*4.4. Finding 4 National and International Standards Supporting Indigenous Self-Determination Are Primary Drivers for the Inclusion of Indigenous Knowledges in Post-Secondary Education Institutions and Advance the Underlying Principle of Sustainability*

This finding indicated that the application of Indigenous knowledges within PSE institutions must be drawn from local traditional cultural protocols, which are supported by national and international standards and instruments on Indigenous self-determination. The research and advice from the Royal Commission on Aboriginal Peoples, the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada, and the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples are among some of the many resources that PSE institutions should study and integrate within policy. Other standards and instruments available on Aboriginal and treaty rights, such as the *Constitution Act, 1982,* and Canadian case law, provide critical information about Indigenous peoples and their knowledges. It is through understanding these standards and instruments, as well as the processes that brought them to fruition, that Indigenous worldviews about sustainability might be better understood. One participant was adamant, "I think one of the most important things in this conversation are the principles around UNDRIP, the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, that really speaks to sustainability from an Indigenous perspective" [6] (p. 92). There were concerns raised in the study about whether PSE institutions would be able to advance these discussions and whether individuals charged with leading were equipped to do so. A conclusion drawn from this finding is that PSE institutional personnel need to improve their understanding of the importance of local traditional protocols as well as national and international standards that support and protect Indigenous self-determination. An additional conclusion is that the use of these standards will lead to a greater understanding of how sustainability is advanced through Indigenous knowledges [6] (pp. 135–136).
