Anishinabek Educational Institute

Anishinabek Educational Institute
Type	School or university
Founded	1994

Anishinabek Educational Institute is an Indigenous-led post-secondary institute with campuses in Nipissing First Nation and Munsee-Delaware Nation.

In Anishinabek News

• September 2013: The institute held its 2013 convocation on August 24, celebrating 48 graduates from various diploma and certificate programs. It offers the first accredited post-secondary Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder program in Ontario. The school provides a learning environment based on traditional values such as sharing, caring, and respect.
• January 2014: The Anishinabek Educational Institute was established with significant support from Ronald Common. It maintains campuses located on Nipissing First Nation and Munsee-Delaware Nation. The institute operates on the philosophy that First Nation students can reach their full academic and career potential.
• July 2015: The institute graduated 32 students at its annual convocation on June 27, 2015. Graduates completed programs in business, native early childhood education, and fetal alcohol spectrum disorder.
• July 2015: The institute held graduation ceremonies for thirty-one students at its Nipissing First Nation campus on June 27, 2015. Graduates completed programs in business, fetal alcohol spectrum disorder worker, and native early childhood education.
• December 2015: The institute renewed a five-year partnership with Niagara College in December 2015 to improve program access and student retention. It operates campuses in Nipissing, Fort William, and Munsee-Delaware. The organization provides community-based training that supports self-governance and economic development for Anishinabek communities.
• January 2016: The institute signed an articulation agreement with Niagara College to enhance educational opportunities.
• July 2016: The institute held graduation ceremonies for its Nipissing First Nation campus on June 25, 2016. It is mandated by the Anishinabek General Assembly to provide quality education and training for Anishinabek communities. The school provides community-based programming designed to prepare students for success through its own standards.
• March 2017: The institute hosted a session in Toronto on March 27, 2017, to begin developing a new business entrepreneurship program. The organization sought feedback from entrepreneurs to build a curriculum that includes the voices of women, Elders, youth, and men. The institute maintains a campus at Nipissing First Nation.
• April 2017: The institute is involved in designing a one-year online certificate program for First Nation education administrators.
• June 2017: The institute held graduation ceremonies for ten students at its Munsee-Delaware campus on June 23, 2017. It offers programs such as Native Community Worker-Traditional Aboriginal Healing Methods and Social Service Worker – Indigenous Knowledge in partnership with colleges. The organization is mandated to provide community-based education and training for Anishinabek communities.
• July 2017: The institute celebrated the graduation of sixteen students at its Nipissing Campus on June 24, 2017. Programs completed by the 2017 graduates included Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder studies, Native Early Childhood Education, Practical Nursing, and Pre-Health Sciences.
• March 2018: The institute participated in a roundtable discussion at Lakehead University regarding northern education partnerships. The organization works to provide services to students from the Anishinabek Nation through various educational agreements.
• July 2018: The institute held a graduation ceremony for ten students at its Munsee-Delaware Nation campus on June 22, 2018. It offers community-based programming in partnership with St. Clair College and Loyalist College. The organization is mandated by the Anishinabek General Assembly to provide quality education and training for First Nation Anishinabek communities.
• July 2018: The institute held its 24th annual convocation ceremony for the Nipissing Campus on June 23, 2018. Graduates at the ceremony completed programs in child welfare advocacy, early childhood education, and personal support work. The school provides cultural support to students through the presence of campus Grandmothers.
• September 2018: The institute organized a music festival fundraiser in 2018 to assist students with the costs of purchasing textbooks. Half of the proceeds from the musical event were designated for athletics or cultural language programs at a school operated by a First Nation. The organization provides various post-secondary programs and support services to help Indigenous students navigate the education system.
• July 2019: The institute celebrated its twenty-fifth anniversary during the 2019 convocation ceremony for the Nipissing First Nation campus. Twenty-three students graduated from programs including child welfare, traditional healing, early childhood education, and nursing. The school introduced Instructor Appreciation Awards to recognize the contributions of its staff during the 2019 event.
• July 2019: The institute held a graduation ceremony on June 19, 2019, for twenty students from its Munsee Delaware Campus. As of July 2019, the school had recently marked its 25th anniversary of providing community-based training for Anishinabek Nation communities. Programs at the institute are delivered in partnership with Loyalist College and St. Clair College.
