Course Overview
As a Diploma of Indigenous Entrepreneurship and Innovation student, you will embark on a culturally enriched educational journey designed to blend traditional knowledge with modern business practices. You will have the opportunity to apply theoretical concepts in practical ways, enhancing your entrepreneurial abilities. This program will equip you with applied entrepreneurship and digital business skills, preparing you to navigate the dynamic landscapes of today’s markets. Throughout your studies, you will engage directly with diverse businesses and organisations, participating in real-world projects that will enrich your learning and deepen your practical understanding. One of the unique aspects of this program is the support you will receive from Indigenous industry professionals. These Industry coaches will guide your learning journey, offering insights and experiences that bridge educational concepts with real-world applications. You will acquire essential lifelong skills such as critical thinking and problem-solving, which are pivotal for personal and professional growth. This program is not just about academic learning; it’s about preparing you for the real world with an Indigenous lens applied to business practices.
Career Information
The Diploma of Indigenous Entrepreneurship and Innovation provides Indigenous students with applied business skills, encouraging innovation. The diploma provides the opportunity for meaningful contributions and advancements in the business world by Indigenous entrepreneurs.
| Duration | 2 years full-time or 4 years part-time or 2 years maximum |
|---|---|
| Credit Points that Must be Earned | 48 |
| Number of Units Required | CQUniversity uses the concept of credits to express the amount of study required for a particular course and individual units. The number of units varies between courses. Units in undergraduate courses normally consist of 6 points of credit or multiples thereof (e.g. 12, 18, 24). |
| Expected Hours of Study | One point of credit is equivalent to an expectation of approximately two hours of student work per week in a term. |
| Course Type | Undergraduate Award |
| Qualification (post nominal) | DipBus |
| AQF Level | Level 5: Diploma |
| Course Fees |
Indicative Year - 2026
Indicative Year - 2025
|
Admission Codes
|
Domestic Students Tertiary Admission Centre Codes (TAC) Codes |
Not Applicable |
|---|---|
|
International Students CRICOS Codes |
Not Applicable |
Domestic Availability
-
Hyperflexible Annual Term - 2027
-
Hyperflexible Annual Term - 2025
-
Hyperflexible Annual Term - 2026
Overseas Availabilities
-
Hyperflexible Annual Term - 2027
-
Hyperflexible Annual Term - 2025
-
Hyperflexible Annual Term - 2026
| Rank Threshold | SR 50 | ATAR 50 |
| Rank Cut-Off | SR 50 | ATAR 50 |
To be eligible for entry into this course, applicants must:
- Identify as an Australian First Nations person.
This will be negotiated with the Head of Course and the facilitator to ensure an appropriate study plan is prepared for the student. There will so be alignment with an Industry coach to support the students on their learning journey.
Be Different
- Indicative Year - 2026
- Commonwealth Supported Place – Indicative First Year Fee - $18,750
- Domestic Full Fee Paying – Indicative First Year Fee - $19,700
- Indicative Year - 2025
- Commonwealth Supported Place – Indicative First Year Fee - $16,992
- Domestic Full Fee Paying – Indicative First Year Fee - $18,288
Higher Education
Awards and Accreditation
| Interim Awards | Not applicable |
|---|---|
| Exit Awards | Not applicable |
| Accreditation |
|
Residential School Requirements
No Residential School for this course.
Practicum/Work Placement
| Not applicable |
Previous and Current Enrolments
| Year | Number of Students |
|---|---|
| 2025 | 5 |
Please note that in some instances there may be similarities between course, entry and inherent requirements.
If you experience difficulties meeting these requirements, reasonable adjustments may be made upon contacting accessibility@cqu.edu.au. Adjustment must not compromise the academic integrity of the degree or course chosen at CQUniversity or the legal requirements of field education.
Examples are:
- Complying with academic and non-academic misconduct policies and procedures such as CQUniversity's Student Charter, Student Misconduct Policy and Student Behavioural Misconduct Procedures, and Assessment Policy and Procedure (Higher Education Coursework).
- Demonstrating honesty and integrity in academic and professional practice.
- Critically reflecting on ethical dilemmas and issues and take responsibility for ethically correct decisions and/or ensuring awareness of applicable ethical thinking and behaviour.
