GDI Executive Director Lisa Bird-Wilson signs the memorandum of understanding with Northlands CEO Guy Penney. (Derek Cornet/larongeNOW Staff)

By Derek Cornet

agreement

GDI, Northlands College sign MOU for La Ronge-based Master of Education program

Feb 18, 2022 | 5:00 PM

The signing of a memorandum of understanding by Gabriel Dumont Institute (GDI) and Northlands College occurred in La Ronge on Friday.

The document is a pledge by the two sides to deliver an Indigenous Community-Based Master of Education Program (ICBME) in the community. The agreement builds on more than a decade of program partnerships between the two educational institutions as both are invested in increasing access to education in the northern populations of the province.

The first cohort of the La Ronge ICBME program began in July 2020 with 24 graduate students and applications are now open for a second cohort that will begin the program in July 2022.

“Northlands College and GDI have partnered on many training and education initiatives throughout northern Saskatchewan, much to the benefit of our northern students,” Northlands CEO Guy Penney said. “It is through positive working relationships such as ours that we get to share in the success in the students that we serve. I say thank you today to GDI for this ever-growing collegial relationship.”

As part of the agreement, GDI will work with the University of Regina to ensure that all course offerings fulfill the academic requirements and rigor required by university standards.

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The ICBME program is designed to provide a unique cohort model of graduate education to educators in off-campus locations to more effectively link theory to local educational issues and practice. It consists of a ten-class course-based master’s program with a focus on Indigenous education.

The signing ceremony was held in La Ronge at the Elie Fluery Cultural Centre. (Derek Cornet/larongeNOW Staff)

“We’ve actually been doing masters degree programming for almost 10 years, but every iteration of the program feels like an accomplishment every single time and this one is absolutely no exception,” GDI Executive Director Lisa Bird-Wilson said. “These things don’t happen easily [and] they don’t happen by themselves. This program is the result of a lot of hard work.”

GDI has been delivering bachelor of education program for decades through its Saskatchewan Urban Native Teacher Education Program. That program has more than 1,400 graduates.

During the first year of the La Ronge ICBME program, classes were delivered online due to pandemic restrictions. Future years of the program will be delivered on-site at Northlands College.

As part of the memorandum of understanding, GDI and Northlands will jointly recruit students and instructors, as well as provide support for academics and housing.

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derek.cornet@pattisonmedia.com

Twitter: @saskjourno