Interested in what makes the First Nations University of Canada different than other higher education institutions in the country, I discovered the following:
- The application of a wholistic approach that places the learner at the centre – i.e., a focus on building relationships with the students, heavily subsidized child-care options, tutoring support
- An emphasis on the importance of physical spaces – i.e., there is a sacred and ceremonial tipi on the premises that guests are not allowed to enter
- A strong reliance on teaching subjects through a lens of Indigenous ways of knowing
- A community-oriented approach that takes learning out of the classroom