Barbara Beacham, Lowitja Institute
 The Lowitja Institute which was named after its Patron Dr Lowitja O'Donoghue, respected champion of Aboriginal rights, was launched in February 2010 and is a national, not-for-profit organisation.
The Institute, which aims to reduce health inequalities that exist among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities, brings together Aboriginal organisations, research institutions and government agencies to facilitate evidence-based research into Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health.
The Institute will achieve its aims by:
- working with Australia's leading health research institutions, policymakers and community organisations to ensure world class health research is targeted at areas where it can have the most impact in improving the health and lives of Australia's Indigenous peoples
- ensuring that research outcomes are disseminated widely through knowledge exchange, and that promising innovations identified by research are implemented and evaluated
- collaborating with Australian educational/training organisations to support the expansion of a professional Indigenous health - and health research - workforce.
The Lowitja Institute incorporates the new Cooperative Research Centre for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health (CRCATSIH). The CRCATSIH commenced in January 2010 following the successful bid by its predecessor - the Cooperative Research Centre for Aboriginal Health (CRCAH) - for an extension of funding to June 2014, under the Australian Government's Cooperative Research Centres' Program.
The CRCATSIH has developed three new research and development programs to take the organisation through to June 2014. The programs are as follows:
- Program 1: Healthy Start, Healthy Life
- Program 2: Healthy Communities and Settings
- Program 3: Enabling Policy and Systems.
These programs build upon the work of the CRCAH carried out between 2003 and 2009.
For more information on the Institute and the CRCATSIH programs please visit the website at: <www.lowitja.org.au>
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