Indigenous focus

In this video, Songhees Elder Elmer George welcomes visitors to the traditional lands of the Songhees, Esquimalt and W̱SÁNEĆ people in Lekwungen and English, and UVic President Jamie Cassels gives a territory acknowledgement and talks about UVic’s commitment to redressing historical and continued barriers facing Indigenous students.
We acknowledge with respect the Lekwungen peoples on whose traditional territory the University of Victoria stands, and the Songhees, Esquimalt and W̱SÁNEĆ peoples whose historical relationships with the land continue to this day.

UVic recognizes that colonization and associated attitudes, policies and institutions have significantly changed Indigenous peoples’ relationship with this land. And for many years those same things served to exclude Indigenous students from higher education.

We're committed to redressing those historical and continued barriers. While there is much more to be done, Indigenous students are now enrolling in relevant programs at the university, and succeeding, in ever-increasing numbers.

As part of our commitment to reconciliation we’re building better and meaningful partnerships with Indigenous communities, developing new programs, and working to bring our university into better harmony with Indigenous cultures, beliefs and ways of being. Indigenous people and communities are an important part of building our university for the future.

—UVic President Jamie Cassels

UVic's Indigenous plan

UVic’s first Indigenous Plan builds on our longstanding commitment to and relationships with Indigenous communities, both local and national. The plan establishes ambitious goals and clear accountability to work together to increase educational opportunities and success for Indigenous students and further develop education, research, outreach and engagement initiatives, and programs with an Indigenous focus. Download the complete Indigenous Plan or view a summary of the plan framework.

Indigenous students

More than 1,200 Indigenous students—including more than 200 graduate students—choose UVic for their studies each year. Learn about our Indigenous-focused programs, services for Indigenous students, scholarships and bursaries.

Indigenous research

From language revitalization to Indigenous law, University of Victoria researchers are working with Indigenous communities and organizations in Canada and around the world to understand, preserve and celebrate Indigenous traditions and cultures.

Videos

Drawing law from the land - Indigenous Law program at UVic
John Borrows, Canada Research Chair in Indigenous Law at the University of Victoria Law School, discusses Indigenous law, how it differs from Canadian common law and how he’s working to reconcile the two legal traditions. He is the 2017 Killam Prize winner in Social Sciences for his substantial and distinguished scholarship and commitment to Indigenous legal traditions. Dr. Borrows, who is Anishinabe/Ojibway and a member of the Chippewa of the Nawash First Nation in Ontario, is currently developing a joint degree in Indigenous Law and Canadian common law (JID) at UVic—the first in the world—which he sees as a way to create peace and restore relationships. Additional footage provided by the Hakai Institute. University of Victoria's website: http://uvic.ca UVic's YouTube channel: http://youtube.com/uvic

See more videos from the Vital impact - Indigenous research playlist on YouTube.

In the news

More Indigenous initiatives

Contact the  in the Office of Indigenous Academic and Community Engagement to learn more.