Yukon University fulfilled a long-time aspiration when it became the 97th member of Universities Canada, according to vice-chancellor and president Lesley Brown.
Yukon University’s membership was approved by 96 other Canadian universities at Universities Canada’s fall membership meeting in Ottawa on Oct. 29. It was the final step of the northern university’s application, after it had already been reviewed and approved by the organization’s review committee and board, said Brown. Now, she said, the first and only university in the North is on par with every other university in Canada.
During an interview with the News, Brown underscored the work of previous leadership at Yukon University to bring it to this point.
“The lion's share of the work occurred prior to the application,” said Brown. Governance structures within the school had to be changed, she said. The Yukon legislature had to pass the Yukon University Act, which it did in 2020, enabling the then-college to transition to a university. Brown said conversations about getting Yukon University into Universities Canada were happening as early as 2019.
Now that that goal has become reality, Yukon University can be part of the national dialogue around university education in Canada, Brown said.
Universities Canada is a membership organization which advocates for universities at a federal level. It also promotes collaboration across a network of Canadian university, according to the organization’s website.
Yukon University can bring its unique Northern perspective to issues relevant to all universities like climate change, reconciliation and international students, said Brown.
Furthermore, since Universities Canada works closely with Parliament, Yukon University can now have a place in shaping direction and decisions coming out of Ottawa, said Brown.
Gabriel Miller, the president and CEO of Universities Canada, said other members will benefit from Yukon University’s perspective.
“We all should know what an important part of Canada's identity the North is, but also what an important part of our future it is, and having Yukon U at the table with us just strengthens our ability to do that.”
Yukon University students will also enjoy more recognition because of the membership, said Brown. She said students will be able to transfer their credits to other universities, and degrees they’ve earned at Yukon University will be recognized when they apply for other programs at other institutions.
Yukon University can now develop programs as an independent university, and offer programs that require accreditation, like nursing, social work, and education, said Brown. Brown said the school provides a Bachelor of Social Work and a Bachelor of Education in partnership with other universities.
“Our ability to do that independently means that we can infuse and shape the curriculum so that it’s truly relevant to the North and truly relevant to the needs of the North,” said Brown.
Aside from being able to independently offer undergraduate degrees in social work and education, Yukon University is planning on offering undergraduate programs for nursing, liberal arts, and science.
“Another one that we're currently working on is also a degree that we have in partnership with University of Alberta, and that's the Bachelor of Northern Environmental Studies, and we want to bring that degree home,” said Brown. That plan goes hand-in-hand with plans for a new science building on campus, she said.
But that doesn’t mean Yukon University is going to abandon its roots: Brown said the university will preserve its 13 campuses across the territory, and maintain its commitments to offering trades diplomas and certificates.
"Going forward, we will absolutely not be conforming with Southern universities and quite the contrary,” said Brown. “And one of the things that that we were very adamant about in in the review process is the uniqueness of this university.”
“While we understand that many students leave the territory to access their education,” said Brown, “we want to ensure that Yukon University is the first choice for students here in the territory, particularly our Indigenous learners.”
Contact Talar Stockton at talar.stockton@yukon-news.com
