The name of the centre, Nura Gili, is in the language of the Eora people. Nura means place and Gili is fire/light. The phrase is significant for the Indigenous programs at UNSW for many reasons. The theme of place is important to the many and varied cultures of Indigenous Australia. UNSW is nearby an 8,000 year old campsite, found within the grounds of the Prince of Wales Hospital, around which people would have taught culture, history and subsistence. The concept is that there is a place in UNSW where a fire has been burning and where people can gather and share.

Nura Gili also teaches 15 courses through a range of disciplines. These courses take an integrative, cross-disciplinary approach to the understanding of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander lives, cultures and histories. Courses cover aspects such as anthropology, Aboriginal language and literature, race relations, politics, religion, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander perspectives and Indigenous knowledge systems.