ACIR on the Road in Hawaii

January 22nd, 2016 | Becky Kostka

In January, Dr. Fay Fletcher took the long and arduous journey to Hawaii to bask in the sun and sand. Well, we hope she had the chance to bask a little, but the true intent of the trip was to present on the development of the Aboriginal Community-Industry Relations (ACIR) Certificate program at the International Academic Forum (IAFOR) Conference on International Education. The presentation set out to showcase the significance of the program, and covered points such as:

  • The collaborative process between the University of Alberta, Circle for Aboriginal Relations and the many community representatives who came together to develop the program,
  • Commitments made to Elders and community leaders throughout the process, and
  • Commitment to promoting equity and social justice through respectful relationship building between Indigenous and non-Indigenous people.
Fay Fletcher
Photo of Dr Fletcher’s presentation

If you are just learning about the ACIR program, here’s the short and sweet…

Indigenous rights-holders as well as government and industry stakeholders were brought together in an inclusive process to generate support and inform discussions regarding the development of the education program. It was designed to act as a catalyst for community engagement between Indigenous people, industry, and government in relation to issues of social and economic development as well as the environment. The program is especially unique because it was developed in ceremony with Elders and Knowledge Keepers for their input and guidance, it is land-based, taught by Indigenous scholars and Elders, and brings Indigenous and non-Indigenous learners together in an environment that promotes healthy and respectful discussions on sensitive issues. Core courses include: History and Worldviews, Environment and Livelihood, Indigenous Laws, Lands, and Industry-Government Relations, Community and Economic Development, and Organizational Culture and Negotiation Preparedness.2015 UofA - AREP_PullupBanner_v3_rgb

Dr. Fletcher reported that approximately 25 people attended the presentation and that the program was very well received. Pieces of the presentation were even tweeted by outside sources who showed enthusiasm toward the program (check it out here – and don’t forget to like us in the process). The only question asked was whether the University would be taking steps to educate the academy (staff and students at the University) with the same or a similar program? Dr Fletcher responded that although this was not current practice, there is growing support to implement community-based education in the future. Let’s keep our fingers crossed that the ACIR team can start weaving their innovation into academia!

If you would like to learn more about the ACIR Certificate program, please feel free to contact us at communications@cfarsociety.ca or visit the website at: ACIR

~ Dr. Fletcher, Associate Dean in the Faculty of Extension at the University of Alberta, Canada, has focused on the integration of research and teaching with the intent of making adult education more accessible, relevant, and meaningful for Indigenous learners.  Community based research with First Nations communities and Metis Settlement colleagues and communities has informed the development and delivery of local and international adult continuing education programs as well as Aboriginal youth life skills programs.  She is an Associate Professor with the Faculty of Extension, and Academic Lead on adult continuing education programs including Aboriginal Health Promotion, Indigenous Community Engagement, and Aboriginal Community-Industry Relations.