The Aspiration Initiative Information

The Aspiration Initiative (TAI) is the name for a collective of Indigenous education projects. We are broadening the conversation about what is possible for Indigenous Australians in relation to academic achievement - from school attendance and minimum benchmarks to academic excellence in Australia and on the world stage. The Aspiration Initiative projects include:TAI's Academic Enrichment Program for Indigenous students - a pioneering, 5½ year pilot program for high school students in NSW, Victoria and WA.Indigenous Scholarships guidebooks - the Indigenous students' guide to postgraduate scholarships in Australia and overseas (2010) (Postgraduate Guide), and the Indigenous students' guide to undergraduate scholarships in Australia (2011) (Undergraduate Guide). The Indigenous Scholarships website - a website detailing university scholarships, and a monthly e-newsletter (since October 2011).Aurora Indigenous Scholars International Study Tour - an annual opportunity for a number of high performing students and graduates to visit leading universities in the UK and US. International scholarships - scholarship opportunities for graduates to study overseas through the Charlie Perkins Scholarship Trust and Roberta Sykes Indigenous Education Foundation. Together these projects are working to recalibrate the expectations for, and aspirations of, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander school and university students. We hope to generate a ripple effect of high expectations that will extend to families, schools, communities and the Australian public more broadly. The international scholarship opportunities, Indigenous Scholarships website and academic enrichment program are jointly funded by the Australian Government Department of Education.