Government Should Adopt More Active Role in Public Postsecondary Education

The Expert Panel reviewed submissions from each school outlining their Strategic Mandate Agreement.

In connection with their report on private career colleges, the Higher Education Quality Council of Ontario has also reviewed public postsecondary schools to shed some light on these important institutions. They’ve presented their conclusions to help strengthen the role of the 44 public colleges and universities operating in Ontario.

In a nutshell, their findings call for a more active and purposeful government presence in the vision and planning of the province’s public postsecondary sector.

The Expert Panel reviewed submissions from each school outlining their Strategic Mandate Agreement. In other words, they asked postsecondary institutions for their input on what their strengths and aspirations are and what makes them unique. They also invited suggestions on how the Ontario system could improve productivity while dealing with financial constraints. Lastly, they encouraged discussion about innovations and reforms that would promote higher learning, with the lofty goal of transforming the public postsecondary system.

The findings from these queries will have far-reaching impact, as they “will strongly inform future decisions, including allocation decisions and program approvals,” according to the Ministry of Training, Colleges and Universities (MTCU).

To facilitate this process, a peer review panel has been set up consisting of former school presidents, industry leaders, and others with a wealth of experience. The panel offered recommendations to the government, including the suggestion to provide funding based on school performance in their specific mandated area, to increase opportunity for online learning or blended learning, and to work towards greater system differentiation.

The MTCU will be working to finalize mandate agreements with each public postsecondary school to ensure a promising future for postsecondary education in Ontario.