Funding Education

The Aboriginal Education Council and Aboriginal Initiatives (as part of the Office of the Vice-President, Equity and Community Inclusion) has been given the responsibility to guide, develop and give leadership of Aboriginal education at TMU. The Council's work includes a focus on implementation of the Postsecondary Education Fund for Aboriginal Learners (PEFAL) through the Ontario Ministry of Colleges and Universities.

Curriculum Development Fund

Applications for 2023-2024

The Council is convinced that in order for Aboriginal students to participate and be successful in postsecondary education, there is a need for Aboriginal curriculum and programming, and for Aboriginal faculty and students to be actively engaged in research on Aboriginal topics.

The Council assists all schools and departments across Toronto Metropolitan University with their aims to embed Aboriginal content within their curricula, thereby enabling TMU to deliver such content to all of its students. The Council believes that in order for truth and reconciliation to begin between Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal people at Toronto Metropolitan University, every student needs to be educated about Aboriginal-Canadian relations. This includes the expansion of elective and mandatory courses which focus on content relevant to both Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal Peoples, such as the history of colonization and Indigenous worldviews across the curriculum, the promotion of Aboriginal content within general survey courses, professional development for faculty and sessional instructors and assistance with appropriate course materials. It also includes the support of faculty and graduate student research in areas that are of significance to Aboriginal Peoples.

Past projects funded through the CDF

To date, the AEC has supported curriculum development on Aboriginal content in many schools and departments including::

• School of Early Childhood Education (2010 to 2011)
• School of Child and Youth  Studies (2011 to 2012)
• School of Midwifery (2011 to 2012)
• School of Nutrition (2012 to 2013)
• School of Social Work (2012 to 2013, 2015 to 2016)
• School of Journalism (2016)

In addition, the Council has helped to support educational events for:

• School of Social Work (2014)
• Office of Equity, Diversity and Inclusion’s Cultural Awareness Committee (2014)
• Politics and Public Administration (2015)
• Student Affairs (2015)
• School of Journalism (2015)
• School of Fashion (2016)
• Office of Equity, Diversity and Inclusion’s Dine and Discourse (2016)

The AEC was also instrumental in the content design and application to the university Senate for approval of the Chang School of Continuing Education’s Certificate in Aboriginal Knowledges and Experiences released in 2014. As well, the AEC and the Chang School have partnered to run the program, Aboriginal Foundations, which is designed for Aboriginal community members who seek to broaden their opportunities towards academic success.

Questions?

If you have further questions or require information on models/approaches for curriculum development or technical aspects of the proposal, please  contact Joanne (Okimawininew) Dallaire (Chair, Aboriginal Education Council) at jdallaire@torontomu.ca and Cher Trudeau (Coordinator, Aboriginal Education Council) at cktrudeau@torontomu.ca.

DEADLINE: 4:00pm on Friday March 3, 2023

PDF fileLearn more about the call for curriculum development proposals.