NIC Signs Memorandums Of Understanding Between Vancouver Island And Hawaiʻi.

North Island College has signed two Memorandums of Understanding in support of Indigenization, sharing of knowledge and study abroad between Vancouver Island and Hawaiʻi.

North Island College has signed two Memorandums of Understanding in support of Indigenization, sharing of knowledge and study abroad between Vancouver Island and Hawaiʻi.

The first agreement with the University of Hawaiʻi, lays the groundwork for student, faculty and staff exchanges between North Island College and the seven community colleges that make up the University of Hawaiʻi Community Colleges. The agreement allows North Island College students to pay their normal tuition while studying in Hawaiʻi.

The second agreement builds upon a 15-year relationship between the two educational institutions, with an expanded focus on educational pathways, joint research projects and cultural exchange opportunities for students, faculty and staff.

The signings were part of a recent field school trip, where Hawai’i students in the Indigenous Language Fluency Certificate from Port Hardy, were invited to Honolulu for a cultural exchange. 

The 10-day trip was part of the Global Skills Opportunity project, funded by Employment and Social Development Canada and is administered jointly by Colleges and Institutes Canada and Universities Canada.

The theme of the trip was revitalizing the deeply rooted connections with Hawaiian families that were established generations ago with Indigenous communities on Vancouver Island and to learn about Indigenization and Native Hawaiian language revitalization from the University of Hawaiʻi.