Aurora College

{{distinguish|text=Aurora University, formerly known as Aurora College}}

{{for|the New Zealand high school|Aurora College (Invercargill)}}

{{Infobox university

| name = Aurora College

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| established = 1981 (as Thebacha College)
1984 (as Arctic College)
1995 (as Aurora College)

| type = Public college

| academic_affiliation = UArctic

| endowment =

| administrative_staff = 200

| faculty = 50

| president = Angela James

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| chairperson = Joseph Handley

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| students = 2,915{{cite web |url=http://www.auroracollege.nt.ca/_live/documents/content/Annual_Report.pdf |title=Annual Report 2015-2016 |publisher=Aurora College}}

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| city = Inuvik

| state = Northwest Territories

| country = Canada

| campus = Rural

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| colours = blue {{color box|#072B61}} & White {{color box|#FFFFFF}}

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| affiliations = CCAA, CICan, USports

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| website = [http://www.auroracollege.nt.ca www.auroracollege.nt.ca]

| address = 87 Gwich’in Road, Inuvik, NT, X0E 0T0

| coor = {{Coord|68|21|33.00|N|133|43|05.55|W|type:edu_region:CA-NT|display=title}}

| logo =

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Aurora College, formerly Arctic College, is a college located in the Northwest Territories, Canada with campuses in Inuvik, Fort Smith and Yellowknife. It has learning centres in 23 communities in the NWT.http://www.auroracollege.nt.ca/pdf/AC_Calendar_09-10.pdf {{Dead link|date=May 2019 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }} The head office for Aurora College is located in Fort Smith.

Aurora College is the only English post-secondary institution in the Northwest Territories.{{cite report|url=https://www.ece.gov.nt.ca/sites/ece/files/resources/aurora_college_foundational_review_report_0.pdf|quote=As the College is, for all intents and purposes, the only substantial PSI in the NWT, the GNWT commissioned a Foundational Review of the College’s governance and accountability structure, as well academic programming and supporting operations to ensure programs are managed effectively and efficiently, are meeting the diverse needs of students, and are responsive to changes in the labour market.|title=Aurora College Foundational Review|author=MNP LLP|publisher=Government of Northwest Territories|date=4 May 2018|page=4|access-date=26 April 2019}}

Aurora College is a member of Colleges and Institutes Canada (CICan). Through its membership with CICan, the institution has signed the Indigenous Education Protocol.{{Cite web |last=Canada |first=Colleges and Institutes |title=Our Members – Colleges and Institutes Canada |url=https://www.collegesinstitutes.ca/colleges-and-institutes-in-your-community/our-members/?_protocols=indigenous-education-protocol |access-date=2024-08-30 |website=www.collegesinstitutes.ca |language=en-US}}

Programs

File:Aurora College.jpg

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 (now torn down) 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

File:Fort Providence Aurora College.jpg

Aurora programs prepare students for further education through university partners.

Aurora College is an active member of the University of the Arctic.{{Cite web |title=Members |url=https://www.uarctic.org/members/member-profiles/ |access-date=2025-03-06 |website=UArctic |language=en-US}} UArctic is an international cooperative network based in the Circumpolar Arctic region, consisting of more than 200 universities, colleges, and other organizations with an interest in promoting education and research in the Arctic region.{{Cite web |title=About Us |url=https://www.uarctic.org/about-us/ |access-date=2025-03-06 |website=UArctic - University of the Arctic |language=en-US}}

Aurora College participates in UArctic’s mobility program north2north. The aim of that program is to enable students of member institutions to study in different parts of the North.{{Cite web |title=north2north |url=https://www.uarctic.org/activities/north2north/ |access-date=2025-03-06 |website=UArctic - University of the Arctic |language=en-US}}

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 (NW) 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.[http://www.aadnc-aandc.gc.ca/eng/1351185180120/1351685455328 Aboriginal Bursaries Search Tool]

History

In the 1970s, the Adult Vocational Training Centre (AVTC) was established. In 1981, the Adult Vocational Training Centre (AVTC) was declared a college and renamed Thebacha College. 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.

In preparation for Nunavut's establishment as an independent territory, Arctic College was divided on January 1, 1995. Nunavut Arctic College was established to assume responsibility for Arctic College's operations in Nunavut with remaining Arctic College facilities in the western Arctic renamed to Aurora College. The Science Institute of the Northwest Territories was amalgamated with Aurora College in January 1995 and was renamed the Aurora Research Institute.

In 2023, Aurora College paused acceptance of international students after receiving roughly 700 applications. The board chair stated the spike in applications was likely due to foreign recruitment directing applicants seeking to immigrate. He stated the college was for Northerners first, then other Canadians, then International students.{{Cite news |last=Pressman |first=Natalie |date=6 Nov 2023 |title=N.W.T. college pauses international intake after deluge of applications |url=https://www.cbc.ca/amp/1.7018629 |work=CBC News}}

Angela James was named college president in 2024.{{Cite web |title=Aurora College - Dr. Angela James selected to lead Aurora College as new president |url=https://educationnewscanada.com/article/education/level/colleges/2/1064643/dr-angela-james-selected-to-lead-aurora-college-as-new-president.html |access-date=2025-01-22 |website=Education News Canada |language=en}} It was announced the college was putting plans to become a polytechnic university on hold.{{Cite news |last=Shepel |first=Jocelyn |date=6 Nov 2023 |title=Ex-Aurora College research chair describes chaos, lack of planning behind the scenes |url=https://www.cbc.ca/amp/1.7354217 |work=CBC News}}{{Cite news |date=6 Jun 2024 |title=N.W.T.'s Aurora College pauses plan to become a polytechnic university |url=https://news.google.com/read/CBMipAFBVV95cUxOeEw2Zi11UklNRzYtdkFXdl9KY0lXT3g4S2xyTGtLOTNHTmI0ZGVfbUc3S04ySkdQVFl6OGlzTXF6ckYtQ1Q4cFBqRVdNT3V0bWtmZlpFYjVJUnAyS1ktODlabWlXUEI2QjFLZ2hPa1ZpaGhLR29IcFMwczIyWFF6NjhRR2J6cV9GQkFpVGRFZzFwWXNvc0lsOUdPOEJJM0lnbU5kWdIBR0FVX3lxTE1FeFh1R0J5NzlxWHQ1YlhZNHU4TVRSTmlMSHdiZFdJY3FmLUtXXzJmeHVXcTB4dXpOaDAyLXNjU3NsWHlCQnNv?hl=en-CA&gl=CA&ceid=CA%3Aen |work=CBC News}}