ST. JOHN'S, N.L. — A new policy that was approved by the board of regents at Memorial, the Research Impacting Indigenous Groups policy, is believed to be the first of its kind known in Canadian universities.
According to a release from Memorial, it was designed to ensure the university’s researchers are accountable to the existing research, priorities and ethics processes of Indigenous groups by requiring them to engage with Indigenous groups at the very start of research to put them on a good path as projects develop.
“Memorial is deeply committed to strengthening the impact and integrity of Indigenous research from the research proposal stage and continuing through to the research phase and beyond,” said Vianne Timmons, president, and vice-chancellor of Memorial said in the release. “The approval by our Board of Regents marks a special moment in Memorial’s history, particularly in our era of reconciliation, decolonization and Indigenization.”
The process to get the policy to this point has been underway for a few years and more than 2,000 people were involved providing feedback and development, which according to the university makes it the most consulted policy in Memorial’s history.
A representative working group formed to draft the policy included Michele Wood, an Inuk community member in Labrador, as well as representatives from the university and other stakeholders.
“This policy formalizes the importance that Memorial University places in creating a reciprocally beneficial partnership that is strengthened through early dialogue and relationship building – one that is designed to create inclusive, responsive, and mutually useful research,” Wood said.
Memorial said this builds upon their recent commitment to open the School of Arctic and Subarctic studies in Labrador Indigenous data sovereignty agreement put in place in June that recognizes Indigenous groups’ rights to own, control, access and possess their data in research.
