Humber College was recognized as a leader in Indigenous and International education at the 2021 Colleges and Institutes Canada (CICan) Awards of Excellence. The Awards ceremony was part of CICan's annual conference held virtually from April 26-28. 

Excellence in Indigenous education

After years of leadership in Indigenous Education, Humber was recognized as the Gold recipient of the Indigenous Education Excellence Award. Led by the Indigenous Education & Engagement (IE&E) department, Humber has developed strong ties to many Indigenous communities and organizations at the local, provincial, national and international levels. These relationships have influenced all areas of Humber, including academic curriculum, organizational policies and external partnerships. 

IE&E has been integral in incorporating Indigenous Ways of Being, Knowing and Doing into Humber's everyday operations and overall strategies and plans. Under their guidance, Humber is also strengthening its commitment to Truth and Reconciliation. 

"It is an honour and privilege to receive this award knowing that there is some amazing work being done by our colleagues across Canada. The IE&E team is proud of this achievement and the work we are doing. We also need to recognize the commitment from Humber College leadership, faculty, peers and students who have made this all possible," said Jason Seright, Humber's dean of Indigenous Education & Engagement.

"We are much stronger and more powerful as a group rather than working in isolation."

Humber was one of the first colleges to sign on to the CICan Indigenous Education Protocol in 2014. 

IE&E continues to add services and opportunities for Indigenous students to benefit from throughout their time at Humber and beyond. A recent example of this work was the launch of the RBC Grad-Ready program, which will help prepare Indigenous students for their future careers. 

The importance of International 

Humber's 2018-2023 Internationalization Strategy drives international learning and initiatives at the college. It stresses the importance of teaching students to be global citizens who have the skills and knowledge to be successful on the world's stage.  

As a result of this ongoing work, Humber, led by Humber International, received CICan's Bronze Internationalization Excellence Award. 

"We're pleased to have been awarded this honour – it's one that we share across our department and with the entire Humber community. It's a true reflection of the passion felt throughout Humber for our internationalization efforts," said Andrew Ness, dean of Humber International

Over the last year, some of the departmental highlights include the expansion of international learning opportunities on campus, such as the Global Summer School, the Global Systems Gap Challenge, increased virtual mobility, and a stronger commitment to mutually beneficial partnerships with international postsecondary institutions through the Global Polytechnic Alliance. Humber College has a comprehensive international partnership strategy that currently focuses on 34 academic collaborations across 24 countries.

To learn more about Humber and CICan, click here