Curtin University in Western Australia has announced the appointment of Associate Professor Tuguy Esgin, a Noongar Yamatji man as their new Dean of Indigenous Engagement in its Faculty of Business and Law.

Esgin brings two decades of experience in championing the well-being and academic success of Indigenous communities.

In announcing the appointment Professor Vanessa Chang, Pro Vice-Chancellor of Curtin's Faculty of Business and Law reflected on Esgin's ongoing focus to help develop Indigenous students.

"Tuguy joins Curtin with 20 years of experience working with educational institutions to develop and promote the success and well-being of Indigenous students, staff and communities,"

The Pro Vice-Chancellor said that Esgin was an "inspiring example of the transformational power of higher education," noting that Esgin himself has overcome significant hurdles, including finding an alternative pathway into university.

Committed to embedding Aboriginal ways of knowing, being, and doing in academia, Esgin believes these traditional approaches are not supplementary but central to creating a more inclusive educational setting.

"This position is not merely a job for me; it's a calling. I view it as a platform from which to champion a more nuanced, strength-based understanding of Indigenous success and well-being in higher education," he said.

"I will seek to actively engage with both Indigenous and non-Indigenous communities to build bridges of understanding and cooperation."

Esgin's appointment comes with a breadth of academic experience, including senior positions at the University of Sydney and the University of New South Wales. He has been an active advocate in Indigenous engagement and holds a PhD in Exercise Science, a Master of Business Administration, and a Master and Bachelor of Health Science (Indigenous Community Health).

At the University of Sydney, he coordinated the Remote and Rural Enterprise program, connecting students with Indigenous enterprises in Australia and Southeast Asia. He also played a significant role in founding the Indigenous Engagement Alliance at the University of New South Wales.

"I look forward to not just steering but co-creating the faculty's Indigenous engagement strategy in collaboration with a broad range of stakeholders," Esgin stated.