Examples are:
- Being reflective with personal behaviours appropriate for professional performance and being positive and receptive to processing constructive feedback or criticism from peers, supervisors, and/or lecturers.
- Successfully processing and coping with your own emotions and behaviour when dealing with individuals in educational and professional environments.
Examples are:
- Verbally communicating in the English language with accuracy, appropriateness and effectiveness.
- Actively participating in discussion activities related to the course.
- Using language that is appropriate to the context of the individual, group or workplace.
- Establishing rapport with others in the study and practice of business and responding appropriately to peers, teaching staff, clients, supervisors and other professionals.
- Observing and understanding non-verbal cues to assist with building rapport with people and gaining their trust and respect in academic and professional relationships.
- Consistently displaying appropriate facial expressions, eye contact, body movements and gestures while being mindful of personal space boundaries.
- Being aware of culturally-based differences in non-verbal communications, to ensure effective, culturally appropriate interpersonal communications.
- Competently and appropriately producing written assessment work in a logical, coherent manner, and with correct grammar and punctuation to the required academic standards.
- Expressing complex and detailed information and knowledge in logical and legible essays and reports that clearly communicate the intended message, and doing so in a timely manner, meeting appropriate professional standards.
- Accurately conveying and documenting information in a written form that meets legal and professional practice requirements.
Examples are:
- Conceptualising and using appropriate knowledge in response to academic assessment items.\
- Applying theoretical knowledge, research evidence, policies and procedures in academic and professional practice.
- Constructing written text proficiently, in English, using appropriate vocabulary and conventions of speech, including being able to paraphrase, summarise and reference in accordance with appropriate academic conventions.
- Competently reading, writing and accurately interpreting information to convey language effectively in educational and professional settings.
- Producing accurate, concise and clear business documentation which meets legal requirements.
- Demonstrating effective use of numeracy skills to perform a range of business functions.
- Applying numeracy skills to interpret and solve a range of mathematical and data-related problems associated with a range of business practices.
- Producing accurate, concise and clear business documentation which meets legal requirements.
Examples are:
- Development of active listening skills to facilitate effective communication, avoid miscommunication and arrive at accurate conclusions.
- Patience and avoiding or diffusing interpersonal conflict.
- Trustworthiness and confidentiality.
- Approachability and warmth to facilitate communication and encourage innovation and mutual cooperation.
- Communicate effectively with a variety of clients, using a range of communication skills and tools.
Examples are:
- Demonstrating an understanding of how theory as well as personal, social and cultural experiences relate to practice or personal or professional knowledge.
- Discovering and challenging own underlying assumptions.
- Making connections between personal and work experiences and what is being learnt.
Examples are:
- Having emotional intelligence to understand the needs and feelings of others.
- Having the ability to work in a team.
- Being able to communicate effectively with your peers, using a variety of media, such as oral and written communications.
- Having emotional intelligence to understand the needs and feelings of others.
Examples are:
- Competently and ethically using prescribed Artificial Intelligence systems.
- Competently using a desktop operating system such as Microsoft Windows or Mac OS X.
- Competently using productivity software such as Microsoft Office.
- Competently using the internet for a range of study and business related activities.
- Operating associated electronic technologies such as (but not limited to) digital scanners, copiers, cameras and video cameras, a tablet computer or a mobile phone in the professional business environment.
- 1. Employ appropriate technology solutions, including data integrity systems and current technologies for success in business
- 2. Construct communication strategies that support social responsibility and social impact on the business and the owner's community
- 3. Interpret data to inform and drive decision-making and problem-solving in business
- 4. Integrate evidence-based frameworks to support entrepreneurial mindset practices
- 5. Employ strategies of a sustainable business owner
- 6. Critically analyse innovative practices for sustainable business processes
- 7. Describe business process management for automation in business
- 8. Evaluate the effectiveness of various digital communication strategies in diverse contexts.
