Country-guided practices

As visitors, we recognise that we live, work, and play on unceded lands and have a responsibility to respect and care for Country. As a result, we are responsible for managing, building, and constructing our cultural landscapes in a manner that reflects their uniqueness. Designing and building on Country requires us to consider the spiritual and cultural aspects of a living environment where tangible and intangible intersect with past, present, and future.

To meet the current sustainability challenges and be better caretakers of our environment, architects, designers, and construction managers need to become familiar with Indigenous ways of knowing, being, seeing, and doing. This is accomplished by acknowledging Country as the author, guide, and reference point for creating design that blends, moulds, and correlates with Australia's cultural landscape. Using best practices, Country-informed design meets the specific criteria set forth in the National Standard of Competency for Architects 2021 (NSCA 2021).

We also acknowledge those who walked before us.

Learning on country

23-02_BIG_Wednesday01-2.jpg
Students-on-Alice-springs-special-elective.jpeg
Students-on-Alice-springs-special-elective.jpg
23-02_BIG_Wednesday01-45.jpg

As part of their studies with SABE, our students are exposed to traditional smoking ceremonies, teaching from Indigenous staff across our disciplines, learning on and from our bush-campus environment, and the opportunity to undertake special projects based in the Northern Territory, Far North Queensland, and throughout New South Wales.


Country-guided practices in Indigenous design

Incorporating Indigenous Knowledge Systems into the built environment

Embedding the narratives of cultural place into the built environment

Integrating embodied spiritual Knowledge into the built environment

Framing arts-based knowledge in elements of the build environment

Applying relational knowledge and Indigenous methodologies within research


Care for Country and Australia’s First Peoples is an active principle within our School.

Indigeneity both as a value and an animating force, is one of the main driving powers within our School. This value has influenced the design of all of our undergraduate and graduate programs. The focus on Indigeneity extends to SABE’s research efforts with our requirement for Indigenous participation in all its forms.

Our School respects the vast body of Aboriginal knowledge that needs to be shared, for the experience of a different wisdom – including human, societal, and environmental wisdoms.

Barry - Special Elective
Students on Special Elective
Student at Special Elective
Special Elective
Barry and Students on Special Elective
Students at Special Elective

The eight-ways framework

The eight-ways framework of Aboriginal pedagogy brings Indigenous ways of knowing and being into our classrooms. It comprises eight interconnected pedagogies that are grounded in people and place, which fits neatly with our School’s aims and philosophies.

The approach to teaching and learning is non-linear, introspective and highly reflective, involving repetition and returning to concepts to enable students to gain a deeper understanding of themselves and their learning.

The eight ways framework

Source: 8 WAYS by Dr Tyson Yunkaporta


Engineering Students Showcase Innovation at Final Year Project Event

Engineering Students Showcase Innovation at Final Year Project Event

The School of Engineering’s Discipline of Aerospace, Mechanical and Mechatronics Engineering (AMME) celebrated the creativity and technical excellence of its graduating students at the Final Year Project Event, held on Thursday 13 November at the Callaghan campus.

Advancing Human-Agent Collaboration Through Agentic AI

Advancing Human-Agent Collaboration Through Agentic AI

Dr. Zhenghao Chen’s recent participation in the Microsoft Research AI Fellowship Program has been marked by groundbreaking research into the future of human-agent communication and collaboration. His work aligns closely with Microsoft Research’s vision of Agentic AI, which is a transformative approach that reimagines how intelligent agents interact with...

From Research to Reality: New Algorithms Revolutionise Geotechnical Design

From Research to Reality: New Algorithms Revolutionise Geotechnical Design

Dr Davide Guccione and Rocscience integrate cutting-edge fragmentation modelling into RocFall2, transforming industry practices.

Show more news
A gift of life inspires a future in science

A gift of life inspires a future in science

For Bachelor of Science (Advanced) graduate, Jessica McCourt, the culmination of her studies represents far more than a university degree – it marks a journey defined by grit, perseverance and remarkable poise in the face of health challenges.

Life-changing pathway delivers first doctors as graduations cap off 60th year

Life-changing pathway delivers first doctors as graduations cap off 60th year

The University of Newcastle will culminate its 60th anniversary year by celebrating the first doctors to graduate from its Excellence through Equity Pathway to Medicine – a groundbreaking uni-ready program redefining who gets the chance to pursue their dreams of becoming a doctor.

Scientists find a fast, new way to recover high-grade silver from end-of-life solar panels

Scientists find a fast, new way to recover high-grade silver from end-of-life solar panels

University of Newcastle researchers have developed a fast, safe and highly effective method to recover high grade silver from end-of-life solar panels, without using acid.