoria's Indigenous Education Strategies: Supporting Indigenous Students through School, January 2008

CONFERENCE PRESENTATIONS

Buckskin, Peter; Robertson, Boni; Thomas, Gary; and Thomas, Roger, The Future for Indigenous Australian Higher Education, United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues, New York, April 2008

Buckskin, P, Keynote Address, 16th International Congress of School Effectiveness and Improvement (ICSEI), Sydney, 5-9 January 2003

INVITED PRESENTATIONS

Buckskin, P, From little things big things grow, Keynote Address, National Christian Schools Association, Canberra, 27 May 2008

Buckskin, P, What is going to be different post apology? A new dialogue!, Keynote Address, Australian Education Union SA, 23 May 2008

Buckskin, P, Options for the future of Indigenous Australia, Australia 2020 Summit, Parliament House, Canberra, 19-20 April 2008

Buckskin, P, 2020 Summit in the Northern Suburbs, Northern 2020 Summit, Mawson Centre, Mawson Lakes, 5 April 2008

Buckskin, P, Sunkiss/Landlove, Opening Address, Troy-Anthony Baylis - "Sunkiss/Landlove", National Aboriginal Cultural Institute - Tandanya, Adelaide, 8 November 2007

Buckskin, P, And the Clock..., Book Launch, Lewis O'Brien - "And the Clock Struck Thirteen: The life and thoughts of Kaurna Elder Uncle Lewis Yerloburka O'Brien", National Aboriginal Cultural Institute - Tandanya, Adelaide, May 2007

Buckskin, P, Focussing on Outcomes, Opening Address, South Australian Department of Education and Children Services, 2006

Buckskin, P, Whose Values? - An Indigenous perspective, APAPDC's Values Education Seminar, 2006

Buckskin, P, The Way Forward, South Australian Government Aboriginal Economic Development Seminar, 2005

Buckskin, P, Understanding the issues: Getting an Indigenous perspective, Rotary Club SA - Adelaide Chapter, 2005

Buckskin, P, You have a choice, Office of Public Employment - South Australian Government Workshop, 2005

Buckskin, P, Indigenous Affairs and the issues effecting Aboriginal students in SA, Association of Independent Schools of SA (AISSA), 2004

Buckskin, P, Getting it right: Aboriginal Reconciliation in SA, Institute of Public Administration SA Division (IPPA), 2004

Buckskin, P, Making it work: There is no silver bullet, Social Inclusion Unit Forum, 2004

Buckskin, P, Celebrating Success: When the rubber hits the road, International Congress on School Effectiveness and Improvement, 2004

Buckskin, P, Achieving educational equality for Indigenous Students: A Pathway of Hope, Garth Boomer address, Australian Curriculum Studies Association National Conference, 2003

Buckskin, P, Indigenous Rights: Should Indigenous Rights be spelt out in the Australian Constitution, 7th National Schools Constitutional Convention, 2002

Buckskin, P, Reconciliation - The role of School Leaders, Australian Secondary Principals Association (ASPA) National Conference, 2001

Buckskin, P, Strategic Results Projects - Indigenous Outcomes, Australian Curriculum Studies Association, 2000

Buckskin, P, Dare To Lead , Opening Address, Australian Principals Association Professional Development Council National Forum, 2000

Buckskin, P, Education: A Salutary Lesson - Indigenous Education, Council for Aboriginal Reconciliation - National Workshop on Benchmarking Aboriginal Affairs, 1998


Expertise for Media Contact

I am able to provide media comment in the following areas of expertise:

Discipline: Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Education

  • Indigenous Knowledges
  • Reconciliation
  • Aboriginal Education
  • Public Sector

Community Service

Organisation Name:   Reconciliation South Australia
Section:   Board of Directors
Type of Organisation:   Community organisation
Organisation URL:   http://www.reconciliationsa.org.au
Level of involvement:   Co-Chair (2006 - present) Member (2001 - 2006)
Year from:   2001
Year to:   2008

Organisation Name:   Tauondi College
Section:   Board of Directors
Type of Organisation:   Community organisation
Organisation URL:   http://www.tauondi.sa.edu.au
Level of involvement:   Chair
Year from:   2005
Year to:   2008

Organisation Name:   Marni Waiendi Project
Section:   City of Playford
Type of Organisation:   Community organisation
Organisation URL:   http://www.playford.sa.gov.au
Level of involvement:   Council member/ Consultant / advisor




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