Melbourne Poche Centre for Indigenous Health
Indigenous leadership and academic pathways
Mobilising an agenda for equity and change in health practice through training and development programs for emerging and established Indigenous leaders in the health sciences.
Our People
Our staff and students come from diverse educational backgrounds and research focuses. The Centre is affiliated with respected Elders of the region, and its Strategic Advisory Committee is convened by leaders in Indigenous health and health education.
About the Centre
The Melbourne Poche Centre for Indigenous Health provides training and development programs for emerging and established Indigenous leaders.
One of our key initiatives is to support the enrolment and graduation of Indigenous PhD candidates and postdoctoral fellows in health, through initiatives like the PhD Familiarisation Program.
We are supporting the next generation of Indigenous leaders in health, the health sciences and academia.
The Centre is part of the Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Health Sciences.
Establishment of the Centre
The Melbourne Poche Centre for Indigenous Health was founded in 2014 through the generosity of Mr Greg Poche AO and his wife Ms Kay Van Norton Poche. The Melbourne Poche Centre is the youngest centre in the POCHE Indigenous Health Network, which comprises six centres at five universities across Australia.
Launch of the Centre
This film, screened at our official launch, showcases the vision of the Centre: to promote Indigenous leadership for radically improving the health outcomes of Indigenous people in Australia.
Associate Centres
The Melbourne Poche Centre for Indigenous Health is associated with a network of international centres, Departments and Institutes involved in Indigenous health research and student capacity development.
Greg and I believe that in giving through the universities the best thing that we can do is work towards the future. Kay van Norton Poche
Donating to the University
Mr Greg Poche's generosity is helping close the health gap between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians by supporting vital Indigenous health research. The Poche family and over 20,000 other donors have helped the University reach $500 million in support through Believe - the Campaign for the University of Melbourne.
Support the CampaignContact Us
- Address
- Melbourne Poche Centre for Indigenous Health
141 Barry St
Carlton VIC 3010 - poche-centre@unimelb.edu.au
- Phone
- +61 3 8344 3389
Supporting the development of emerging Indigenous leaders.
Leadership Development
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Seminars and Forums
Series of seminars from the Melbourne Poche Centre and forums hosted by the various Poche Centres.
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Leadership Fellows Program
The Melbourne Poche Leadership Fellows Program supports the development of emerging Indigenous leaders in academic, policy, clinical and research roles in Higher Education institutions, government, health delivery and the community sector.
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Poche Leadership Portal
Our Fellows are outstanding individuals with incredible knowledge, skills, interests and talents to assist you in representing and strengthening Indigenous leadership in your industry or organisation.
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Graduate Programs
The Melbourne Centre for the Study of Higher Education at the Melbourne Graduate School of Education conducts two graduate programs:
Professional Certificate in Indigenous Research, and the Graduate Certificate in Indigenous Research and Leadership.
Tailored support for Indigenous research students.
How we help
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Academic Shepherding
Prospective Indigenous PhD students are connected with senior Professors at the University, who can assist applicants throughout the application process. Areas of support provided in shepherding include assistance with regards to navigating admissions criteria, articulating applicant’s research experience and training, and being an advocate for applicants through the selection process.
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Financial Support
All Indigenous PhD students at the University of Melbourne are guaranteed a research training program stipend (or equivalent). Additional scholarships are also available as is potential opportunities for paid casual work throughout candidature.
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Supervisors and Mentors
The Melbourne Poche Centre connects Indigenous PhD students with a leading researchers and other experts across various disciplines. Whether you need assistance with finding a supervisor, looking for a mentor or something else, please get in touch.
Tailored support for Indigenous PhD candidates
The University of Melbourne takes the approach that support for Indigenous research students should be tailored towards each student, in addition to the minimum support outlined above. We strive to work with you to identify top-up stipends, other financial supports needed throughout your candidature (i.e. conference travel etc), as well as ensuring you receive the appropriate academic skills support throughout your research training. Some of these supports are provided individually (i.e. library skills workshops), and others are provided through cohort programs such as abstract writing workshops.
To discuss what you might need to support you through your PhD experience, please contact Warwick Padgham via E: padghamw@unimelb.edu.au
Melbourne Poche Leadership Program
London, 20-26 May 2018
The Poche Leadership Fellows Program is tailored to meet the needs of Indigenous early career professionals with a health focus across higher education, government, health service delivery and community sectors. The interactive Program brings together Fellows and helps foster networks and collaboration.
The second module of three saw participants visit London, the heart of the empire to re-imagine how they each view their leadership. The purpose was to engage with the city, challenge what the participants see, to be challenged by what they see and to engage intellectually with the history, the present, the privilege and the disruption.
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Melbourne Poche Leadership Fellows Program
A leadership development program for emerging Indigenous leaders through structured engagement with Elders, Sponsors and Mentors.
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Poche Leadership Portal
Our Fellows are outstanding individuals with incredible knowledge, skills, interests and talents to assist you in representing and strengthening Indigenous health leadership in your industry or organisation.
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PhD Familiarisation
The Familiarisation Program, our annual fully-funded program introducing prospective Indigenous PhD students to the University of Melbourne, preparing them for graduate research study has now been run for 2019.
A research project in partnership with the Lowitja Institute: A review and analysis of progress in building the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health researcher workforce since 2000.
The project aims to identify changes in the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health research workforce, since 2000. Investigations will chart current educational and career-pathway models and initiatives; outline how research training can be more responsive, enriching and affirming of and for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health researchers and communities; and explore new ways to increase numbers of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health researchers.
Professor Shaun Ewen will be the Project Lead and has a strong background in academic leadership, health education and practice, and workforce development. Professor Cindy Shannon will ensure the project is deeply engaged with community controlled health sector perspectives, drawing upon her decades of experience in workforce training in this sector. Professor Margaret Kelaher will bring her extensive expertise on health policy to the analytic activities of the project. An Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander research officer will undertake the day-to-day project management.
A strength of the proposed project is to significantly address research gaps by conducting a comprehensive review foregrounding ‘whole of system’ analysis of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health researcher workforce and learn first-hand from current and future Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health researchers via in-depth interviews and case studies.
For more information on the project, please visit www.lowitja.org.au/workforce-review