NEWS RELEASE
LAKEHEAD UNIVERSITY
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The presidents from Lakehead University, Confederation College, and Canadore College signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) via Zoom on Friday, Feb. 12 to encourage and facilitate educational opportunities for Indigenous transfer students.
Click here to watch the virtual signing event.
The five-year MOU comes after these post-secondary institutions collaborated on several recent projects funded by the Ontario Council on Articulation and Transfer (ONCAT) exploring the enhancement of wrap-around supports for Indigenous transfer students. These are team-based supports that ensure the post-secondary institutions understand each student's strengths and provide a network of holistic support.
“It’s great to see colleges and universities finding ways to work together to support students in the north,” said the Honourable Ross Romano, Minister of Colleges and Universities. “With support from ONCAT, the ability for Indigenous students to transfer easily and gain a post-secondary credential will strengthen the well-being and economy of Indigenous communities.”
“ONCAT is thrilled to collaborate with our partners at Lakehead University, Canadore College, and Confederation College to improve access to programs and degrees — and reduce cultural barriers to success — for Indigenous transfer students,” said Yvette Munro, Executive Director of ONCAT. “This unique partnership will find new and better ways to support Indigenous students and enrich our learning as a transfer system.”
Specifically, projects led by Lakehead University’s Office of Indigenous Initiatives, Confederation College’s Negahneewin Research Centre (formerly Centre for Policy and Research in Indigenous Learning), and Canadore College’s First Peoples’ Centre have listened to learners, support staff, influencers, and community members.
“We are always pleased to partner with fellow post-secondary institutions that share our vision of excellence in education and support of student success,” said Kathleen Lynch, President of Confederation College. “Through our formalized relationship with Canadore College and Lakehead University on this project, we look forward to reducing barriers and increasing supports for Indigenous transfer students.”
The MOU outlines how the schools intend to collaborate in planning for, developing, and establishing a seamless transfer agreement to strengthen retention of Indigenous transfer students at each school.
“Canadore has a proud history of commitment to Indigenous students by offering programs and services based on cultural values and practices,” said Canadore College President and CEO George Burton. “This partnership carries on that tradition and creates exciting new educational opportunities for Indigenous learners.”
The schools intend to explore the cultivation of inter- and intra-institutional academic and cultural support for Indigenous transfer students.
“Lakehead University’s commitment to social responsibility recognizes the importance of our role as a regional university in making a difference to all the communities we serve," said Lakehead University President and Vice-Chancellor, Dr. Moira McPherson. "This MOU further demonstrates our continuing and collective commitment to encouraging and facilitating education opportunities for Indigenous learners."
The first point of contact for student-transfer-focused collaboration will be the Coordinator of Indigenous Outreach and Recruitment, Indigenous Initiatives at Lakehead University, the Registrar and Director, Strategic Enrolment Services at Canadore College, and the Registrar at Confederation College.
The schools will establish an internal and external working group. The external working group will consist of the Vice-Provost, Indigenous Initiatives, the Coordinator of Indigenous Student Services Centre, and the Coordinator of Indigenous Outreach and Recruitment at Lakehead University, who will meet with designate(s) from Canadore College and designate(s) from Confederation College to make progress on the principles of the MOU.
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