A Charles Sturt University (CSU) expert in leadership has called on the tertiary education sector to increase participation by Indigenous Australians in business studies to boost indigenous economic development.

Dr Michelle Evans, a senior lecturer in leadership with CSU's School of Management and Marketing, is the chief investigator on an Australian Research Council Linkage project examining Australian Indigenous Entrepreneurial Leadership.

Before joining CSU this year, Dr Evans set up the MURRA Indigenous Business Master Class program which gives established Indigenous entrepreneurs a sample of postgraduate business study and helps to develop social and business networks among entrepreneurs.

She said a new generation of Indigenous business leaders were learning to lead national debate in this area, but more opportunities were needed across the tertiary education sector.

"There is a generation of Indigenous entrepreneurs who are really turning the tide and reconceptualising what it means to themselves to be a successful Aboriginal person in Australia today," she said.

"But at a broader level, there are not many Indigenous students going through undergraduate or postgraduate business education.

"If we're going to make a positive difference by encouraging  independent Indigenous economic growth, we really need to throw open the doors of our business schools so we can empower people with the knowledge and social capital to succeed in business."

CSU Faculty of Business course director Dr Calvin Wang said the Faculty enrolled its first dedicated Indigenous cohort in the Bachelor of Business (Management) last year with this aim of empowerment in mind.

"Many of our Indigenous students hold positions in  health, community support and government organisations, but haven't had the formal business and management education needed to take on the challenges inherent in senior management positions," he said.

"Our degree delivers mainstream business and management education but with tailored academic, administrative and student support for Indigenous students. Providing this tailored support is critical as our students have signed up to a four year program (part-time) and have to fit this in with full-time employment, family and community commitments."   

"The need for business education is clear, and this year's new Indigenous cohort has grown considerably on word of mouth. In fact, we are likely to add a second intake in July this year." 

Dr Evans said CSU's focus on applied learning and innovative use of online technology allowed it to work with larger cohorts of Indigenous students especially those in regional and remote locations.

"I'm really excited about the possibilities of working with communities across the Wiradjuri nation, and Indigenous communities around Australia," she said.