About Us

About Us

Advancing meaningful institutional change through Indigenous leadership, partnership, and shared responsibility.

About Us

Advancing meaningful institutional change through Indigenous leadership, partnership, and shared responsibility.

About Us

About Us

Advancing meaningful institutional change through Indigenous leadership, partnership, and shared responsibility.


The Office of Indigenous Initiatives (OII) was established as part of Western University’s commitment to strengthening Indigenous presence, perspectives and leadership across all areas of the university, including learning, research and community engagement.

Working under the leadership of the Vice-Provost & Associate Vice-President (Indigenous Initiatives), the Office leads system-wide change to advance Truth and Reconciliation, support equitable outcomes for Indigenous people and guide the implementation of Western’s Indigenous Strategic Plan and Western at 150.

Our Role

Through this work, we help foster a university environment grounded in respect, reciprocity, and accountability. The Office plays a leadership and collaborative role across the university by:

Championing Indigenous strategic priorities

Building meaningful, community-engaged partnerships

Supporting faculties, units, and campus partners in advancing Indigenous initiatives

Our Commitment

We are committed to strengthening relationships with Indigenous communities locally, provincially, nationally, and internationally.

We work to ensure that Western is a place where Indigenous students, staff, faculty and community members feel welcomed and supported – and where Indigenous languages and ways of knowing, being, and doing are respected and meaningfully integrated across the institution.

Our Priority Areas

Our work focuses on key areas that support institutional change and community impact:

Strategic planning and implementation

Communications and reporting

Community engagement

Policy development and practice

Space planning and management

Curriculum and training development

Student affairs, access and recruitment strategies

Faculty and staff recruitment and retention strategies

Research and scholarship strategies