The University of Victoria (UVic) will receive $5 million from the Mastercard Foundation to expand Indigenous programs and leadership at the school.
This funding is part of a national $100 million investment announced Tuesday by the Foundation to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s Calls to Action.
Thirty organizations across Canada were chosen for this funding.
According to UVic, the money will be managed by the Office of the Vice-President Indigenous, which was created in 2023 to oversee the university’s Indigenous plans and priorities.
“We are deeply honoured that our trusted partnership with the Mastercard Foundation has led to this significant investment in the university’s Indigenous priorities,” says UVic’s acting president, Qwul’sih’yah’maht, Robina Thomas.
“This gift reflects the University of Victoria’s sustained commitment to supporting Indigenous students and to ensuring Indigenous representation and leadership across the university.”
Interim vice-president Indigenous Lalita Kines stated that the investment will strengthen ongoing projects and create new opportunities.
“We will continue to work in partnership with Indigenous communities to assess where this investment can have the greatest impact,” says Lalita Kines, interim vice-president Indigenous at UVic.
“It will boost several projects already underway and allow us to initiate other strategic work guided by our Indigenous plan.”
UVic has one of the largest Indigenous student populations in BC, with between 1,400 and 1,600 Indigenous students enrolled each year.
The university has also increased Indigenous-led leadership, recently appointing associate deans Indigenous in the faculties of fine arts, business, and law.
The institution is nationally recognized for programs like the joint degree in Canadian Common Law and Indigenous Legal Orders, which is the first of its kind in the world.
UVic also offers graduate programs in Indigenous language revitalization, developed in partnership with First Nations on Vancouver Island.
Cultural supports include the First Peoples House on campus, which provides a gathering space and services for Indigenous students.
UVic acting president Robina Thomas said the Foundation’s investment shows the university’s commitment to reconciliation.
The initiative is linked to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals on quality education and reducing inequality.
