A research effort will be made in the Hunter to improve the health of First Nations people.
The project, titled "Research Our Way", aims to set a new standard for the national tertiary sector.
It is a collaboration between the University of Newcastle, Awabakal Limited, Hunter Medical Research Institute and Hunter New England Health.
Professor Kelvin Kong, a Worimi man and surgeon, said "community involvement" was crucial to the project, which includes a five-year action plan and community panel.
Nathan Towney, a Wiradjuri man and the university's pro-vice chancellor, said Indigenous people had co-designed the project.
"Historically, our people have been more likely to be research subjects. We want to change that," Mr Towney said.
He said the project "starts to shift those power dynamics" to ensure Indigenous people "are the ones who get to say what gets researched and how it is researched".
Raylene Gordon, of Hunter New England Health, said "research our way means valuing our way of knowing and doing".
She added it was about "educating others to respect this is not something you can do without our people".
Jason Smith, CEO of Awabakal Ltd, said it was good to have a diverse group of Aboriginal people with "expertise in health" that researchers could access.
"It will make a huge difference in how mob can benefit from research," Mr Smith said.
Gamilaraay woman and university partner Yeena Thompson said it was time for "the research field to understand Indigenous health in a more holistic way".
"Our concept of health is inseparable from, and entwined with, country, family, spirituality and cultural practices," Ms Thompson said.
