Memorandum of Understanding Signed
March 5, 2025 (Iqaluit, Nunavut) – Today, Honourable Margaret Nakashuk, Minister responsible for Nunavut Arctic College, and Olayuk Akesuk, President of the Qikiqtani Inuit Association (QIA), signed a memorandum of understanding, paving the way for a partnership to deliver training and research in the High Arctic.
QIA is building a Research and Training Centre in Pond Inlet, set to be completed in 2026. This centre will be the first of its kind in the High Arctic and is aimed at making education and training more accessible in Inuit Nunangat. The centre is a key step in empowering Inuit to engage fully in employment opportunities, offering space for organizations and educational institutions to increase Inuit participation in a diversified and evolving economy.
In partnership with Nunavut Arctic College, QIA developed the memorandum of understanding to explore innovative approaches to program delivery in the new centre. This agreement will create a hub for training and skills development in fields such as conservation economy, Inuit governance, mining, Inuit Qaujimajatuqangit, and research. Through continued collaboration, it is hoped that the centre will be able to offer university-level programs and specialized training in fields such as industrial trades, environmental management, administration and health.
The partnership with Nunavut Arctic College marks the first step toward realizing these exciting opportunities to provide a platform for education, skills development, and a brighter future for Inuit.
“The Katujjiluta mandate laid out a vision for the Government of Nunavut to work proactively with Inuit organizations, including in the area of education,” said Margaret Nakashuk, Minister responsible for Nunavut Arctic College. “The signing of this memorandum of understanding is a significant contribution to these efforts. Although the scope of our efforts is different, they overlap in the support of training and education for Inuit, so that they can participate in the territory’s development. I look forward to seeing these efforts result in graduations in the future.”
“Our vision at QIA is to empower Inuit through capacity-building, by making programming more accessible and closer to our communities,” said QIA president Olayuk Akesuk. “Our dream is to have university-level programming available to Inuit in their homeland in an environment that is relevant to their surroundings. We have worked very hard to realize the creation of this building and now we are inviting organizations and educational institutions to work in partnership with us to create a centre focused on research and training. This is just the beginning and the possibilities are exciting.”
The research training centre is a $34 million project enabled through funding from the Mary River Inuit Impact and Benefits Agreement, CanNor, and Inuit distinctions-based infrastructure funding received from the Government of Canada and Nunavut Tunngavik Inc.
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Media Contact:
Karen Flaherty
Director, Strategic Communications
Qikiqtani Inuit Association
(P) 867-975-8398 (TF) 1-800-667-2742
kflaherty@qia.ca
Charlotte Joamie
Manager of Marketing
Nunavut Arctic College
(P) 867-975-7275
Charlotte.joamie@arcticcollege.ca
