New subject: Indigenous Data Governance in Health

Announcing a new elective for the Master of Public Health in Semester 2, 2026: Indigenous Data Governance in Health

• Have you ever wondered about the concepts of Indigenous Sovereignty and Indigenous Data Governance, and why they are important?
• Are you interested in working towards changing systemic injustice?
• Have you thought about how our current systems of data impact on Indigenous peoples?
• Do you want to help change the narratives that affect Indigenous peoples?
• Would you like to learn more about how organisational and government held data can be used to improve Indigenous health outcomes?
• Are you considering specialising in Indigenous Public Health?

If you answered yes to one or more of these questions, then think about signing up to the new Indigenous Data Governance in Health subject POPH90308 in Semester 2, 2026.

This subject provides students with practical understandings regarding the production and strategic dissemination of Indigenous health data central to governance, and research in Indigenous public health with a jurisdictional lens. It also provides an overview of the scope of Indigenous data, including governance, ethical health research, knowledge translation and evaluation, institutions, and data collections. Students will explore meaningful ways to engage with Indigenous people and communities, and research processes and strategies for the development and management of ethical and collaborative partnerships.

This subject covers the development of research agendas, available choices of methodologies including decolonising approaches, capacity development and integrating research and primary health care information systems appropriately. It will also examine capacity exchange and research transfer in Indigenous health settings. Students will also be engaged through a range of challenging case studies reflecting some of the tensions, contestations, and dilemmas in the field.

For more information visit the handbook: https://handbook.unimelb.edu.au/subjects/poph90308/ or contact the subject coordinator: Laureate Professor Marcia Langton at isu-comms@unimelb.edu.au or Dr Andrea Clarke at andrea.clarke@unimelb.edu.au.