Submission to the Senate Committee Study on Accessibility to Post Secondary Education in Canada
June 16, 2010
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Capacity Building Project
To date the Aboriginal Institutes Consortium has contracted a researcher who consulted with all member institutes’ board of directors and agreement amongst members was achieved to move forward with the Capacity Building Project.
The following objectives have been achieved;
- A new governance model has been developed and adopted by all members.
- FNTI has taken the lead developing a Data Management System that will be used by all member institutes.
- Kenjgewin Teg Education Institute has begun to develop an Academic Plan for all member institutes which will allow for more collaboration and joint planning for delivery of programs.
- Seven Generations Education Institute has begun to also develop a tool/survey to be used for measuring student success and academic/employment goals when completing programs and services offered by each Aboriginal Institute within the AIC consortium.
- Public relation documents have been developed to improve the presence of the Aboriginal Institutes at public forums.
Consolidated Funding Approach for Aboriginal Institutions
The Minister of Training, Colleges and Universities announced on March 31, 2009 that a new funding approach for Aboriginal Institutes would replace the Aboriginal Education and Training Strategy (AETS) and consolidate MTCU’s Aboriginal post secondary education investments, including Access to Opportunities and other special purpose grants. This lead to the creation of multi-year funding available to Aboriginal post-secondary education training institutions in the amount of $3.8 million per year for 2009-2012.
For the first time the Aboriginal Institutions were eligible to receive Access to Opportunities Funds and for the first time a multi-year funding model has been developed with direct input from the Aboriginal Institutes within the consortium. The Aboriginal Institutions were then able to have access to this funding based on their program delivery plans for the present year and the next two years. The Aboriginal Institutes Consortium worked closely with the Aboriginal Education Office (MTCU) in developing the new funding approach and will continue to work closely with them towards our recognition goals.
Expected Outcomes:
Aboriginal Institutes are required to develop new or use existing tools to track results of ministry investments in the following areas:
- Increase the number of Aboriginal Learners who access and participate in post-secondary education and training programs;
- Increase the number of Aboriginal Learners completing post-secondary education and training programs resulting in degrees, diplomas and certificates and apprenticeship certification;
- Support and Improve Aboriginal Learners’ transition from secondary to post-secondary education, and pathways from post-secondary education and training to the workforce or continued educational attainment;
- Strengthen partnerships and collaboration in promoting Aboriginal learners access to and success in post-secondary education and training.
Communications and Presentations
Association of Canadian Community Colleges, Thunder Bay
The AIC was invited to make a presentation to the forum at the Winnipeg ACCC conference. The AIC presentation profiled each of the institutions in the consortium. An introduction was also made as to the goals and work being completed on the roadmap to recognition. A positive response was received from many of the ACCC members. Presentation by Rebecca Jamieson.
The Aboriginal Institutes Consortium was invited to participate in a roundtable discussion on the international trend towards the creation of indigenously run colleges and universities. Each speaker was given ten minutes to talk about the Indigenous Institutes key developments, current issues, relations with government and any specific areas of interest.
The audience was comprised of Canadian federal public servants (Indian and Northern Affairs, Service Canada, Heritage Canada, Justice Canada etc.) with a policy interest in education, labour market and social policy issues as they pertain to Aboriginal Peoples in Canada. The purpose of the event was to provide federal policy makers with some understanding of the accomplishments of Indigenous Institutions of Higher Education and the challenges they face. Presentation delivered by Delbert Horton