Confederation, Humber and Seneca Colleges Institutional Update: Bachelor of Indigenous Leadership and Community Development

As part of initiatives to support this year’s National Day of Truth and Reconciliation and Orange Shirt Day, Confederation College, Humber College, and Seneca have confirmed the official signing of a Letter of Intent that affirms their partnership in relation to the development of a Bachelor of Indigenous Leadership and Community Development. Announcing this update today, on September 30, is important as postsecondary institutions acknowledge the legacy of residential schools and their commitment to address this history by responding to the 94 Calls to Action of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission.   

The development of this program is most notable for the provision of relevant, authentic programs and curriculum, initiatives that go beyond the provision of services and supports, actively supporting communities in their resurgence, resilience and capacity-building. The proposed honours degree program is directly connected to these objectives. 

Confederation, Humber and Seneca first announced the joint program in June 2021 [https://www.confederationcollege.ca/news-events/confederation-humber-and-seneca-partner-promote-indigenous-leadership-through-proposed]. Since that time, a steering committee of Indigenous leads at each institution have been engaged in the development process, with the intention that each will bring its unique resources and talents to the program delivery. The colleges are working towards having first cohorts in the program as of September 2024.  

The Letter of Intent signed and announced today contains our collective expressions of commitment to this process, along with an undertaking to negotiate a specific agreement in relation to the delivery. Our shared intention is for students to engage in a Confederation-held program that will maximize the academic resources of all three institutions while leaning on the specific strengths of each.   

Next steps in this process include the development of a Memorandum of Understanding that will address the specific mechanisms for program delivery and resource sharing. At the same time, the program of study, program learning objectives and courses, which have already been outlined and approved in principle through Confederation’s internal program development process, will be fully elaborated in a proposal to the Postsecondary Education Quality Assessment Board. After this step, the program will be considered for approval by the MCU. 

We will continue to keep the Confederation College community updated as the program moves through the development and approval stages. 

For more information please contact:
S. Brenda Small
Vice President 

Negahneewin Research Centre.