Welcome to Ch’nook

Founded by the Sauder School of Business at the University of British Columbia in 2002, the Ch’nook Initiative (originally Chinook) has focused on increasing Aboriginal participation in post-secondary business education studies in the province of British Columbia and Canada. Recognizing that new ways of engagement would be required, Ch’nook led the development of collaborative mechanisms and priorities by which successful partnerships with Aboriginal organizations, First Nations communities, post-secondary institutions and Canadian corporations were established to support increased Aboriginal participation in business education studies.

Advancing Indigenous Business Education

Ch’nook offers a wide range of business education learning opportunities. Some of our initiatives are aimed at promoting business education to Aboriginal high school students (Cousins). Others provide extended learning opportunities for post-secondary Aboriginal business students enrolled in institutions across British Columbia and Canada (Indigenous Business Education Network). We have also developed practical programs that resonate with the learning needs of Aboriginal entrepreneurs, leaders and First Nation communities. In doing so, we have maintained our focus on building Aboriginal business and management capacities that contribute to sustained economic development and self-determination within First Nation communities.

Committed Regional Partnerships

To increase cross-institutional collaboration between British Columbia’s colleges and universities, Ch’nook developed and championed the Ch’nook Business Education Accord as a mechanism for increasing Aboriginal participation in business education studies – it currently features 25 post-secondary signatory institutions. We have built on this strong provincial footprint to create a strong local presence through the signing of formal Regional Partnerships with the  University of Northern British Columbia in Prince George, Vancouver Island University in Nanaimo, and Thompson Rivers University in Kamloops. This enables us to get closer to the Aboriginal students and First Nations communities that we serve.