About

Mission and Purpose 

The mission and purpose of the Indigenous Research Network is to build and nurture a global research network that links academic researchers and Indigenous communities. 

We work with the guiding principle of “nothing about us without us” engaging with ethical and beneficial research that serves to empower Indigenous peoples. 

Vision 

Our vision is to become a leading and comprehensive Indigenous research network that brings together and supports Indigenous researchers, knowledge keepers and community members as well as their allies. 

We celebrate and amplify Indigenous ways of knowing and being-in-the-world, cultivating Indigenous presence in institutional processes and culture, while acknowledging the complex knowledge and research relationships between Indigenous researchers, Indigenous communities and non-Indigenous researchers working on Indigenous issues across the globe. Put simply, the IRN nurtures the Indigenous research community. 

History

The Indigenous Research Network, formed from the Truth and Reconciliations’ 34 Calls to Action, is one of the University of Toronto’s Institutional Strategic Initiatives (ISI), designed to address complex global challenges by harnessing the University’s top-quality academic talent across many fields of expertise. Each initiative brings together flexible, multidisciplinary teams of researchers and students from across faculties and campuses, as well as partners from industry, government, and the community.