ARDC Indigenous Data Governance Masterclass 2026

The free ARDC Indigenous Data Governance Masterclass will equip participants with the knowledge and tools to ethically manage Indigenous data, respecting the cultural protocols and sovereignty of Indigenous communities. It will build the capacity of researchers to engage with Indigenous data, fostering a culturally sensitive and informed approach to data-driven projects.

The Masterclass introduces Indigenous Data Governance principles. It then examines in-depth curating and caring for community collections containing Indigenous data. Indigenous data custodians will have opportunities to discuss the data they manage with each other. The 2 days will provide guidance on applying the Indigenous Data Matrix.

The agenda is coming soon.

We highly recommend participants join for the entire 2-days.

• Distinguished Professor Marcia Langton AO (Yiman and Bidjara), Indigenous Data Network, University of Melbourne
• Robert McLellan (Gooreng Gooreng), Language Data Commons of Australia, University of Queensland

More speakers will be announced.

Data custodians working with Indigenous data from:

• Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities and organisations
• universities and research organisations
• the private sector, including not-for-profits
• the galleries, libraries, archives and museums (GLAM) sector
• all levels of government.

Researchers in any discipline who collect or work with Indigenous data

The ARDC is pleased to be offering up to eight $800 travel bursaries for the 2026 ARDC Indigenous Data Governance Masterclass. The bursaries support the attendance and participation of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people who work with community data.

To apply for a travel bursary, please complete the IDG Masterclass Travel Bursary Application Form.

Applications for travel bursaries will close COB Friday 27 March. We aim to notify all applicants of the outcomes by Wednesday 8 April.

The ARDC Indigenous Data Governance Masterclass is run by the Australian Research Data Commons in partnership with 2 focus areas of the ARDC’s HASS and Indigenous Research Data Commons:

• Improving Indigenous Research Capabilities: Led by the Indigenous Data Network at the University of Melbourne, this focus area is building an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Research Data Commons. To learn more, visit the Indigenous Data Catalogue.
• Language Data Commons of Australia (LDaCA): Led by the University of Queensland, LDaCA is Making nationally significant language data accessible for research by universities and communities alike through interoperable repositories, advanced analytic tools and Indigenous-led governance. Learn more about LDaCA.

• Code of Conduct. To make this a welcoming and friendly event for all, participants are expected to be aware of, and follow, the Code of Conduct for ARDC Activities
• Food. Light refreshments and lunch will be provided.
• Recording. Parts of this event may be recorded and published by the ARDC. This may include your contributions during a session. The ARDC respects the privacy of individuals. Information collected is in accordance with the ARDC Privacy Policy.
• Cancelling/modifying your attendance. We understand that plans change and you may need to cancel or modify your attendance. If you need to make changes, please let us know via​ [email protected].

To promote open discussion and respect privacy, most sessions will not be recorded.

At the Australian Research Data Commons (ARDC), we drive the development of world-class national digital research infrastructure, enhancing research impact and giving Australian researchers a competitive advantage through access to comprehensive and high-quality data. The ARDC is enabled by the Australian Government’s National Collaborative Research Infrastructure Strategy (NCRIS).

The ARDC HASS and Indigenous Research Data Commons makes research easier, faster and more connected, helping researchers deepen our understanding of Australian people, culture and society to address real-world problems, enrich lives, support innovation and inclusion.

The HASS and Indigenous Research Data Commons provides national digital research infrastructure that helps researchers, data custodians and communities discover, connect, manage, share and analyse HASS and Indigenous data. We drive culture change in data sharing and collaboration by embedding ethical, culturally safe and best-practice data use with the FAIR and CARE principles at the core. Working alongside Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities, we ensure research reflects and respects cultural knowledge and self-determination. Learn more about the HASS and Indigenous Research Data Commons.

Further ARDC resources

• Read about the 2025 Indigenous Data Governance Masterclass at the Summer School
• HASS and Indigenous Research Data Commons
• Resources for HASS and Indigenous research

Have questions?

Email [email protected]

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