| Course Learning Outcomes | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Australian Qualifications Framework Descriptors | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 |
| 1. KNOWLEDGE Have technical and theoretical knowledge and concepts, with depth in some areas within a field of work and learning | ||||||||
| 2. SKILLS Have cognitive and communication skills to identify, analyse, synthesise and act on information from a range of sources | ||||||||
| 3. SKILLS Have cognitive, technical and communication skills to analyse, plan, design and evaluate approaches to unpredictable problems and/or management requirements | ||||||||
| 4. SKILLS Have specialist technical and creative skills to express ideas and perspectives | ||||||||
| 5. SKILLS Have communication skills to transfer knowledge and specialised skills to others and demonstrate understanding of knowledge | ||||||||
| 6. APPLICATION OF KNOWLEDGE & SKILLS Demonstrate application with depth in some areas of specialisation, in known or changing contexts | ||||||||
| 7. APPLICATION OF KNOWLEDGE & SKILLS Be able to transfer and apply theoretical concepts and/or technical and/or creative skills in a range of situations | ||||||||
| 8. APPLICATION OF KNOWLEDGE & SKILLS Demonstrate personal responsibility and autonomy in performing complex technical operations with responsibility for own outputs in relation to broad parameters for quantity and quality | ||||||||
| 9. APPLICATION OF KNOWLEDGE & SKILLS Demonstrate initiative and judgement to organise the work of self and others and plan, coordinate and evaluate the work of teams within broad but generally well- defined parameters | ||||||||
| 10. FOUNDATIONAL KNOWLEDGE sufficient to undertake qualifications | ||||||||
| 11. ACQUISITION AND APPLICATION of knowledge in new or existing disciplines or professional areas drawn from higher education units | ||||||||
| 12. FOUNDATIONAL SKILLS sufficient to undertake qualifications | ||||||||
| 13. ACQUISITION AND APPLICATION of skills in new or existing disciplines or professional areas drawn from higher education units | ||||||||
| 14. Course content drawn from higher education units | ||||||||
| KNOWLEDGE Develop an understanding and appreciation of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and culture in contemporary and historical context using the respectful and appropriate protocols and terminology | ||||||||
- Complete the core structure
| Number of units: 8 | Total credit points: 48 |
|---|
The Diploma of Indigenous Entrepreneurship and Innovation is a unique program that offers a culturally sensitive and dynamic educational journey. The content is co-designed with the guidance of an Indigenous reference group. The program is hosted on the Be Different platform, chosen for its flexibility and commitment to a culturally safe learning environment. This choice reflects our dedication to a non-traditional, adaptable approach, allowing students to engage with the course material at their own pace and in a way that aligns with their personal learning style and cultural context. To enhance the program’s effectiveness, we propose an innovative mentorship strategy where students are paired with Indigenous Industry mentors. These mentors provide close, personalised guidance throughout the Diploma journey, extending beyond academic support to include real-world business experiences and insights. This approach aligns with the students’ cultural needs and commitments, laying the groundwork for robust professional networks and opening doors to future career and entrepreneurial opportunities. This strategic framework fosters the growth of tomorrow’s Indigenous business leaders in a nurturing, practical, and culturally sensitive learning environment.
Pathway for Student Progression
The following is an example of a learning pathway for a student with a Diploma in Indigenous Entrepreneurship and Innovation.
This proposed pathway would be recommended for students with a business idea or who are in the growth stage of their business. The foundation units may be taken in any order, depending on the student's needs.
The entry unit is assumed to be the sustainable entrepreneur mindset, as it enables students to clearly articulate their business ideas or actions to grow their business. The student would be encouraged to complete the units, such as planning for strategic success or concurrent community social impact and engagement. This is to provide a strong cultural representation of their business or growth action plans. On completion, the student would then be recommended to complete the units, such as Entrepreneurial Life design and Effective storytelling for entrepreneurs. This combination would assist the student in completing yarns and producing artifacts (as a part of their assessments) that will enable their progression within their business journey.
The head of course and industry coach would review the student's needs and progression to evaluate the next part of their learning journey. The suggested grouping of units is as follows.
Entrepreneur Foundations units
NUP146203 - Sustainable Entrepreneur Mindset
NUP146309 - Planning for Strategic Success
NUP146321 - Entrepreneurial Life Design
NUP146368 - Community Social Impact and Engagement.
Entrepreneur Strengthen units
NUP146515 - The 4 Ps of Business (Process, Production, Precision and Protection)
NUP146499- Effective Storytelling for Entrepreneurs
NUP146516 - The ABCs (Analysis, Bias and Connections) of Big Data
NUP146517 - The Innovation Culture.