CITATION
Chancellor,
Emeritus Professor Tracey Bunda AM is a leading voice in Indigenous education and a passionate advocate for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities.
A proud Ngugi/Wakka Wakka woman, Professor Bunda has championed the integration of Indigenous perspectives and methodologies into higher education for more than 30 years. Since 2019, she has served as Professor of Indigenous Education at The University of Queensland (UQ), where she has had a major impact on curriculum reform and cultural change across the institution.
In 1980, Professor Bunda completed a Diploma of Teaching at North Brisbane College of Advanced Education and then a Bachelor of Education at Brisbane College of Advanced Education in 1986. She went on to complete her Doctor of Philosophy at the University of South Australia in 2014.
Professor Bunda’s research has shaped pedagogy throughout her long and distinguished career across Australia’s higher education sector. Prior to joining UQ in 2019, she held senior roles at the Australian Catholic University, the University of Newcastle, the University of Canberra , Flinders University and the University of Southern Queensland.
From 2020 to 2022, she was editor of the Australian Journal of Indigenous Education and currently sits on the Editorial Board for the publication. Her scholarship continues to shape national and international dialogue around equity and inclusion in higher education and in society more broadly.
In recognition of Professor Bunda’s contributions to higher education and Indigenising curriculum, she was awarded the prestigious Career Achievement Award in the 2024 Australian Awards for University Teaching.
And in the 2026 King’s Birthday Honours, she was appointed a Member of the Order of Australia for significant service to tertiary education and research, and to the Indigenous community.
Professor Bunda’s academic contributions are evident in the numerous books, chapters, articles and conference papers she has authored. However, her greater legacy is found in the impact of her teaching on Australia’s future leaders and her mentorship of the next generation of young Indigenous scholars.
Her commitment to Indigenous education extends beyond the university sector through her active engagement with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities. She serves as Chairperson of the Board at Hymba Yumba Independent School and is a member of the Murrup Foundation, which works in partnership with schools and Indigenous communities in remote regions.
Chancellor, I present to you Emeritus Professor Tracey Bunda, Member of the Order of Australia, Diploma of Teaching of North Brisbane College of Advanced Education, Bachelor of Education of Brisbane College of Advanced Education, Doctor of Philosophy of the University of South Australia and Fellow of the Queensland Academy of Arts and Sciences, for the UQ R.H. Roe Award, bestowed by the Senate of The University of Queensland.
