Building the Faculty of Silatursarniq
Reimagining Education for Inuit by Inuit
Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami | ITE Grant Recipient | $1,000,000 | Reinforce Stream
Region:
The vision for an Inuit Nunangat University (INU) is becoming a reality—and at the heart of it is a groundbreaking new Faculty of Education that will centre Inuit ways of knowing and learning.
With support from the Rideau Hall Foundation’s Indigenous Teacher Education (ITE) Initiative, Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami (ITK) is leading the establishment of the Faculty of Silatursarniq (the process of becoming a wise person). This faculty will be the cornerstone of a teacher education program created by Inuit, for Inuit, designed to address long-standing gaps in access, language, and culturally relevant education across Inuit Nunangat.
Reclaiming Inuit Education, Language, and Leadership
The Faculty of Silatursarniq will offer a university-level program rooted in Inuit knowledge systems, language, and cultural values. It will prepare educators to teach confidently in both local schools and national settings, guided by Inuit identity and pedagogy.
At its core, this program will:
- Train new Inuit teachers who are deeply grounded in Inuktut, Inuit values, and local community contexts.
- Support language revitalization by prioritizing Inuktut throughout the curriculum.
- Provide culturally relevant training for future educators, as well as professionals in related fields like mental health, addictions support, and community wellness.
- Foster long-term systemic change, with the goal of graduating 50–100 Inuit teachers within the program’s first decade.
Graduates will be equipped to teach but also to lead, whether in schools, post-secondary institutions, or within their communities.
A Long-Term Commitment to Systemic Change
The launch of this program delivers on a key goal in ITK’s National Strategy on Inuit Education, first published in 2011: the creation of a sustainable, Inuit-led university that meets the educational needs of Inuit learners.
This is about more than degrees. It’s about decolonizing education—transforming the way learning happens across Inuit Nunangat by centering Inuit language, knowledge, and community-defined success.
Why It Matters
Across Inuit Nunangat, there is a critical need for more Inuit teachers who can create classrooms where language, identity, and learning go hand in hand. The Faculty of Silatursarniq will help answer that call, shaping a future where every Inuit child learns from someone who sees them, understands their world, and helps them grow into proud, capable adults.
This support will allow us to build a strong and culturally relevant education program for new teachers across Inuit Nunangat, benefitting our communities for generations to come.
~ -ITK President Natan Obed
About the ITE Grant Program
The Rideau Hall Foundation launched the Indigenous Teacher Education Initiative to grow and support a representative, culturally rooted Indigenous education workforce. Through a national Open Call, projects were selected through a rigorous peer-review process led by First Nations, Inuit, and Métis education experts.
Two funding streams—Reinforce and Retain—respond to urgent priorities in Indigenous teacher education, from scaling successful training programs to improving teacher retention and support. This project was selected under the Reinforce Stream, which provides funding of up to $1 million for long-term program innovation and expansion, which strengthen Indigenous teacher education pathways and embed Indigenous knowledges, languages, and leadership.
Learn More
Explore how Indigenous communities across the country are leading education transformation.
This is just one of many regions taking bold steps. Read more about other ITE grant recipients.