Institute for
Social Science Research
2024 ANNUAL REPORT
The Institute for Social Science Research acknowledges the Traditional Owners and their custodianship of the lands on which The University of Queensland operates. We pay our respects to their Ancestors and their descendants, who continue cultural and spiritual connections to Country.
About ISSR
The Institute for Social Science Research (ISSR) is one of Australia’s foremost leaders in solution-focused research and evaluation to support equity and sustainable futures.
Our modern, outward looking social science research workforce conducts solution-focused research and evaluation in partnership with government and the private and not-for-profit sectors to support translation of research findings into policy and practice. We tailor our services to meet the specific needs of our partners, offering flexible and responsive support to address your unique challenges and priorities.
Our current and emerging research centres on social policy, health, education, employment, social justice, families and communities; viewed through the lens of inequity, place, ethnic and cultural diversity, and the life course.
ISSR is also the administrative headquarters for the Australian Research Council (ARC) Centre of Excellence for Children and Families over the Life Course (LCC) and is affiliated with the Stillbirth Centre of Research Excellence.
Message from
OUR DIRECTOR
As ISSR Director, I am pleased to present our 2024 Annual Report. This year has demonstrated our Institute's remarkable resilience and productivity despite mounting budgetary pressures across the sector.
We completed our future planning initiatives and finalised ISSR's new Strategic Intent, set to launch in 2025. Another significant milestone was the appointment of our new Advisory Board, focused on supporting ISSR's research excellence in our dynamic external environment, complemented by the refresh of our website to better showcase our research and evaluation capabilities.
Our partnerships with government, private, and not-for-profit sectors continued to flourish as we delivered solution-focused social science research and evaluation. I am particularly pleased to report new collaborations with the Queensland Department of Families, Seniors, Disability Services and Child Safety, Queensland Police Service, and the National Indigenous Australians Agency.
One of our most important achievements has been our advancement in Indigenous engagement. Throughout 2024, we collaborated with six Indigenous research partners and completed nine related projects while enhancing cultural awareness within ISSR. Our commitment to reconciliation represents an ongoing journey, with more details presented in the relevant section below. These accomplishments reflect the unwavering dedication of our staff and students.
ISSR continues to provide a distinctive academic environment that fosters innovation and adaptability in response to our partners' evolving needs and global challenges. I am proud that we are cultivating an outward-looking, social science research workforce that combines commercial acumen with research excellence to drive positive social change.
In an increasingly uncertain world, the relevance of social sciences has never been more pronounced.
As Director, I am confident that ISSR will continue to serve as a trusted partner, working across sectors to build a more sustainable future.
2024 SNAPSHOT
PARTNERS
State Government
- Health and Wellbeing Queensland
- Queensland Department of Families, Seniors, Disability Services and Child Safety
- Queensland Department of Education
- Queensland Government Department of the Environment, Tourism, Science and Innovation
- Queensland Department of Justice
- Queensland Department of Transport and Main Roads
- Queensland Government Department of Treaty, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Partnerships, Communities and the Arts
- Queensland Health
- Queensland Police Service
Commonwealth Government
- Department of Social Services
- Department of Education
- Department of Health and Aged Care
- Department of Home Affairs
- National Indigenous Australians Agency
University
- University of Glasgow
- Australian National University
- University of New South Wales
- The University of Queensland
Research Council
- Australian Research Council
Other
- Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Housing Queensland
- Australian Research Data Commons Ltd
- Brisbane South Primary Health Network Ltd
- Brisbane Youth Service Inc
- Inala Community House
- Multicultural Australia
- Red Nose Limited
- The Bryan Foundation
- Stillbirth Foundation Australia
RECONCILIATION JOURNEY
At its heart, reconciliation is about strengthening relationships between Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and non-Indigenous peoples, for the benefit of all Australians.
ISSR recognises the significant contributions that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander staff, students, organisations, and community have made and continue to make to UQ, Australia and our global society. Our vision is to build a strong sense of belonging and inclusivity that works respectfully with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students, staff, and communities, in learning, research, and collaboration.
Since 2023, ISSR has made significant progress in raising cultural awareness within the Institute and effected transformative change in our approach to Indigenous engagement. Our first RAP Implementation Plan 2023–24 incorporated 17 Actions and outlined our commitment to advancing our reconciliation journey and ISSR has made significant progress across the actions, with all but four achieved.
We are particularly proud that 75% of our staff have completed the first three Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Core Cultural Learning Modules, and 50% have completed all 10 Modules – UQ currently only requires staff to complete the first two Modules.
ISSR also renewed its Advisory Board in 2024, with inclusion of Indigenous Board member representation for the first time. We have initiated a strong research portfolio in engagement with First Nations communities – engaging with six Indigenous research partners and completing nine related projects in 2024. Notably, the Institute contributed seven research papers on the historical context of Indigenous affairs in Queensland to inform the submission of the Department of Treaty, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Partnerships, Communities and the Arts to the Queensland Truth-Telling and Healing Inquiry.
ISSR has also led the evaluation of the Joint Decision-Making processes adopted by the Empowered Communities partnership for the National Indigenous Australians Agency, which involved working with ten Indigenous communities, and a wide range of community leaders, organisations, and researchers.
ISSR’s commitment to improving the wellbeing of Indigenous people and communities is central to our future priorities, with Indigenous engagement established as one of five priority pillars in our new Strategic Intent. We remain committed to reconciliation, supporting constitutional recognition, truth telling and healing, and a path to treaty – all while recognising that this will require continuous and ongoing learning.
In 2025 we will develop our implementation plan to support UQ’s new Stretch Reconciliation Action Plan (January 2025 to December 2027) and its vision of a fair, equal and inclusive society in which both Indigenous and non-Indigenous people are united for a better future.
Financials
Consolidated Income and Expenditure Statement 2022–2024
Institute for Social Science Research
The University of Queensland
80 Meiers Road, Indooroopilly
Queensland 4068 Australia
T +61 7 3346 7471
E issr@uq.edu.au
W issr.uq.edu.au
