First Nations Council of Elders and Leaders

The First Nations Council of Elders and Leaders (FNCEL) brings cultural knowledges and wisdom to the governance processes of CQUniversity, though offering guidance and recommendations on all matters that affect First Nations peoples’ education, employment, engagement and research.  The Council assists Prof Adrian Miller Vice President Indigenous Engagement, in preparing matters for presentation to the University Management Committee (UMC) and Council (UC).

The FNCEL is made up of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community members professionally involved with intercultural and cross-cultural engagement. Members are nominated from across the University’s footprint, representing communities in the Queensland regional catchments that CQUniversity serves. 

CQU is committed to collaboration with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people to strengthen relationships with Traditional Owners and their communities and increase opportunities for their involvement with the University.  The establishment and involvement of the FNCEL is foundational to achieving these aspirations, and the Council’s work is deliverable under CQUniversity Innovate Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP) 2022-2024 and the Universities Australia Indigenous Strategy (UA) 2022-2025.  

 This first iteration of the FNCEL was established in 2021 and served as a pilot research project.