An innovative program that aims to enhance Indigenous student recruitment, retention, and success is underway at Algonquin College and Cambrian College.
Both institutions will be working with Indigenous communities on a new Indigenous Student Performance Success Program focused on producing research that will identify factors that help or hinder Indigenous students as they pursue post-secondary studies at each institution.
On Nov. 21, at the Higher Education Summit in Toronto, Algonquin President Cheryl Jensen and Cambrian President Bill Best signed an agreement that will enable the two colleges to collaborate on research that will enhance the post-secondary experience for Indigenous students.
“Our collaboration will enable us to gain a deeper understanding of how we can make it easier for more Indigenous students to access and be successful in their studies,” said Cambrian College president Bill Best, in a press release.
“Our teams have been collaborating and sharing best practices in attracting and supporting Indigenous students from diverse regions and communities for some time now. We are pleased to sign an agreement that will formalize our collaboration in support of our shared goals.”
“This agreement will provide critical context to better understand the changing needs of our community and is a promising step forward that will allow our institutions to better understand and work with Indigenous students,” said Cheryl Jensen, president of Algonquin College.
“Our joint focus will be especially useful in terms of understanding student success, which is critical in terms of making plans for the future for all of our campuses. We are looking forward to a productive relationship with Cambrian that really makes the needs of Indigenous learners at both colleges the priority that we believe they should be.”
The agreement is for the next five years.
