IRI Strategic Plan

This Plan responds to the Calls to Action laid out in the Final Report of the Provost’s Task Force on Indigenous Studies and Indigenous Education (2017). In response to the Calls to Action, we asked ourselves, “What meaningful outcomes do we want to bring about for SCS Indigenous learners and their communities?,” and “What actions do we need to carry out to reach these outcomes?” Our approach to identifying the actions and outcomes has been holistic. The actions of our Indigenous Relations Initiative Strategic Plan are grouped into four areas:

Area 1:  Academic Programs and Curriculum

Area 2:  Student Recruitment and Retention

Area 3:  Building Capacity and Human Resources

Area 4:  Physical Representation and Symbolic Recognition

We acknowledge that Indigenous knowledge emphasizes community and personal relationships, personal experience, and interconnectedness, and that Indigenous learning requires a holistic approach. As depicted in the illustration below, the Indigenous learner is interconnected with the 4 areas of focus.

The School of Continuing Studies sees itself as an important actor within the University community and it is for this reason that the School has taken the first step to create a unit called Indigenous Relations and Initiative (IRI). The focus of IRI is to extend our efforts and to work together collectively with internal and external stakeholders towards common goals of human advancement and betterment by leveraging our resources.

  Download the Plan (PDF)