Overview
For over 30 years, Northern Institute (NI) researchers have worked closely with Indigenous and non-Indigenous knowledge and governance authorities in the Northern Territory, Australia and internationally. Collaborating with communities and enterprises and with civil society and government bodies, our research in this area examines local organisational knowledges and cultural practices while exploring new approaches to policy, service delivery, and institutional governance. Through the ongoing work of our Indigenous and non-Indigenous researchers, NI has led the way for collaborative and co-designed research and evaluation frameworks based on ethical agreement-making practices and respect for Indigenous ways of thinking, knowing, expressing, and doing.
Our research across this area aims to support the cross-generational maintenance and renewal of languages, cultures, histories, and material practices – often exploring the potential of digital technologies in doing so – and to build governance and leadership capacity in First Nations communities and enterprises. Our research on Indigenous knowledges and Governance informs much of our research in the related areas of education, health, community well-being, sustainable economy, environments, and Indigenous science.
Research strengths
- Indigenous institutional frameworks and governance
- Indigenous policy and community development
- Indigenous languages, knowledges, cultures, and material practices
- Indigenous research approaches and capacity building
Connected Labs, Centres and Groups
Centre for Creative Futures
CCF brings together the arts, social sciences, humanities, and sciences to produce research that is accessible, meaningful, and impactful for the people, places, and futures of North Australia and beyond.
Ground Up
GroundUp is a research and service delivery approach that develops tools, methods, understandings and practices appropriate for the people, places and organisations we work with. Taking seriously the knowledge and governance of both Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal people.
Top End Language Lab
TELL creates social and technological innovation for linguistic and cultural vitality in Northern Australia, a region of great linguistic diversity. We work with Indigenous and non-Indigenous cultures to learn, process and revitalise languages through computational linguistics and web technologies.
Related websites
NI acknowledges the people of the Larrakia Nation (Saltwater People) on whose unceded lands we work and live and recognise their continuing connection to communities, land and waters. We pay our respect to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures and elders past and present. Our Research Support Services is located on Larrakia Land at CDU Casuarina Campus.
⚠️ Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples should be aware that this website, linked publications and content may contain images, voices and names of people who have passed.