 |
|
VICTORIA – Government is putting into action a number
of changes to further strengthen quality, accountability, opportunities and
protection for students in post-secondary education in British Columbia,
Advanced Education Minister Murray Coell announced today.
Coell announced the development of an Education Quality Assurance (EQA)
designation that will become British Columbia’s brand for post-secondary
education for both public and private institutions. The EQA will be used around
the world to promote high quality, reputable and credible B.C. post-secondary
institutions, and will enable students to readily see which
institutions, both public and private, are “recognized” as having met
established quality assurance standards.
Additional actions
include:
·
Moving to a
results-based accreditation process that holds private institutions accountable
for the extent to which students achieve stated program outcomes. For example,
a school may choose to measure its results based on how many students obtain
jobs after completing a program. That school would be required to publicly
report on employment rates of its students as a condition of its accreditation.
Students will be able to make better informed choices about career training.
·
Enhancing
accountability of the Private Career Training Institutions Agency. Periodic
reviews, surveys, and increased public reporting requirements will increase
transparency and give the public more opportunities to provide constructive
feedback and advice to PCTIA. This will help the agency better respond to
changing needs of students and schools.
·
Restructuring
PCTIA fee structures. Changes are being made to level the playing field between
small and large institutions. Institutions that have a history of
non-compliance will face increased fees. These changes will increase fairness
and accountability between institutions.
“The initiatives announced today build on this government’s commitment
to enhancing all aspects of post-secondary education, so that students from
around the world can have confidence that when they come to B.C. they will
receive a quality education,” said Coell. “We will be working closely with our
education partners to implement EQA.”
The Campus 2020 initiative was the first comprehensive look at higher
education in British Columbia in 45 years. The spring 2007 report, which
followed provincewide consultation, contained recommendations that will help
shape B.C.’s learning landscape as it moves towards 2020. A review of the
Private Career Training Institutions Act was recommended in the Campus 2020
report. Both the reports are available online at: www.aved.gov.bc.ca/publications.
British Columbia’s private career training institutions attract a large
and diverse population of students with more than 65,000 enrolments and about
$265 million total tuition paid to just under 500 private institutions.
-30-
|
contact: |
Communications Director 250 952-6508 |
|
|
|
||
|
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. |
||
