Nipissing University partners with First Nations, tribal councils, urban Indigenous service organizations, and community organizations locally and regionally on events, workshops, programs and initiatives.
Our Schulich School of Education has offered its Indigenous Education Programs for over thirty-five years, with well over 700 graduates across Ontario. The Indigenous Teacher Education Program, Teacher of Indigenous Languages as a Second Language, and Indigenous Classroom Assistant Diploma programs allow students to return to their home communities for placement while they complete their studies. The Schulich School of Education is currently partnering with Bimose Tribal Council and Oshki-Pimace-O-Win: The Wenjack Education Institute for community-based delivery of the programs.
Dr. Mike DeGagné, President and Vice-Chancellor, chairs Reconciliation North Bay, launched in 2017, in support of the Urban Aboriginal Strategy’s Community Action Circles.
In March 2014: Maadhookiwin: Sharing, A Treaty Learning Centre Symposium was held on campus in partnership with Anishnabek/Union of Ontario Indians, Nipissing First Nation, and Canadore College. Since the symposium the Office of Indigenous Initiatives has been holding talks by scholars and Indigenous knowledge holders on the significance of wampum in the Treaty Learning Centre (TLC) and has gathered resources on the Robinson Huron Treaty, Treaty No. 9 and other treaty materials developed by the Union of Ontario Indians. The TLC, with a mandate approved by the Nipissing University Indigenous Council on Education and Indigenous Circle on Education at Canadore College, was officially launched in November, 2016 during Treaties Recognition Week. In 2018 Nipissing University’s Office of Indigenous Initiatives partnered with Near North Schools and Maurice Switzer to offer the Treaty Education Mentorship Program with support from the Ministry of Education. This program invited teachers and community members to participate in an intensive training with the goal of creating a group of regional treaty education knowledge holders. The following organizations sent participants: Nbisiing Secondary School, Anishnabek Education System, Near North Schools, Nipissing/Parry Sound Catholic District School Board, North Bay Indigenous Friendship Centre, and others.
In 2018 Nipissing University partnered with Nipissing First Nation to host the 6th Annual Canadian Symposium on Indigenous Teacher Education, “Maamwistoong neniizh akiin Bridging Two Worlds: Perspectives of Indigenous and non-Indigenous Pedagogies” with the following keynotes:
- "Anishinaabek Education System: Planning to Deliver Indigenous Education” with Kelly Crawford, Director of Education, Kinoomaadziwin Education Body, M’Chigeeng First Nation;
- “Anishnaabemowin Language Teachers’ Reflections on Indigenous and Western Pedagogies” with Candace Fisher (NPSCDSB), Tory Fisher (NPSCDSB), Alysha Allaire (Near North Schools), Falcon McLeod (Near North Schools) and Blair Beaucage (Nbisiing Secondary School, NFN);
- “Experiences in Indigenization at Canadian Universities” with Dr. Cindy Peltier, Chair of Indigenous Education, Nipissing University, Nipissing First Nation, Wikwemikong Unceded Territory, and Dr. Anna-Leah King, Chair of Indigenization, University of Regina, Wikwemikong Unceded Territory
Enji giigdoyang, the Office of Indigenous Initiatives, has developed ongoing partnerships since 2006 with Nbisiing Secondary School at Nipissing First Nation, Near North Schools, and Nipissing/Parry Sound Catholic District School Board for our Biidaaban Academic Support, Biidaaban Youth Group and Wiidooktaadwin Indigenous Mentorship programs.