Indigenous Student Graduations

Cultural Sashing Ceremonies

Each year, we see many of our graduating students from the Cairns and Townsville campuses attend the Sashing Ceremony prior to their official graduation.

Graduating students who identify as Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander are entitled to wear a cultural sash that identifies their cultural heritage as being Aboriginal, Torres Strait Islander or both. The sash is placed around the wearer's neck by the Chancellor at a dedicated ceremony that takes place in a side-room within the graduation venue. It is worn over the graduation gown for the official graduation ceremony, and can also be worn at formal academic ceremonies. Family and friends are also invited to attend this intimate event.

JCU Graduation celebrations

The number of Indigenous students completing their studies at JCU has more than doubled in the past four years, with 136 students finishing in 2019.

In 2016, 54 Indigenous students completed their studies at JCU and that number has increased year on year, to 75 in 2017, and 105 in 2018.

56 Indigenous students were among the 1192 students that graduated from their studies in tropical health and medicine in 2019.

Find out more about JCU Graduations