This text is part of the special section Higher Education
At the School of Indigenous Studies of the University of Quebec in Abitibi-Témiscamingue (UQAT), a new cumulative bachelor’s degree in Indigenous territorial governance will be offered starting in the fall of 2023.
Formed six years ago, UQAT’s School of Indigenous Studies is the only university department in Quebec dedicated specifically to Indigenous studies. It offers some fifteen programs (certificates, microprogram, baccalaureate, DESS) and has approximately 200 students enrolled each year, 40% to 45% of whom are Aboriginal.
“It makes a difference for them, to be in good number in the courses, they feel more comfortable sharing, says Sébastien Brodeur-Girard, professor and acting module director at the School of Indigenous Studies. . It’s part of the idea of cultural safety. The School also welcomes Aboriginal students from the Abitibi-Témiscamingue region, but also from all over Quebec.
The importance of multidisciplinarity
The approach of the School of Native Studies at UQAT is multidisciplinary. “For us, Aboriginal studies should not be limited to anthropology or political science,” says Sébastien Brodeur-Girard. We have specialist faculty and lecturers in areas such as law, environment, biology and management to meet the needs of the indigenous communities who come to us. We see that there are challenges and we use the necessary disciplines to study them, and this is done by, for and with Aboriginal people, both in terms of research and our programs. »
The programs are therefore aimed at Aboriginals, but also at non-Aboriginals who are interested in these issues or who are already working in these communities and who want to deepen their knowledge.
Initially, the School offered certificate programs to better meet the needs of part-time students who are already on the job market. To obtain their 90-credit bachelor’s degree in the new program, students will be able to combine various certificates or microprograms already offered by the School, such as the certificate in Aboriginal governance and the certificate in territorial management in an Aboriginal context.
“People who are interested in Aboriginal studies often start with a short program and then decide to go on to a certificate,” says Sébastien Brodeur-Girard. We got to the point where we had enough certificates offered to create a cumulative bachelor’s degree. The advantage is to allow people to progress at their own pace and to have the certainty of having a diploma. If, for one reason or another, they decide to take a break or not complete the baccalaureate, at least they will have one or even two certificates in their pocket. In Aboriginal communities, educational pathways are often atypical. We have people who start their studies, stop to go to work, have children, then come back. You have to offer them flexibility, and we thought that this formula suited that well. »
Another important element: the vast majority of courses are offered remotely, especially since the pandemic. “It’s very practical and allows us to welcome people who might not have taken university courses if they had to travel. It also allows us to reach people from all over Quebec. »
Solid foundations
Within the framework of this new baccalaureate by accumulation, four combinations of certificates or micro-programs are possible, according to the interests and priorities of each student.
Territorial governance emphasizes the management of the territory and the natural resources found there, whether it be forests, mines or energy. The program therefore includes courses on the regulatory and legal framework of territorial management, logging in an Aboriginal context, Aboriginal mapping, the tourist industry, Arctic challenges, leadership and power.
“The idea is to allow people to acquire a very solid foundation and an understanding of everything that involves the management of a community or a territory, but from the indigenous point of view, with all the additions that this entails. in terms of culture, language and history,” says Sébastien Brodeur-Girard. You could be a manager, but have no idea how an aboriginal community works. It is a particular context in legal and political terms. It is therefore necessary to give these communities the tools to move towards self-determination and decide what they want to do. The idea is not to tell the Aboriginal people: “This is how you must govern yourself”, but rather to provide them with knowledge with which they can make the choices they want in the future. »
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