"How do we live together without killing each other?" : Indigenous and feminist perspectives on relationality

In 2018 at the University of Technology Sydney (UTS), two Australian scholars met for the first time. Despite having peers and friends in common and occasionally spotting each other on social media platforms, they had never met in real life. Within two years both would take up posts at different universities, but the crossing-over at UTS forged an enduring collaborative working relationship. Sandra arrived at UTS in its Jumbunna Institute for Indigenous Education and Research, confident she would be part of a whole-of-university Indigenous reform agenda. Indeed, an agenda was being promulgated across the Australian higher education sector to increase all levels of Indigenous participation in undergraduate enrollment, graduate research completions, academic and non-academic employment, research outcomes, and engagement and impact. This initiative was taken up by different Australian universities with varying levels of commitment, capacity, and cash. Sandra's confidence was well-placed. UTS was indeed a leader in Indigenous higher education with senior Indigenous appointments, culturally sensitive provisions for Indigenous students including plans for purpose-built accommodation. Deb had arrived at UTS in a dynamic new role as Associate Dean of Engagement and Innovation in the Faculty of Arts and Social Science (FASS), with a vision for establishing the conditions for the possibility of connection across the towering, concrete silos of the university sector. Key to her undertaking were the crossings between humanities, arts, and social sciences (HASS) and science, technology, engineering, and medicine (STEM), between academic and non-academic staff, as well as early career and senior scholars. Another significant task was to bolster the links between the public and the academy, built on the belief that academics have particular responsibility to "make connections" (professionally, ideationally, socially) beyond their own individual experiences and standpoints.