The Centre for Aboriginal Economic Policy Research (CAEPR) is an Indigenous policy research centre located at The Australian National University (ANU) in Canberra, Australia.

CAEPR's mission is to contribute to better outcomes for Indigenous Australians by objectively and constructively informing and influencing intellectual understanding, public debate, policy formation and community action through research, education and community engagement that is innovative, grounded and of the highest quality.

The Centre undertakes evidence-based multi-disciplinary research on Indigenous economic and social development and associated issues, and maintains an independent role in Indigenous public policy research. It invests considerable effort in making its research findings accessible to Indigenous organisations, universities, research institutions, Australian governments, industry and the wider community. Its disciplinary expertise includes anthropology, demography, economics, linguistics, geography, political science, development studies and ecology.

CAEPR was founded in 1990, and has established an unrivalled reputation and track record in a public policy area of national significance. Since 1 January 1999 it has operated as a University Centre, engaged in both teaching and research.

CAEPR's 2008 Annual Report is available here.

CAEPR's current 2009-2011 Research Plan is built around four broad themes:

• Economic, cultural and social circumstances
• Economic development aspirations and sustainable futures
• Governance, policy and the state
• Education and learning for life

Theme 1. Economic, cultural and social circumstances

Lead researchers: Dr John Taylor and Dr Boyd Hunter

This research theme contributes directly to the policy discourse on 'closing the gaps' between Indigenous and other Australians across a range of social indicators. Since its inception in 1990, a core focus of CAEPR's research has been the tracking of change in Indigenous social and economic circumstances at national, regional and local levels. Notable in the current plan is a major population project sponsored by the Ministerial Council on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Affairs. This is examining regional change in Indigenous social indicators, establishing measures of residential segregation and migration in metropolitan areas, and developing a typology of short term mobility and its consequences for service delivery.

Theme 2. Economic development aspirations and sustainable futures

Lead researcher: Professor Jon Altman

This theme explores innovative ways to improve livelihood opportunities for Indigenous people through economic engagement with the market and the customary sectors appropriately enabled by the state. Much of the focus is regional and remote Australia and on Indigenous communities located on the significant Indigenous estate. The theme addresses two crucial issues: the provision of economic development opportunity for Indigenous people in geographically remote contexts; and the provision of economic development opportunity that acknowledges the diversity of Indigenous aspirations and their fundamental difference (in many instances) from those of mainstream Australians.

Theme 3. Governance, policy and the state

Lead researchers: Dr Will Sanders and Dr Janet Hunt

This theme examines governance and public policy relating to Indigenous Australians at a number of different empirical and conceptual levels. It includes research on Indigenous community governance, examining successful organisations within diverse service delivery areas, particularly regionalized local government. It also pays attention to the larger policy environment in which these local and regional organisations operate, dominated by Commonwealth and State/Territory governments. In addition it recognises the growing role of non-state actors in Indigenous governance and policy. The theme notes the complexity of state organisation in Indigenous affairs and the indeterminacy and frequently changing nature of policy. Conceptually, the theme asks whether organisational complexity has benefits for Indigenous affairs as well as costs, and whether policy indeterminacy and change are inevitable or can be lessened. The theme seeks in the first instance to analyse state policy towards Indigenous people and, in light of this, to formulate possibilities for improvement where this seems possible.

Theme 4. Education and learning for life

Lead researchers: Dr Jerry Schwab and Dr Inge Kral

This research theme focuses on the effective delivery of education, the development of evidence-based education policy and the social context of literacy and life-long learning among Indigenous Australians. It includes research on all levels and sectors of formal education and training, but also extends to consideration of non-formal contexts and learning across the lifespan. Research under this theme involves both qualitative and quantitative methodologies and is anchored by an understanding that learning is fundamentally social and situated and can be found and enhanced both inside and outside the classroom. In addition, CAEPR research in this area is framed by an awareness that education and training are most effective when linked to the local social, cultural and economic contexts of everyday life. Several of the current projects in this theme involve collaborations with government departments, Indigenous organisations and communities and involve ground-breaking research that addresses post-school skills acquisition and youth pathways to employment through land management, media and other community-based arenas of learning.

The CAEPR Strategic Plan 2009-2011 is available here.

The CAEPR Research Plan 2009-2011 is available here.

CAEPR is an autonomous and independent research centre within the ANU, devoted to the advancement of evidence-based research and policy formulation in the various social sciences.

CAEPR is currently funded from a variety of sources including the ANU, Australian Research Council, industry partners, philanthropies, and the Ministerial Council for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Affairs (MCATSIA).

In all CAEPR publications, the views expressed are those of the author(s) and do not reflect any official CAEPR position.

The Centre is located in the Hanna Neumann Building #21, Australian National University Campus, Acton, ACT. We are adjacent to the ANU Student Union and shopping precinct. A campus map of the ANU is available here, and a map of visitor parking here.

General enquiries should be directed to the Centre Administrator:

Ms Denise Steele
Centre Administrator
Phone: (02) 6125 0587 (International 61-2-6125 0587)
Fax: (02) 6125 9730 (International 61-2-6125 2789)
Email Enquiries: caepr.admin@anu.edu.au

Publications enquiries should be directed to the Publications Officer:

Phone:(02) 6125 0587 (International 61-2-6125 0587)
Fax: (02) 6125 9730 (International 61-2-6125 9730)
Email Enquiries: publications.caepr@anu.edu.au

Enquiries relating to graduate study at CAEPR should be directed to Dr Will Sanders.

