Batchelor Institute of Indigenous Tertiary Education facts for kids
 |
|
| Type | Public |
|---|---|
| Established | 1960s |
| Location |
Batchelor (main campus)
,
,
13°02′53″S 131°01′59″E / 13.048°S 131.033°E |
| Website | https://www.batchelor.edu.au/ |
The Batchelor Institute of Indigenous Tertiary Education (BIITE) is often called Batchelor Institute. It helps Aboriginal Australians and Torres Strait Islanders learn new skills. They offer training, further education, and university-level courses. The main campus is in Batchelor, Northern Territory, Australia. This area is on the traditional lands of the Kungarakany and Awarai people.
Batchelor Institute is a special kind of school. It offers both university degrees and practical training courses. It was the first higher education school in Australia controlled by Indigenous people. Most students at the Institute are over 30 years old. Also, many more women study there than men.
Contents
History of Batchelor Institute
Batchelor Institute started in the mid-1960s. It was first part of Kormilda College. This college was a school for Aboriginal students near Darwin, Northern Territory. At first, it gave short training courses. These courses were for Aboriginal teacher aides and assistants in community schools.
In 1973, the Australian government made a big change. It allowed Indigenous communities to decide how their children would be taught. This included teaching in two languages, called bilingual education.
In 1974, the college moved to Batchelor. This town is about 100 kilometres south of Darwin. The college has been at its current main site since 1982.
A special program for teachers began in Yirrkala in 1976. It was called the Remote Area Teacher Education (RATE) program. In 1986, Batchelor College teamed up with Deakin University in Melbourne. Together, they offered a teaching degree. It was known as the Deakin Batchelor Aboriginal Teacher Education Program (DBATE).
A second campus opened in Alice Springs in 1990. This campus helped Aboriginal people from Central Australia get an education. Other smaller learning places were also opened. These were in Darwin, Nhulunbuy, Katherine, and Tennant Creek.
The Australian Government officially recognised Batchelor College in 1988. This meant BIITE could give out its own university degrees. It also received money from the government, just like other universities.
Campuses and Learning Places
Batchelor Institute has 15 different places where students can study. These are all across the Northern Territory.
Main Campus and Annex Locations
- Alice Springs
- Batchelor
- Darwin
- Katherine
- Nhulunbuy
- Tennant Creek
Study Centre Locations
Learning Centre Locations
