Aurora College


Aurora College, formerly Arctic College, is a college located in the Northwest Territories, Canada with campuses in Inuvik, Fort Smith and Yellowknife. They have learning centres in 23 communities in the NWT. The head office for Aurora College is located in Fort Smith.
Aurora College is the only post-secondary institution within the Northwest Territories.

Programs

Aurora College delivers programs at three campuses, 21 community learning centres and other community sites in the Northwest Territories. Aurora College delivers community-centred post-secondary programs that accurately reflect northern culture and the needs of the northern labour market. Aurora offers several certificate and diploma programs as well as the bachelor of education degree program and the bachelor of science in nursing program.

Athletics

Aurora College provides intramural sports, such as basketball, volleyball, soccer, badminton and hockey and recreational programs. Before the new Aurora Campus was built the old gymnasium in Inuvik was the largest in the Northwest Territories.

Residence

Aurora College provides a limited supply of accommodation for single students and for those with families.

Aurora College Community Learning Centres

The Aurora College has community learning centres in several communities, which deliver academic upgrading and community-based courses and programs, depending on demand and funding. Community learning centres are located in Aklavik, Deline, Fort Good Hope, Fort McPherson, Ulukhaktok, Norman Wells, Tulita, Tuktoyaktuk, Tsiigehtchic, Fort Providence, Fort Resolution, Fort Simpson, Hay River, Lutselk'e, Fort Liard and Hay River Reserve, Behchoko, Whatì, Gamèti, Wekweeti, and Dettah/N'Dilo.

Partnerships

Aurora programs prepare students for further education through university partners.

Scholarships and bursaries

The Government of Canada sponsors an Aboriginal Bursaries Search Tool that lists over 680 scholarships, bursaries, and other incentives offered by governments, universities, and industry to support Aboriginal post-secondary participation. Aurora College scholarships for First Nations, Inuit and Métis students include: Gail Marie Jones Scholarship; ATCO Continuous Academic Effort Scholarships; Enbridge Pipelines Inc. Bursaries; Town of Inuvik Scholarship; Diavik Diamond Mines Inc. Trades and Technology Bursaries; ATCO Developmental Studies Scholarships; ConocoPhillips Scholarship; Aurora Research Institute Awards and Fellowships.

History

In the 1970s, the Adult Vocational Training Centre was established. In 1981, the Adult Vocational Training Centre was declared a college and renamed Thebacha College. Aurora College was created on January 1, 1995 in the Western Arctic from Arctic College. The Science Institute of the Northwest Territories was amalgamated with Aurora College in January, 1995. The portion which is a division of Aurora College is called the Aurora Research Institute. In 1984, Arctic College was established with campuses in Fort Smith and Iqaluit. The college grew to include campuses in each region of the Northwest Territories. The mandate was to deliver adult and post-secondary education.

Research Institutes

The Aurora Research Institute, a division of Aurora College, has three research centres since science must be accessible to people and relevant to their everyday lives. Aurora Research Institute is dedicated to the advancement of indigenous knowledge and the joining of indigenous knowledge with western science. Aurora Research Institute offers licensing and research assistance in the Northwest Territories. The institute provides logistical support in the form of laboratory facilities, office space, storage, accommodation and equipment rentals for visiting researchers and promotes science in northern schools.