News Stories
Indigenous Guardians protecting coastal lands and waters
April 15, 2024
The partnership between Nanwakolas Council and Vancouver Island University has resulted in 16 more Indigenous Guardians graduating with formal stewardship technician qualifications. *story reprinted with permission from the Nanwakolas Council website On April 12, after a gruelling six months of intensive classroom and field studies, 16 students of the Nanwakolas Council and Vancouver Island... Read more
VIU Fulbright scholar advocates for decolonizing sexual education for healthy communities
March 25, 2024
Dr. Sara Vogel joins VIU as the 2024 Fulbright Canada Visiting Research Chair in Indigenous Studies. Dr. Sara Vogel believes sex education is vital for a healthy society but said people don’t have venues to talk about it or learn how to develop healthy sexual habits. Vogel is Vancouver Island University’s (VIU’s) 2024 Fulbright Canada Visiting Research Chair in Indigenous Studies. During her... Read more
Dr. Laura Cranmer reawakens Indigenous languages through powerful play
February 8, 2024
The VIU Honorary Research Associate’s play urges reflection on Canada’s collective history and colonial impacts. Warning: Scenes from the Nanaimo Indian Hospital: Reawakening Hul’q’umin’um’, Nuu-chah-nulth and Kwak’wala Languages contains scenes, imagery and language that can be intense and activating. Attendees are encouraged to do what is best for their mental health, including leaving the... Read more
Indigenous speaker elevates the voices of the “Reconciliation Generation”
November 15, 2023
Riley Yesno will deliver the keynote address at VIU’s Indigenous Speakers Series event on November 22. Riley Yesno is part of a generation of Indigenous youth who have grown up with the term reconciliation occupying an ever-increasing share of Canada’s national dialogue. The queer Anishinaabe scholar, writer and commentator from Eabametoong First Nation has spent a great deal of time thinking... Read more
VIU News & Experts: October 6, 2023
October 6, 2023
Grocery store prices, land stewardship and more 🌏 VIU is excited to introduce DiscoverFest, a new, free community event that includes live music, an artisan market, science demos, expert talks, campus tours, activities for kids and teens, food trucks, a beer garden and much more. DiscoverFest is for: Anyone interested in getting out and learning more about VIU Students exploring post-secondary... Read more
Province, First Nations and VIU announce new funding and training for Indigenous guardians protecting coastal lands and waters
October 4, 2023
Partnership between Nanwakolas Council nations and Vancouver Island Universityaddresses urgent need for more Indigenous Guardians across BC VICTORIA, B.C. (Oct. 4, 2023) - An agreement signed today by Nanwakolas Council and Vancouver Island University (VIU) and supported with funding from the Ministry of Post-Secondary Education and Future Skills, will provide new Indigenous Guardians with the... Read more
VIU hosts summer camp for Indigenous students
July 6, 2023
The camp is organized by the ‘su’luqw’a’ Community Cousins Indigenous student mentorship program. Making Indigenous youth feel like they belong at university is the goal of a seven-day summer camp taking place at Vancouver Island University (VIU) this August. The Thuy’she’num Tu Smun’eem: Building a Foundation for our Youth summer camp takes place August 6 to 12 at the Nanaimo campus. The camp is... Read more
Indigenous speaker shares story of fight for the return of traditional lands
March 9, 2023
Wilson Williams (Sxwíxwtn), a Squamish Nation Councillor and Spokesperson, will deliver the keynote address at VIU’s Indigenous Speakers Series event on March 20. Wilson Williams (Sxwíxwtn) grew up without knowledge of his culture or history. His parents, both residential school survivors, did not talk about any element of their First Nations background and it wasn’t until Sxwíxwtn was in his... Read more
VIU experts appear live on CBC Nanaimo broadcast
January 27, 2023
Several shows were broadcasting from Serious Coffee on Hammond Bay Road The Canadian Broadcasting Corporation launched its permanent bureau in Nanaimo on Friday, January 27 with a special live broadcast in the Harbour City that featured several experts from Vancouver Island University. The Nanaimo bureau “will focus on telling stories from the mid-and-north Vancouver Island region” states a CBC... Read more
VIU Media Highlights: November 23, 2022
November 23, 2022
Seaweed product research, Christmas magic & sustainable packaging 📦 November is a busy month at VIU. Students are showcasing projects they have been working on all semester, and we have a lineup of community-focused events and campaigns. Top stories VIU students pitch seaweed products to industry tonight What happens when VIU microbiology and culinary arts students work together? Some cool... Read more
Events
Banting Postdoctoral Fellow Dr. Morgan Mowatt (University of Victoria) will give a talk titled "A Package Deal: Indigenous Knowledge, Culture and Political Authority-Making" during a catered lunch.
Jarislowsky Research Chairs in Trust and Political Leadership Dr. Cris de Clercy (Trent University) and Dr. Michael MacKenzie (VIU) will give a joint talk titled "Contemporary Challenges in Democratic Leadership and Public Trust" during a catered lunch.