Indigenous Design MOU

Deakin University, Indigenous Architecture and Design Victoria (IADV), and the Design Institute of Australia (DIA) unite, to sign the  Indigenous Design Memorandum of Understanding. The agreement was signed on 25 May 2016 at the Koorie Heritage Trust, Federation Square, Melbourne seeking to advance and promote ethical representation of Indigenous knowledge, culture and peoples within the practice of design and architecture. The main aim of the MOU is for parties to identify opportunities and to advance productive discussions about Indigenous representation. The IADV, DIA and Deakin University will work together to undertake research activities and collaborative projects of mutual interest that fit within the spirit of the MOU. The agreement will also unite parties to promote ethical representation of Indigenous culture in design practice and to develop policy to ensure open and transparent design processes take place. It was announced at the signing that the inaugural project resulting from the agreement will be an Australian Indigenous Design Charter, a set of protocols to guide design practitioners on the appropriate use and representation of Indigenous culture and its peoples. 

Indigenous Design MOU Signatories: Prof. Brenda Cherednichenko, Faculty of Arts and Education, Deakin University; Prof. Liz Cameron, Institute of Koorie Education, Deakin University; Jefa Greenaway, Indigenous Architecture and Design Victoria; Valerie Mack, Design Institute of Australia