World Indigenous Nations Higher Education Consortium
Established in August 2002 at the World Indigenous Peoples Conference on Education (WIPCE) in Alberta, Canada, WINHEC was founded with a powerful vision: recognizing and reaffirming the educational rights of all Indigenous peoples. Our aim is to bring professionals from diverse backgrounds—including university departments, research organizations, and government agencies across many countries—together to achieve common goals through higher education.
What makes WINHEC special is our unwavering dedication to Indigenous education. We strive to recognize the profound significance of Indigenous education and uphold the educational rights of Indigenous Peoples worldwide. Our mission is to accelerate the articulation of Indigenous epistemologies—including unique ways of knowing, education philosophies, and research methodologies—and to fiercely protect and enhance Indigenous spiritual beliefs, cultures, and languages through the power of higher education.
Nurturing relationships and unique indigeneity
WINHEC actively connects with and supports its members by bringing them together annually in different countries. These gatherings are vibrant opportunities to celebrate the uniqueness of being Indigenous, nurture vital relationships, and collectively further the purpose of WINHEC. In 2026, we are proud to host both the WINHEC Annual General Meeting and the WIREC Symposium, graciously hosted by University nuhelot’ine thaiyots’inistameyimâkanak Blue Quills in St. Paul, Alberta, Canada.
Shaping global indigenous education policy
Among WINHEC's proudest moments is our significant contribution to global dialogues on Indigenous rights. We submitted a comprehensive position paper to The UNESCO World Virtual Indigenous Circle on Open Science and the Decolonization of Knowledge Forum. In line with our traditional protocols, we respectfully paid homage to Indigenous Elders and Traditional Owners, present and past, and extended greetings from our member institutions and knowledge holders globally. We deeply appreciate the opportunity to participate in this historic forum and continue to advocate for Indigenous voices in higher education.
"Recognizing and reaffirming the educational rights of all indigenous peoples."
The WINHEC vision