Memorial is committed to strengthening Indigenous research, including establishing methods to ensure appropriate consultation and engagement with Indigenous communities, NGOs and government leaders prior to and during the initial stages of research on both community-identified and outside researcher-led initiatives.

Whether Indigenous research is conducted by settler researchers or by Indigenous researchers, it is a focal point for expression, concern, attention and most importantly, action, for truth and reconciliation. Memorial recognizes the critical role of educators, researchers, and university administrators in the work of truth, reconciliation and a renewed relationship with Indigenous peoples, including with our own Indigenous faculty, staff and students. We recognize that research processes and results bear significantly on the lives of Indigenous students, families, communities and governments.

The resources on this webpage focus on research with, by and for Indigenous peoples that emphasizes engagement based on understanding and respect. At the same time, we work to move beyond individual respect and understanding towards structural, ideological, institutional, and methodological change. We take our lead from Canada’s Truth and Reconciliation Commission, the United Nations Declaration of the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami’s National Inuit Strategy on Research, University Canada’s Twelve Principles for Indigenous Education (of which Memorial is a signatory), the Ethical Principles for the Conduct of Research in the North, Memorial’s own Office of Indigenous Affairs’ Indigenization Strategy and other Indigenous-led directives to guide us through these changes.

• Memorial's Policy on Research Impacting Indigenous Groups
• For researchers: Doing Indigenous research in a good way
• Primer on Indigenous Peoples and protocols in Newfoundland and Labrador
• Research FAQs for Indigenous groups, governments and Nations
• Indigenous Research FAQs for student researchers
• Indigenous Research FAQs for RIS and grant facilitators
• Indigenous Group Contacts
• Doing Research Together: Rights of Research Participants brochure
• Examples of Indigenous Research Review Bodies focused on the contexts of Newfoundland and Labrador

Please note: the above FAQs are living documents and will be updated periodically.

NEWS

• Memorial is leading a review of its institutional Indigenous research policy. At its May 31, 2022, meeting, the President’s Advisory Team (PAT) approved a two-phased consultation plan to review the Research Impacting Indigenous Groups (RIIG) Policy with internal and external stakeholders. Read Gazette article.
  
  
• Dr. Paul Banahene Adjei is jointly appointed interim associate vice-president (Indigenous research) effective May 2, 2022, while continuing as interim dean, School of Social Work. Read Gazette article.
  
  
• Memorial has a groundbreaking new Indigenous research policy. At its July 9, 2020, meeting, the Board of Regents approved the Research Impacting Indigenous Groups policy – the first of its kind known in Canadian universities. Read more here.

Feedback can be sent to Indigenousresearch@mun.ca