28 July 2025

A Public Lecture titled “A Critical Look at Indigenization of Canadian Universities” was held on Monday, 28 July 2025, from 14:00 to 15:00. The session was moderated by Gregory T. Papanikos, President of the Athens Institute, and sponsored by the Canadian University Alumni in Greece (www.cuag.gr).

The lecture was delivered by Dr. Jim Clark, Head of the Psychology Unit at the Athens Institute and Professor at the University of Winnipeg, Canada. His presentation offered a thought-provoking and critical examination of how Canadian universities are integrating Indigenous perspectives and practices.

Prof. Clark addressed both the intent and impact of these initiatives, highlighting tensions between Indigenization efforts and traditional

academic principles such as rational inquiry and scientific evidence. While the focus was on Canadian institutions, the discussion emphasized that similar debates are unfolding in academic settings around the world.

Following the main presentation, short interventions were made by:

• Domenico Maddaloni, Head of the Sociology Unit, Athens Institute & Professor, University of Salerno, Italy.
• Ayla Ogus Binatli, Professor, Izmir University of Economics, Türkiye.
• Daphne Vidanec, Tenured Professor, University of Applied Sciences Baltazar Zaprešić, Croatia.
• Nkosingiphile Zungu, Lecturer, University of Zululand, South Africa.
• Samira Yaghouti, Doctoral Researcher, Finland Futures Research Centre, University of Turku, Finland.

These contributions enriched the discussion by offering international perspectives on cultural integration, academic values, and the evolving role of universities in diverse social contexts.