Aurora College is a public post-secondary institution in the Northwest Territories with three campuses and 21 Community Learning Centres.
Aurora College is established as a public post-secondary education institution under The Aurora College Act, which sets requirements around transparency and accountability. Its mission is to demonstrate leadership in the delivery of relevant and meaningful education, research and reconciliation actions rooted in strong connections to Northern land, tradition, community, and people. The College's address is PO Box 1008, 87 Gwich’in Road, Inuvik, NT, X0E 0T0.
In 1968, the Heavy Equipment Operator program was offered in Fort Smith. In 1981, the adult training centre in Fort Smith was elevated to a fully accredited college with a governing body, called Thebacha College. In 1995, Arctic College became Aurora College, serving the people of the new Northwest Territories. In 2018, the Government of the Northwest Territories committed to transform the College into a polytechnic university, with a goal of launching it in 2025.
Each campus focuses on different programming and provides modern teaching facilities, and each has a Student Success Centre. Facilities listed include student housing (dorms, shared units, apartments, row houses), laundry facilities, free Wi-Fi and local phone and cable in common areas, Community Recreation at the Inuvik and Fort Smith campuses, health and wellness activities, and Computer Services.
The Northern Nursing Diploma Program was established by the College in 1994 in response to a need for more nurses. In partnership with the University of Victoria, the College began delivering a Bachelor of Science in Nursing in 2000. In 1976, the College established its longest-standing partnership agreement with the University of Saskatchewan, creating a formal transfer agreement for a Teacher Education Diploma Program.