• November 2019: The institute celebrated 25 years of operation in 2019, having opened its doors in 1994. It operates campuses at Nipissing First Nation and Munsee-Delaware Nation and has graduated thousands of students. The school offers various diploma and certificate programs including nursing, early childhood education, and social service work. It was the first institute to have a satellite office and offered the first Anishinaabe course for principals.
• November 2019: The Anishinabek Educational Institute celebrated its 25th anniversary during a graduation ceremony on November 7, 2019. The institution provides community-based education and training programs for First Nation Anishinabek communities. The Munsee-Delaware Campus of the Anishinabek Educational Institute hosted a graduation for six students at The Harvest Table in Melbourne, Ontario.
• February 2020: The institute's students and instructors were present at the head office during a February 2020 protest.
• July 2020: Students in the Native Identity Development course at the institute worked to persuade the Township of McKellar to rename a local road. The project was part of the Native Community Worker Program and aimed to create change to honour First Nation communities. The institute's students proposed the name Nibi Kwe Lane to replace a road name they identified as offensive and derogatory.
• May 2021: The institute expects growth for staff and learners following the completion of new micro-credential projects in Digital Fluency. Interim Education Director Mindy Taylor noted the challenges of the virtual learning space since the start of the pandemic.
• June 2021: The institute is working toward formal accreditation as recognized under the Indigenous Institutes Act. A transitional strategic plan for the institute was first presented at the Grand Council Assembly in June 2019. The organization plans to undergo a formal review by the Indigenous Advanced Education Skills Council to complete its accreditation process.
• December 2021: The Anishinabek Educational Institute offers a Native Community Worker Program which includes a course on Native Identity Development. Students from the institute initiated a campaign to change an offensive road name in the Township of McKellar.
• April 2022: The institute is receiving more than $5,000,000 from the Ontario government to increase enrolment in nursing and personal support worker programs. The funding will support the training of approximately 100 practical nurses and 30 personal support workers over a four-year period. New investments will allow for expanded lab and classroom space and the inclusion of more Indigenous language and content in the curriculum.
• June 2023: It is one of nine such Indigenous-operated post-secondary institutes in Ontario.
• July 2023: The institute offers a Native Community Worker; Traditional Healing Methods Diploma Program. It operates campuses located in Nipissing First Nation and Munsee Delaware Nation.
• April 2024: Kelsey Borgford graduated from this institute with a diploma in the Native Community Worker Program – Traditional Healing Methods.
• July 2024: The institution celebrated 30 years of providing education and training to Anishinabek First Nations in June 2024. Established in June 1994, the school has seen over 900 graduates in fields such as nursing, social work, and early childhood education. The school is situated on Nipissing First Nation territory and has additional offices in Munsee Delaware Nation and Curve Lake First Nation.
• September 2024: The institute held its convocation ceremony in North Bay on July 6, 2024.
• March 2026: The institute hosted a visit from Pauline Rochefort on March 4, 2026, to discuss funding inequities. Leaders reported an 85 per cent graduation rate, significantly higher than the average for Ontario. The school provides accredited programs blending professional training with Indigenous knowledge in flexible formats.
• March 2026: The institute is one of three serving the Anishinabek Nation that will benefit from a new provincial funding commitment. It provides community-based programming grounded in Anishinaabe language, culture, and ways of knowing. The school aims to use the investment to expand access to education and support students in achieving goals close to home.
• April 2026: The Anishinabek Educational Institute hosted its fourth annual spring medicine camp, formally named Ziigwang Mshkikiikeng in March 2026. The institute organized land-based learning activities including medicine preparation, basket weaving, and tree tapping during the three-day event.
• July 2026: The institute is undergoing an organizational review to become an accredited Indigenous institute capable of delivering its own programs. On June 23, 2026, the institute hosted a site visit from an external review panel at its campus in Nipissing First Nation. The organization was formally established following resolutions by the Anishinabek Nation Chiefs-in-Assembly in 1993 and 1994.
• September 2026: The institute achieved accreditation as an Indigenous Institute through the Indigenous Advanced Education & Skills Council in September 2026. Established in 1994, the school provides holistic education based on the Seven Grandfather Teachings and the Anishinabek Nation worldview. As of September 2026, the organization is developing four priority programs, including childcare management and Anishinaabemowin, with input from Indigenous Knowledge Keepers.