Dechinta: Bush University Centre for Research and Learning

Dechinta: Bush University Centre for Research and Learning (formerly the Northern University Field School and Blachford Trust Initiative) is an educational establishment, located in northern Canada at Blachford Lake, Yellowknife that specialises in teaching the traditional skills found in northern Canada, whilst being university accredited.

According to its website, the centre is " ....a northern-led initiative delivering land-based, university credited educational experiences led by northern leaders, experts, elders and professors to engage northern and southern youth in a transformative curricula based on the cutting-edge needs of Canada’s North." ^[1]

Established in 2010 the centre runs an intensive twelve week course in which the students live "off the grid" at Blachford Lake in order to learn about northern aboriginal culture, local governance, and to get insights into the effects of climate change, education and other matters relevant to living a sustainable life.

The centre is based in an "eco-lodge" in a remote setting which is only accessible by snowmobile, bush-plane, or dog team.

The intensive 12-week programs place equal value on Western-style academia and traditional aboriginal knowledge.

Royal visit

The centre was visited by The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge on their 2011 visit to Canada.^[2]

References

1. ^ Dechinta website
2. ^ CBC News