Indigenous Cultural and Intellectual Property Protocol

The University of Newcastle has set a new standard for how tertiary institutions engage with Indigenous communities.

Historically, Indigenous communities and knowledge holders have been seen as participants or informants in projects involving their cultural knowledge.

Now, the University of Newcastle is ensuring there is a different way of doing business that will see First Nations peoples and individuals receive due recognition, respect, and entitlements.

Led by the Office of Indigenous Strategy and Leadership, a community guide and University protocol has been developed in collaboration with renowned Indigenous legal firm, Terri Janke and Company.

The Indigenous Cultural and Intellectual Property Protocol sets out how ethical and respectful research is to be conducted across all academic activity, while the community guide includes a checklist for understanding their rights and key legal issues to look out for to ensure intellectual and cultural property is protected.

Indigenous Cultural and Intellectual Property includes things such as traditional knowledge of cultural fire management or bush foods, language, stories, songs, dance, journals, or even places and ancestral remains.

More details can be found here on the protocol and the community guide.