About us
Lowitja Institute is Australia's only national Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community controlled health research institute, named in honour of its patron, Dr Lowitja O’Donoghue AC CBE DSG.
Lowitja Institute is Australia’s only national Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community controlled health research institute, named in honour of its patron, Dr Lowitja O’Donoghue AC CBE DSG. We are working for the health and wellbeing of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people through high-impact quality research, knowledge exchange, and by supporting a new generation of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health researchers.
Established in January 2010, Lowitja Institute operates on key principles of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander leadership, a broader understanding of health that incorporates wellbeing, and the need for the work to have a clear and positive impact.
The history of Lowitja Institute dates back to 1997 when the first Cooperative Research Centre (CRC) for Aboriginal and Tropical Health was established. Since then, Lowitja Institute and the CRC organisations have led a substantial reform agenda in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health research by working with communities, researchers and policymakers, with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people setting the agenda and driving the outcomes.
Strategic Plan 2019-2023
Becoming community controlled
In 2020, Lowitja Institute became a community controlled organisation and established a membership base, led by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander representatives.
As a community controlled organisation, we focus on supporting Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community controlled organisations and researchers.
What we do
- Research and knowledge translation
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Lowitja Institute has a long track record of supporting Indigenous-led research that reflects the priority needs of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and communities.
We provide grant funding to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community controlled organisations across Australia to lead research projects that address community priorities and contribute to improved health and wellbeing outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.
- Policy and advocacy
Lowitja Institute engages in policy and advocacy work that contributes to a range of key policy discussions related to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health and wellbeing.
As an organisation, we regularly engage with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peak bodies and professional associations and the Australian Government, as well as mainstream health peak bodies and professional associates, non-government organisations and philanthropic organisations.
- Workforce capability
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Over the years, Lowitja Institute research projects have developed tools to facilitate learning and to support research, workforce development, and service delivery work.
We keep Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander ways of knowing, being and doing at the heart of what we do. We offer support to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander researchers and organisations through tools, resources and online courses.
Through Lowitja Learning you can explore online courses, learning circles, webinars, workshops, tools, and resources to support your learning journey.
