What is the National Indigenous Business Summer School?

The National Indigenous Business Summer School (NIBSS) is an exciting initiative of the Australian Business Deans Council. The program is an immersive experience for Year 11 and 12 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander high school students who have a strong interest in entering the business world, becoming an entrepreneur or want to know more about coming to uni.

NIBSS has been running since 2018 and has previously been held in New South Wales, Victoria, and Western Australia. 2022 will be the first time NIBSS will be held in Queensland and the QUT Business School is proud to be the inaugural host.

This program will be delivered in partnership with other Queensland universities including Bond University, Griffith University, James Cook University, University of Queensland and University of Sunshine Coast.

QUT's Gardens Point campus

NIBSS postponed to June/July 2022

With the emerging Omicron variant of COVID-19 and ensuing uncertainty, the Faculty of Business and Law made the hard decision to postpone the National Indigenous Business Summer School from January 2022 to June/July holidays 2022. While this is disappointing for us all, we believe it is in the best interest to maintain the safety of all involved in the program. Work will continue on making the program better. If you are interested, please complete the Expression of Interest form to receive further information on the program and application form.

Take part in an immersive business study experience

This is a week-long residential program hosted by QUT in collaboration with our partners.

The program is designed to:

  • provide you with practical workshops and activities to give you a better understanding of business degrees
  • develop your understanding and appreciation of life as a business student
  • introduce you to the Queensland Indigenous Business community
  • develop your appreciation of the career pathways available to you upon graduation.

You will have the opportunity to:

  • visit QUT and partner universities in south-east Queensland
  • meet other like-minded high school students interested in business degrees
  • participate in workshops that build your skills and knowledge about different areas of a business
  • compete in a case competition, which you will work towards during workshops over the week
  • meet and be mentored by current and past Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander business students
  • engage with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander business owners, including industry visits, presentations and networking opportunities
  • participate in cultural and social activities.

Dates

Sunday 26 June 2022
Travel to Brisbane
Monday 27 June to Friday 1 July 2022
Program dates
Saturday 2 July 2022
Return home

Location

QUT Gardens Point campus
2 George Street
Brisbane City

Cost

Free
All costs including travel to and from Brisbane, accommodation, meals and activities are sponsored.

Melita Hegarty, a proud Juru, Gangalu, Darumbul and Butchulla woman and Bachelor of Business (Public Relations) graduate

Who can apply?

You can apply if you meet the following:

  • identify as an Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander
  • will be starting Year 11 or Year 12 in 2022
  • have endorsement from your school.

Applications have closed.

Important information about the NIBSS

A packing list will be provided closer to the program start date.

If you are flying to Brisbane, a NIBSS staff member will be there to meet you at the airport. Transport will be arranged to get you from the airport to the student accommodation. We will also arrange transport to the airport after the program finishes.

For those participants who are located in Brisbane, we can discuss transport support to and from the accommodation.

You will have your room and ensuite (your own shower and toilet).

Spending money is not required because all costs including travel, meals and accommodation are met by NIBSS QLD. However, you might like to bring a small amount to buy a drink or chocolate. Depending on the program, there might be some opportunity for some limited shopping.

You will not be able to visit family and friends in Brisbane during NIBSS. This is a residential program designed to provide you with an opportunity to connect with other like-minded students. The program will be very busy, including day and night activities, and there will be little opportunity to visit with people outside the program.

To ensure the health and safety of the NIBSS staff and the other participants, we will be requiring all participants to be fully vaccinated for COVID-19.

Further, the student accommodation has a policy in place that all staff, guests and visitors to their premises must be fully vaccinated.

We will be continually monitoring COVID-19 and we will provide regular updates.

The Confirmation of Aboriginality (COA) is a certificate which acknowledges that you are known to your community as an Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander person. If you aren’t sure if you have one, have a chat with your parents/caregivers to check. If you don’t have one, don’t worry. We can chat with you about other ways to provide that evidence.

You can learn more about what a COA is and how to get a certificate at the Australian Institute of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies (AIATSIS) and Deadly Story websites.

Travel and accommodation

All costs, including travel, meals and accommodation, are covered by NIBSS Qld. However, you may like to bring a small amount of pocket money for snacks or possible personal shopping.

In terms of packing, a packing list will be provided closer to the program commencement date. Both a carry-on suitcase and check-in luggage will be available to you when travelling to NIBSS.

To get you from the airport to the accommodation, Scape, a NIBSS staff will meet you at the Brisbane airport and transport will be arranged. You will have your own room and ensuite (shower and toilet) at Scape.

As NIBBS is a residential program, all participants are required to stay together at Scape. If you live close by, we can provide transport from your home to the accommodation.

NIBBS is designed to connect you with other like-minded students. The schedule will be very busy, including day and night activities, and there will be little opportunity to visit with people outside the program.

Vaccine requirements

It is mandatory to be vaccinated against COVID-19.

We will be visiting several site visits during the program and different places will have different rules relating to COVID. To be able to ensure your full participation we ask that all participants are fully vaccinated.

Further, Scape the accommodation, also has a policy in place for all staff, guests and visitors to their premises must be fully vaccinated.

We will be regularly monitoring COVID-19 and will be providing updates regularly.

Confirmation of Aboriginality

Confirmation of Aboriginality (COA) is a certificate which acknowledges that you are known to your community as an Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander person and it is important that you have one available to attend NIBSS.

If you aren’t sure if you have one, have a chat with your parents/caregivers to check. If you don’t have one, don’t worry we can chat with you about other ways to provide that evidence.  One option is to find out if one or both your parents have their own COA and provide their COA along with your birth certificate.

You can learn more about what COA is and how to get a certificate at the Australian Institute of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies (AIATSIS) and Deadly Story.

Who can apply?

You can apply if you meet the following:

  • identify as an Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander
  • will be commencing Year 11 or Year 12 in 2022
  • have endorsement from your school.

Applications close at 5pm, Friday 10 December 2021. Places are limited to 20 students and will be based on your application and personal interest in studying a business degree.

We strongly encourage students located anywhere in Queensland to apply.

Apply now

Please submit your Expression of Interest below. Once you have lodged this form, we will contact you and assist you in completing the full application.

Contact our Indigenous Project Officer, Bianca Hill-Jarro, on (07) 3138 1288 if you have any questions about the application process.

Submit an Expression of Interest

Partners

Sponsors

Supporters

Artwork attribution

The Currency of Country, ink on paper, 2017 © Shawana Andrews

The people come together to trade and share. They are dressed in possum skin cloaks, and have a basket of ochre, berries, yams and eggs to exchange. There is also an axe of stone and timber to be traded. The squares represent the shared knowledge built over generations of cultural memory. The people are connected with a songline and they look to ancestors to learn and maintain culture.

Acknowledgement of Country

QUT Business School acknowledges the Turrbal and Yugara, as the First Nations owners of the lands where QUT now stands. We pay respect to their Elders, lores, customs and creation spirits. We recognise that these lands have always been places of teaching, research and learning.

Contact us

For further information on the program, please contact Bianca Hill-Jarro, Indigenous Project Officer.

07 3138 1288

Acknowledgement of Country

QUT Business School acknowledges the Turrbal and Yugara, as the First Nations owners of the lands where QUT now stands. We pay respect to their Elders, lores, customs and creation spirits. We recognise that these lands have always been places of teaching, research and learning.

Contact us

For further information on the program, please contact:

Bianca Hill-Jarro
Indigenous Project Officer
QUT Faculty of Business and Law
Telephone: (07) 3138 1288
Email: NIBSS@qut.edu.au