Enquiries relating to the CAEPR website should be directed to caepr.web@anu.edu.au. You can also use this feedback form.

Written enquiries about any matters raised on this site should be addressed to:

Professor Jon Altman
Director
Centre for Aboriginal Economic Policy Research
Hanna Neumann Building #21
The Australian National University
CANBERRA ACT 0200

CAEPR offers graduate students the opportunity to undertake coursework and research leading to degrees at both the Masters and Doctoral levels. Enquiries relating to study at CAEPR should be directed to Dr Will Sanders.

Graduate Coursework

Those wishing to develop expertise in the application of anthropology to contemporary policy and practice in Indigenous affairs can undertake courses through CAEPR as part of the Graduate Program in Indigenous Policy, a specialisation in the Master of Applied Anthropology and Participatory Development (MAAPD), or the highly flexible Graduate Studies Select Program.

Graduate Research

CAEPR offers the opportunity for full-time or part-time students to undertake research leading to a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) or Master of Philosophy (MPhil) degree in a broad range of disciplines.

For further information on these study options, and on supervisors, key research areas, scholarships and past graduate profiles, please visit CAEPR's Graduate Studies page.

Tuition fees

Details of ANU postgraduate tuition fees can be found here.

Indigenous engagement is a high priority within CAEPR, reflecting in our ongoing commitment across a range of areas, as detailed in the CAEPR Strategic Plan 2009-2011.

CAEPR's Visiting Indigenous Fellowship program provides an opportunity for Indigenous scholars to collaborate with researchers at CAEPR, in order for them to transfer their newly acquired or further developed research skills and research outcomes back to their base community or region for practical application.

Indigenous researchers are often invited to present their research plans and findings through the CAEPR seminar series.

As part of the ANU, CAEPR maintains close links with Jabal Indigenous Higher Education Centre. The ANU also offers a range of scholarships for Indigenous postgraduate students.

CAEPR is committed to widely disseminating its research outputs through print and electronic publication. Our program includes the CAEPR Discussion Paper series, CAEPR Working Paper series and CAEPR Research Monograph series. In addition, CAEPR Topical Issues discuss aspects of research relating to contemporary issues. Every publication in these series is available for free download in PDF format. To view a full list in each category, click on the appropriate page link.

• Discussion Papers - over 280 titles. Internally and externally refereed research papers, available both for download and in print.
• Working Papers - over 50 titles. Often comprising papers of a more technical nature, and available only as web documents for download.
• Research Monographs - some 30 titles. Major publications featuring collated research results and/or analysis of policy on major themes or issues, the proceedings of workshops or conferences, or reports on major pieces of consultancy research. Available both for download and in print.
• Topical Issues - a diverse range of over 100 web documents that address topics of contemporary interest in Indigenous affairs.

Go to the Publication Sales page to order print copies of CAEPR publications. The most recent CAEPR Research Monographs are available as print-on-demand publications from ANU EPress

CAEPR conducts two seminar series each year, in which presenters explore topics of importance to contemporary Indigenous Australia. The current program is hosted on the CAEPR Seminar page. Seminar are held (unless otherwise noted) on Wednesdays between 12.30 and 2.00 p.m. in the Humanities Conference Room, First Floor, A.D. Hope Bldg #14 (opposite the Chifley Library), The Australian National University, Canberra. A map of the A.D. Hope Building's location is available here, and a map of visitor parking here.

Some CAEPR seminars are made available as streaming audio and MP3 podcasts, together with appropriate handout materials. They can be accessed through the CAEPR Seminar page. A seminar is recorded at the discretion of presenters: certain types of presentation, including works in progress and thesis reports, are not appropriate for podcast. For copyright reasons and to encourage robust exchange, the discussion following a presentation is not recorded.

RSS Notification

All visitors to the CAEPR website may subscribe to RSS feeds providing information on seminars and publications, using the RSS links on the bottom of all pages . Click here for more information on RSS.

Email Notification

In order to receive email notications of new publications and additions to the CAEPR website, please register here.

Current Email Notification Lists

The following lists will be phased out in the near future as conversion to our new website is complete.

If you wish to receive e-mail notification of new CAEPR publications, please subscribe to the CAEPR Notification Mailing List. Simply follow the link and complete the online form. You will receive an e-mail confirming your subscription, and e-mail notification of all new CAEPR print and web publications.

If you wish to receive e-mail notification of CAEPR seminars, please subscribe to the CAEPR Seminar Mailing List. Simply follow the link and complete the online form. You will receive an e-mail confirming your subscription, and e-mail notification of each CAEPR seminar series.

Journalists should contact CAEPR’s Centre Administrator on (02) 6125 0587 (International 61-2-6125 0587), or Martyn Pearce at the ANU Communications and External Liaison Office:

Media Liaison Officer
Phone: (02) 6125 5575
Mobile: 0416 249 245
Email: martyn.pearce@anu.edu.au

As part of the ANU, CAEPR values the support of its communities, businesses, alumni and donors to help it to achieve its mission.

Corporate and Philanthropic Support

As an independent research centre, CAEPR relies upon corporate and philanthropic support in implementing many of its research and targeted development projects. If you are interested in supporting CAEPR’s work, please contact the Director, Professor Jon Altman.

Individual Support

If you are interested in supporting CAEPR’s research through an individual bequest, please visit the ANU Endowment for Excellence home page.