About Us
The Indigenous Data Network
The Indigenous Data Network (IDN) was established in 2018 to support and coordinate the governance of Indigenous data for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and empower Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities to decide their own local data priorities. Led by a Steering Committee of experts and stakeholders and the founding partnership between the University of Melbourne, the Australian National University and the Australian Institute for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies (AIATSIS), the IDN is a national network of Aboriginal community-controlled organisations, university research partners, Indigenous businesses and government agencies and departments.
The IDN works to engage with and leverage internationally leading developments in the data sciences to maximise the optimal collection, access and use of data resources for community empowerment. Functions of the IDN include providing Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities and organisations access to research expertise to facilitate their data priorities; supporting access to data held by others; and to build data capacity within Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities across Australia. The IDN continues to form new partnerships and to grow the network nationally, connecting more Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities and organisations, universities, and government agencies and departments.
Email the Indigenous Data Network at data-indigenous@unimelb.edu.au. Find out more about our work at the Indigenous Studies Unit website or on Twitter.