Advice from Indigenous early career researchers: Indigenous futurity in Australian universities

This paper presents findings from a three-year, longitudinal qualitative study exploring the experiences of Indigenous early career researchers (ECRs) in Australian universities. It investigates the systemic challenges they face and the strategies they employ to build meaningful academic careers within a sector shaped by settler colonialism and racialised structures. Using complexity theory (CT) as a framework, the study highlights how Indigenous ECRs navigate and influence institutional systems, often acting as agents of reform. Participants demonstrate resilience and leadership, advocating for Indigenous equity, curriculum reform and cultural sovereignty. The concept of Indigenous futurity—imagining and enacting futures grounded in Indigenous values—is central to their efforts. Despite persistent barriers, these scholars are reshaping the academic landscape, challenging White futurity and laying foundations for transformative change in higher education.