 |
| Backgrounder(s) & FactSheet(s): | Backgrounder |
|
| Backgrounder(s) & FactSheet(s): | Backgrounder |
VANCOUVER – The government of British Columbia launched a major
initiative focusing on the future of post-secondary education today at the
Burnaby campus of BCIT.
Campus
2020: Thinking Ahead is designed to build on the strengths of B.C.’s
post-secondary education system while discovering new approaches to expand the
network of learning opportunities across the province.
“We
all have to challenge ourselves to meet the needs of the next generation of
students as well as the needs of lifelong learners ready to expand their
educational horizons,” said Premier Gordon Campbell. “There have been seismic
shifts in the demographic, knowledge and economic landscapes. Our job here is
to be sure that the strengths of our universities, colleges and institutes are
reinforced while we discover new innovations that will help shape the learning
landscape of the future. We want a learning landscape that is as rich and
diverse as this great province.”
The
Province has undertaken the largest expansion of post-secondary opportunities
in the last 40 years with its commitment to create thousands of new spaces in
colleges and universities across B.C. and millions to fund research. Murray
Coell, Minister of Advanced Education, said the Province’s expansion of both
capital investments and research provides a foundation for the Province’s
advanced education strategy.
“We
are now asking students, faculty members, educational leaders, public and
private educational institutions, Aboriginal and multicultural organizations,
labour, business and the public to help develop a new educational framework
that will take us beyond the needs and approaches of today to the needs and
approaches that will be required for years to come,” said Coell.
“A new generation of students is Internet-savvy and
demands new learning environments. In many ways, today’s students want the
classroom and lecture hall to be the world in which they live. Trades, skills
development, research and open inquiry are critical components of the education
network that responds to the real needs of students.”
“Our institutions must serve the needs and fire the
imaginations of the learners in all
parts of the province,” said Campbell. “Our goal is to establish an advanced
education network that touches every region and every learner in B.C.”
To help the Province look at the opportunities and
challenges that lie ahead, Geoff Plant, QC, will be named special advisor to
the leadership team for Campus 2020: Thinking Ahead. Plant will be
assisted in the examination by international advisors including Dr. Harold
Shapiro, former president of Princeton University; Sara Diamond, president of
the Ontario College of Art and Design; and Graham Smith, a world leader in the
area of post-secondary education for indigenous and First Nations peoples. A
final report will be delivered in spring 2007.
Campus 2020: Thinking Ahead will be supported by a
ministry secretariat. The consultation process will include a series of
specially commissioned “think pieces” and a review of key literature on the
topic. Its broad range of topics will include:
Coell said the resulting recommendations will help
government to map creative, innovative policies for the future.
“Thinking ahead is an essential part of maximizing
benefits from our significant ongoing education investments in people and
infrastructure,” said Coell. “We are combining a compelling long-term vision
with meaningful resources. Everyone has a stake in our post-secondary system.”
-30-
|
|
||
|
contact: |
Press Secretary Office of the Premier 250 213-8218 |
Communications Director Ministry of Advanced Education 250 952-6508 250 213-1171 (cell) |
|
|
||
|
For more information on government services or to subscribe to the Province’s news feeds using RSS, visit the Province’s website at www.gov.bc.ca. |
||
