This is three year pilot collaborative project by the six northern colleges funded by the Ministry of Training, Colleges and Universities under the Targeted Initiatives Fund.
Project Objectives
- To explore the meaning of quality assurance in an Indigenous context
- To create a set of cultural standards that reflect local Indigenous knowledges and experiences
- To create a process to interface the cultural standards with the current quality assurance process (OCQAS Audit Process)
- To provide training on and pilot the Indigenous quality assurance process at two sites
Project Team
- Three-year collaboration of the six northern Colleges: Canadore (lead organization), Confederation, Northern, Cambrian, Sault, Collège Boréal
- The project team was comprised of:
- Indigenous knowledge gifters
- Quality assurance representatives
- Indigenous education leads
- External consultant/lead researcher
Indigenous Quality Assurance Standards:
- are a first in Ontario colleges
- envisioned by Indigenous leaders and knowledge holders
- reflect and respond to the worldviews, educational needs, and priorities of northern Ontario Indigenous peoples
- Anishinaabe, Mushkegowuk and Métis communities
- address quality assurance at two levels:
- Institutional - college-wide areas and functions (e.g. indoor and outdoor space, procedures, decision-making)
- Program - academic programs, support services, and community relationships (e.g. program development, recruitment, transition support)
Both College Boreal and Canadore College will pilot the IQA Standards in the coming months. A final report will be made available upon completion of the pilots. To learn more about this project and the Indigenous Quality Assurance Standards see the attached Building A Strong Fire.
Building a Strong Fire
This is three year pilot collaborative project by the six northern colleges funded by the Ministry of Training, Colleges and Universities under the Targeted Initiatives Fund.
