Carleton University’s School of Public Policy and Administration is pleased to announce two new graduate programs in Indigenous Policy and Administration (IPA). Beginning in 2015, the university will offer two graduate diplomas and a concentration in IPA as part of the MA in Public Administration.
These programs recognize that the environment of Indigenous Policy and Administration continues to evolve. There are Supreme Court decisions on land and rights issues; self-government and nation-building challenges; ongoing and foundational shifts in federal, provincial and territorial policies and laws related to various Indigenous issues; and a young, educated and growing First Nation, Métis and Inuit population (FNMI). Such developments increase the need for leaders who can work in this fluid environment with a level of cultural competency and an understanding of Indigenous history, law, economics and politics that go beyond a simple awareness of Aboriginal issues.
The Màmìwininìmowin (Algonquin language) concept of aditawazi nisoditadiwin captures this idea of being between two worlds with a comprehension of both. The IPA programs reflect this concept, providing students with the tools, knowledge and capacity to bridge multiple worldviews, and enabling managers and administrators who work in FNMI governance and administration to strengthen their organizations and incorporate community-based Indigenous knowledge.
These necessary skills include understanding the complexity of First Nation, Métis and Inuit history, politics and contemporary structures. And they involve financial management, community development, organizational design and leadership. We believe that such competencies – whether cultural or contextual, conceptual or applied – are essential for today’s professionals working in or with Indigenous governments and organizations.
The IPA programs will be of interest to anyone who aspires to be a leader and innovator in Indigenous Policy and Administration.
More information about the program is available at carleton.ca/sppa/ipa.
Friday, October 10, 2014 in Programs
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