U of W boasts higher indigenous enrolment
CBC News | Posted: September 14, 2015 4:01 PM | Last Updated: September 14, 2015
Indigenous student population climbs to 12 per cent, up from 10 per cent last year
The University of Winnipeg says it has one of the highest proportions of First Nations, Metis and Inuit students in Canada.
For the fall 2015 semester, the proportion of self-identifying indigenous students enrolled at the school rose to 12 per cent, up from 10 per cent the year before. The total number of students enrolled at the university stands at 9,487.
"We are honoured to be attracting a rich diversity of students and talent which is one of our primary goals as Winnipeg's downtown university, located on Treaty One land, in the heart of the Metis homeland," said Annette Trimbee, president and vice-chancellor in a news release.
A spokesperson for the university cited the Opportunity Fund as one of the specific programs helping attract indigenous students to the school.
The fund offers a range of financial incentives, including tuition credits and bursaries, to indigenous students as well as to new Canadians and refugees. To date, more than 250 students have taken advantage of the program and graduated, according to U of W's website.
The rise in indigenous participation in Winnipeg is part of a national trend.
A June 2015 report from the Environics Institute found "education attainment" of indigenous peoples is increasing; however, higher education participation is also on the rise for non-indigenous students, and so the achievement gap between the two groups continues to widen.
According to the same report, 10 per cent of aboriginal people in Canada have a university degree, compared to 27 per cent for non-aboriginal Canadians.