CAUT will host its first conference on aboriginal post-secondary education in Winnipeg, Feb.1-3, 2008. The conference will focus on challenges faced by aboriginal educators and on ways of responding to those challenges.

Speakers will address an array of issues, including the role of traditional knowledge in teaching and research, institutional attitudes and barriers faced by aboriginal academics, collegial relations within the academy and aboriginal community engagement with universities and colleges.

“We have been very fortunate that a dozen of Canada’s respected aboriginal academics have agreed to serve on our Aboriginal Working Group on Post-secondary Education which has played a leading role in planning this conference,” said CAUT president Greg Allain.

A variety of other topics will be explored during the conference, such as how to help more aboriginal students pursue graduate studies and academic careers, working conditions and stress faced by aboriginal faculty, and how to meet the challenge of mentoring young aboriginal faculty and graduate students.

CAUT will issue a conference call and registration information in the next few weeks. To learn more about the conference please contact Michael Conlon at CAUT, tel: 613-820-2270, or check www.caut.ca for the most up-to-date conference news and information.