Fanshawe signs Indigenous Education Protocol


Fanshawe College celebrated indigenous education and signed Colleges and Institutes Canada’s Indigenous Education Protocol on January 15, making a commitment to improving indigenous education at the college.

In signing the protocol, Fanshawe agreed to make indigenous education a priority, to increase the number of indigenous employees and to ensure that governance structures respect and recognize indigenous people, among other commitments.

“It’s an important step in confirming our commitment to aboriginal education and aboriginal learning and working with our aboriginal communities,” said Cathie Auger, vice-president of student services.

Students in the First Nations Studies program at Fanshawe were also at the event, displaying their works.

“It’s a huge step for Fanshawe to take, especially with all the surrounding nations within the Fanshawe area,” said Robyn van Oirschot, a co-chair in the Aboriginal Education Council at Fanshawe.

She says the protocol will give a stronger voice to Aboriginal Education Councils in all the institutes across Canada that signed the document.

“I think it’s going to maybe make the partnership between the First Nations Centre, the Aboriginal Education Council and Fanshawe College stronger, and maybe we’ll be coming up with better initiatives and services for aboriginal students,” she said.

Some of Fanshawe’s long-term goals to improve indigenous education at the college include attracting more indigenous students, assisting indigenous students in transitioning from secondary school to college and increasing the number of indigenous students who graduate.

Auger says that Fanshawe has had an aboriginal education council for about 20 years and a First Nations centre for almost as long.

The college launched its First Nations Studies program in 2011. It signed an articulation agreement with Western University in 2014, allowing First Nations Studies students at Fanshawe to transfer credits towards the First Nations Studies degree at Western.

“We’ve been focused on aboriginal education and supporting aboriginal learning for a long time,” Auger said. “This is just a statement of our commitment.”