Yani Global Exchange provides a unique opportunity for First Nations students studying at La Trobe to undertake an international exchange or study tour with one of our First Nations partner universities across the globe.
Providing an immersive learning experience, Yani is designed to provide a culturally immersive experience, coupled with reciprocal wraparound educational, community and cultural supports that enrich and widen the educational journey.
Yani is a Woi Wurrung word meaning ‘to journey’.
The opportunity to journey is aspirational, exciting and an important aspect of educational and personal growth. Yani provides the framework to do this in a culturally safe and responsive manner. In addition, the program provides students the space to connect, share knowledges and build relationships with First Nations peoples globally.
Arising from the Indigenous Strategy and Education division, Yani was the idea of Renee Sleigh who developed the program with colleague Sherrin Collocott, in collaboration with Brett Smith from the Learning Abroad team and the active participation of Dr Raul Sanchez Urribarri, Associate Dean (International) at the School of Humanities and Social Sciences.
“Working closely with Brett in the Learning Abroad team, we have ready access to expert knowledge of the Learning Abroad system and processes,” Sherrin Collocott said.
“Brett has said that the program has afforded him new insights and perspectives into mobility programs specifically from the perspective of the Indigenous student experience.”
Yani’s objectives dovetail with the Learning Abroad strategy of boosting both the diversity and participation rates of international mobility programs with a view to improving outcomes in employability and global citizenship. Similarly, the School of Humanities and Social Sciences views Yani as a vital part of their commitment to serve and educate local and international First Nations students, and to expand access and inclusion in our international programs.
The first outbound cohort of Yani Global Exchange students - Ben Perry, Tracey Trindall, Nettie Shue and Charlie Roberts - have now commenced their Fall semester abroad at the Canadian Universities of Calgary and Guelph. Meanwhile we are actively recruiting our second outbound cohort for 2025 while encouraging our mobility partners to send us First Nations students so that we can reciprocate their hospitality.
“It has been an exciting time over the past month, having just sent our first cohort we are seeing where we need to refine processes, and where the partnerships and program really shine,” Sherrin said.
“We have found that having strong relationally driven engagement with our partner First Nations Units has meant that the cultural and wellbeing component of the program has enabled our students to feel supported and connected from the start.”
“Yani brings us closer to our students, enabling us to deliver a really special program that is relevant to them, and responsive to their needs.”
La Trobe is collaborating with First Nations units across the globe to broaden our prospective university partnership base with an aim to establish seven active partnerships by the end of 2025.
Earlier this month, Pro Vice-Chancellor (Indigenous) Associate Professor Michael Donovan travelled to Canada and the USA to visit our two current partners, the University of Guelph and the University of Calgary, where our four students are currently on exchange. He also visited with prospective new partners to commence conversations about welcoming them into the anticipated collective of seven Yani university partners.
We hope to welcome our first inbound cohort of First Nations students next year. Watch this space!
More about Yani Global Exchange Program
Yani is an innovative program that rests on principles of reciprocity, care and connection. While La Trobe maintains our Learning Abroad programs, no First Nations specific program existed prior to the launch of Yani Global Exchange.
Yani has been developed to bridge that gap, providing an immersive, accessible, and culturally safe experience that aligns with the University’s intention of decolonising the curriculum and providing opportunities for Indigenous students. What sets this program aside from other mobility programs is the extra layer of student support and the rich social-cultural programs available to both inbound and outbound students.
Recognising that Indigenous people are best placed to self-determine appropriate ways of doing, being and knowing, Yani has been developed to follow cultural protocol. Through engaging directly with international First Nations units, we can ensure that culturally responsive and safe mechanisms are in place to support our outgoing students.
The program foregrounds collaboration and community, welcoming opportunities to work with stakeholders across University and Indigenous communities to ensure Yani is robust, innovative, and connected.
In turn, Indigenous Student Services welcomes incoming First Nations students to share our learning spaces and programs, to be immersed in our rich and thriving Indigenous culture, and to experience all that La Trobe University has to offer. Incoming First Nations students are afforded the same opportunities, facilities, academic and cultural supports as our local Indigenous students, positioning La Trobe University an institution of choice.
Yani’s objectives align with the commitments outlined in La Trobe’s 2022-2030 Indigenous Strategy and the overarching University strategy.
The intended outcomes of the program include, but are not limited to:
- To provide an accessible and culturally safe option for academic exchange between First Nations communities.
- To form a reciprocal mobility option that foregrounds Indigenous ways of being, doing, and knowing.
- To provide a vehicle to internationalise student learning.
- To present a framework for the creation of strong partnerships that connect people, knowledges, and culture.
- To create opportunities for cross-institution connections, collaboration, research, and knowledge exchange.
- To create and nurture lasting relationships, networks, and bonds between Sovereign Peoples.
Yani exemplifies the commitment to innovate and disrupt the established way of doing things: to date, no First Nations mobility program operates at La Trobe and across Australia, few comparable programs exist, giving us the opportunity to be competitive, and at the forefront of this space.
La Trobe has committed to partnering and collaborating with Indigenous communities; Yani provides a platform to internationalise this commitment.
