Universities demonstrate progress on reconciliation, still have “a long way to go”: Editorial

In a recent article for University Affairs, Mohamed Berrada discusses the results of a Universities Canada survey, which measured the progress that has been made toward reconciliation at Canadian postsecondary institutions. According to the survey, nearly 90% of the 70 institutions surveyed have developed strategic plans to foster reconciliation. However, First Nations University of Canada President Jacqueline Ottmann notes that meaningful Indigenization and reconciliation must go beyond the establishment of strategic plans and should be followed up by financial commitments, concrete support systems for Indigenous students, and increased opportunities for community-based learning. Universities Canada CEO Philip Landon reflected that the survey “helped us understand that the university sector has come a long way, but [institutions] still have a long way to go.”