Emeritus Professor Paul Hughes, AM, FACE & EAG Chairperson

Yunkunyatjatjara/Narannga/Kaurna
David Unaipon College of Indigenous Education and Research, University of South Australia

Paul’s career has been as a Primary School Teacher; an Education Officer with the Department of Aboriginal Affairs; Director of the Aboriginal Teacher Education Program and Aboriginal Studies Centre at the University of SA; Chair of the National Aboriginal Education Committee; Director of Aboriginal Education for the SA Department of Education; and Director of the Yunggorendi First Nations Centre for Indigenous Education and Research at Flinders University. He retired in 2008 from his last position as Dean and Head of School of the Indigenous College of Education and Research at the University of South Australia.

With an honorary Doctorate from Flinders University and a Masters Degree in Education from Harvard University he is the first South Australian Aborigine to be promoted to Professor. His career has been as a teacher, leader, policy maker, consultant and researcher on Indigenous education issues worldwide.

Professor Hughes has Chaired - the South Australian Aboriginal Education Committee; the National Aboriginal Education Committee; the Commonwealth Aboriginal Education Policy Taskforce; the MCEETYA Taskforce on Aboriginal Education; the DEST evaluation of the National Indigenous Education Literacy and Numeracy Strategy; the Australian Council for Educational Research Indigenous Standing Committee and currently Chairs the Expert Advisory Group for the National Numeracy, Mathematics and Indigenous learners Project.

Paul has also served as a member of: the Commonwealth Curriculum Council; the Commonwealth Schools Commission; the Commonwealth Schools Council; the SA Centre for Lifelong Learning and the Commonwealth Ministers Strategic Thinkers Forum. He is a member of the team that produced ‘What Works?. Explorations in improving outcomes for Indigenous students’ and ‘What Works, The Work Program’ and is also an Ambassador and consultant for the Australian Principals Association, ‘Dare to Lead’ program.

Professor Hughes has been awarded: Membership of the Order of Australia; an Honorary Doctorate from Flinders University; the Australian College of Educators Medal in 2000; the UNESCO Comenius Medal on behalf of the SA Aboriginal Education Unit and Elders Awards from the Indigenous Higher Education Council and the World Indigenous Higher Education Consortium.
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