University College of the North
University College of the North —formerly Keewatin Community College—is a post-secondary institution located in Northern Manitoba, Canada, with two main campuses in The Pas and Thompson, respectively. UCN has a student body of approximately 2,400 annually and a staff of approximately 400.
History
Northern Manitoba Vocational Center, later named Keewatin Community College, was established in The Pas, Manitoba, in 1966. The school would go on to open a campus in Thompson in the early 1980s.On July 1, 2004, University College of the North was established with the passage of the University of the North Act in the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba, as the successor to Keewatin Community College.
Locations
UCN has two main campuses, in The Pas and Thompson. There are 12 regional centres, 9 of which are in First Nations communities: Churchill, Cross Lake, Easterville, Flin Flon, Pukatawagan, Grand Rapids, Nelson House, Norway House, Oxford House, St. Theresa Point, Split Lake, and Swan River. In partnership with local Cree Nation authorities, UCN co-sponsors public libraries in Pukatawagan, Norway House, and Chemawawin.In total, the area served by UCN covers an area roughly equal to the size of France. The campus at The Pas is near Clearwater Lake Provincial Park proving students with recreation at one of the clearest lakes in the world, and the campus near Thompson is surrounded by boreal forest and Canadian Shield enabling unique research opportunities.
Programs
UCN offers more than 40 degree, diploma, and certificate programs in the Faculty of Arts and Science, Faculty of Trades and Technology, Faculty of Health, Faculty of Education, Faculty of Business, and as part of community-based contract training and Apprenticeship training.The college is an active member of the University of the Arctic. UArctic is an international cooperative network based in the Circumpolar Arctic region, consisting of more than 200 universities, colleges, and other organizations with an interest in promoting education and research in the Arctic region.