50 years of The Australian Journal of Indigenous Education: A bibliometric retrospective

Amara Atif; José Merigó; Bronwyn Fredericks; Martin Nakata; Katelyn Barney

doi:10.55146/ajie.v54i2.2030

Authors

Amara Atif University of Technology Sydney https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0381-0343
José Merigó University of Technology Sydney https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4672-6961
Bronwyn Fredericks The University of Queensland
Martin Nakata James Cook University https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0979-8253
Katelyn Barney The University of Queensland https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9306-6225

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.55146/ajie.v54i2.2030

Keywords:

Indigenous education, bibliometrics, Scopus, Web of Science

Abstract

This comprehensive bibliometric analysis of The Australian Journal of Indigenous Education (AJIE) traces its development and scholarly influence from 1973 to 2023, highlighting its evolution from a focus on Aboriginal education to a broader scope encompassing Indigenous education across Australia and Oceania. Leveraging data from Scopus and Web of Science, this analysis examines AJIE’s publication and citation trends, influential articles, leading authors and institutions, and thematic progressions within the journal. The findings demonstrate AJIE’s significant national influence, supported by substantial contributions from Australian institutions, along with a meaningful, albeit smaller, presence of international research, particularly from New Zealand, Canada and the United States. The shift to open access and inclusion in prominent academic indexes has furthered AJIE’s accessibility and citation reach, solidifying its status as a primary publication in Indigenous education scholarship.

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Author Biographies

Amara Atif, University of Technology Sydney

Dr Amara Atif is a Senior Lecturer in the School of Computer Science, Faculty of Engineering and Information Technology, at the University of Technology Sydney. Her research and teaching focus is on educational technology, human–computer interaction, learning analytics and artificial intelligence in education. Amara’s teaching practice is distinguished by creativity, inclusivity and cross-cultural awareness, and she has embedded the faculty’s Indigenous Graduate Attribute (IGA) into curriculum design. She has published widely in high-impact journals and international conferences, and contributes actively to the academic community as a reviewer, program committee member and special issue editor. Amara has received multiple Vice-Chancellor’s Teaching and Learning Awards in recognition of her innovation and leadership in higher education.

José Merigó, University of Technology Sydney

José M. Merigó is a Full Professor at the School of Computer Science, Faculty of Engineering and Information Technology, University of Technology Sydney, Australia. He has published more than 500 articles in journals, books and conference proceedings. He is or has been on the editorial board of several journals and has been guest editor and reviewer for a wide range of international journals. Clarivate Analytics has distinguished him as Highly Cited Researcher in Computer Science (2015–2020) and Cross-Field (2021–present). He has also appeared in many other international rankings including the Standford/Elsevier Top 2% Scientists List, Research.com, ScholarGPS and AD Scientific Index. He is currently interested in decision making, aggregation operators, computational intelligence, business analytics, bibliometrics, and applications in business, economics and social sciences.

Bronwyn Fredericks, The University of Queensland

Professor Bronwyn Fredericks is Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Indigenous Engagement) at The University of Queensland, home of The Australian Journal of Indigenous Education. She has over 30 years of experience working in and with the tertiary sector, state and federal governments, and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community-based organisations. Bronwyn is a member of the Australian Institute of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies (AIATSIS) Research Advisory Committee, the Beyond Blue National Research Advisory Committee and the Australian Research Council’s (ARC) College of Experts. She is a National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Higher Education Consortium (NATSIHEC) representative for Universities Australia. As well as being a judge for Queensland’s Australian of the Year Award, Bronwyn sits on numerous other Queensland and national annual awards committees.

Martin Nakata, James Cook University

Professor Martin Nakata is Deputy Vice-Chancellor Indigenous Education and Strategy at James Cook University. He is a leading Indigenous academic in Australia, and the first Torres Strait Islander to graduate with a PhD. Professor Nakata has been the co-editor of The Australian Journal of Indigenous Education for over 10 years, and continues to serve on editorial boards of academic journals in several countries, as well as in Australia.

Katelyn Barney, The University of Queensland

Katelyn Barney is an Associate Professor in the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies Unit and affiliated with the School of Music at The University of Queensland. She is also the Managing Editor of The Australian Journal of Indigenous Education. Her research focuses on improving pathways for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students into and through higher education and advancing understanding about the role of collaborative research and music making between Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander and non-Indigenous people. She has published across these areas and her edited book titled Musical Collaboration between Indigenous and non-Indigenous People in Australia: Exchanges in the Third Space (Routledge) received the Ellen Koskoff Edited Volume Prize.

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