The North has a new champion in academia with deep community roots that could transform how Indigenous education evolves across the circumpolar region.
Memorial University of Newfoundland and Labrador recently announced the appointment of Dr. Sylvia Moore as the first-ever UArctic Chair in Indigenous and Northern Education. This groundbreaking role connects Memorial with the University of the Arctic (UArctic), a collaborative network of universities, colleges, and research institutes across northern regions worldwide.
Dr. Moore brings considerable experience to the position, having served as an associate professor at Memorial’s Labrador Institute. Her work has focused on decolonizing education, with her research examining ways Indigenous knowledge and values can be better integrated into formal schooling systems.
“Education in northern regions must reflect the realities, aspirations and knowledge systems of the people who live there,” said Dr. Moore in a statement released by Memorial University. “This chair position creates opportunities to strengthen connections between Indigenous communities, researchers and educational institutions across the circumpolar North.”
The appointment comes at a critical juncture for Indigenous education in Canada. The Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s Calls to Action specifically highlighted education as a key pathway to reconciliation, with recommendations for culturally appropriate curricula and Indigenous language revitalization.
Dr. Vianne Timmons, president of Memorial University, emphasized the strategic importance of the position. “This appointment strengthens Memorial’s commitment to Indigenous scholarship and our connections throughout the Arctic region,” she noted during the announcement ceremony in Happy Valley-Goose Bay last week.
The UArctic network, which spans eight countries with Indigenous populations, provides a platform for knowledge exchange on shared challenges including climate change impacts, sustainable development, and cultural preservation. Moore’s appointment creates a formal channel for Indigenous educational approaches from Labrador to inform practices in places like northern Finland, Alaska, and Greenland.
According to Statistics Canada, Indigenous youth continue to face significant educational barriers compared to non-Indigenous peers. High school completion rates for First Nations, Métis and Inuit students lag behind national averages by approximately 30 percentage points in some regions. Moore’s research has examined how culturally relevant teaching methods can help close these gaps.
Community leaders in Labrador have responded positively to the appointment. Johannes Lampe, President of Nunatsiavut Government, called the position “a meaningful step toward ensuring Inuit knowledge and approaches to learning gain the recognition and influence they deserve in higher education.”
Moore’s research has often focused on land-based education – learning experiences that connect students with traditional territories and knowledge systems. Her 2019 study in Nain, Labrador demonstrated how hunting trips and harvesting activities could be integrated with provincial curriculum requirements while strengthening students’ cultural identities.
“Education isn’t just what happens in classrooms,” Moore explained in a recent interview with CBC Labrador Morning. “For Indigenous communities, the land has always been the first teacher. We need educational models that respect this reality while preparing students for contemporary challenges.”
The UArctic chair position comes with responsibilities for developing research initiatives, creating educational resources, and fostering collaboration between northern communities and academic institutions. Moore will also help guide UArctic’s Thematic Network on Teacher Education for Social Justice and Diversity.
Funding for the position comes from a combination of sources including Memorial University, the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council, and the UArctic network itself. This multi-year support reflects growing recognition that Indigenous educational approaches offer valuable perspectives for addressing complex northern issues.
The timing aligns with increasing attention to Arctic sovereignty and sustainable development across the circumpolar region. As climate change transforms northern landscapes and economies, educational systems must evolve to prepare young people for unprecedented changes while maintaining cultural continuity.
Moore’s first initiatives will include a circumpolar symposium on Indigenous teacher education planned for spring 2023 and the development of shared curriculum resources focused on climate resilience.
“When we connect educators across the North, we discover common challenges but also innovative solutions,” Moore said. “Indigenous communities have always adapted to changing circumstances while maintaining core values and knowledge systems.”
For students at Memorial’s Labrador campus, the appointment signals expanded opportunities for northern-focused research and international exchanges. Undergraduate education student Emma Winters from North West River expressed enthusiasm: “Having leadership that understands the realities of northern communities makes a huge difference in how we approach teaching careers.”
Education scholars note that the chair position represents a shift in how academic institutions engage with Indigenous knowledge. Rather than treating traditional knowledge as subject matter to be studied, the approach recognizes Indigenous methods as valid systems of inquiry and teaching in themselves.
As Memorial and other Canadian universities work to implement Truth and Reconciliation commitments, positions like Moore’s create structural support for Indigenous leadership in academia. Similar chairs have been established at other Canadian institutions, including the University of Saskatchewan and University of British Columbia, though Moore’s is unique in its circumpolar focus.
The real test of the position’s impact will come through its influence on educational practice in northern classrooms and communities. Moore has emphasized that success will be measured by tangible benefits for Indigenous learners across the North.
“Academic positions matter,” she said, “but what really counts is whether more Indigenous young people feel their knowledge and identities are valued within education systems, and whether they have the skills and confidence to lead their communities forward.”
