Citation for Dr Margaret Valadian AO MBE
Chancellor,
Dr Margaret Valadian AO MBE was an Indigenous academic, educator and advocate for Indigenous rights through improved access to education.
In 1966, Dr Valadian became Australia’s first acknowledged Aboriginal woman to complete a university degree, graduating from The University of Queensland with a Bachelor of Social Studies.
She went on to complete a Master of Education at the University of Hawai’i in 1969 and a Master of Social Welfare at The State University of New York in 1973.
Providing access to quality education and enriching communities were Dr Valadian’s driving passions. She founded the Queensland Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Teacher Aides Development Program to provide aid to Indigenous peoples in 1976, and the Aboriginal Training and Cultural Institute in 1978. Both organisations worked to provide education and management training for Indigenous peoples, training counsellors, youth workers, teaching assistants and health workers.
She dedicated her life to her academic and professional pursuits, advocating for Indigenous education and promoting educational access to those in rural communities. She was recognised for her efforts through many accolades.
In 1976, Dr Valadian was appointed a Member of the Order of the British Empire for service to Aboriginal welfare and in 1986 she was appointed an Officer of the Order of Australia for service to the community, particularly in the field of Aboriginal education and culture. In 1995, Dr Valadian was awarded an Honorary Doctor of Letters by Macquarie University. She was also named as the UQ Alumnus of the Year in 1996 and she received a Centenary Medal in 2001.
Chancellor, Dr Margaret Valadian AO MBE was expected to be presented with the award of Doctor of the University honoris causa at this ceremony, but sadly passed away late last year. She touched the lives of many and she will be dearly missed by all those who knew her. It is with great respect, I present a posthumous award for the Doctor of the University honoris causa to Dr Margaret Valadian, bestowed by the Senate of The University of Queensland. This award will be presented to Dr Valadian’s niece, Jasmine Valadian.
