INFORMATION BULLETIN

2010ALMD0035-000985 Aug. 30, 2010

Ministry of Advanced Education and Labour Market Development

 

NOTHING BUT THE FACTS: POST-SECONDARY EDUCATION IN B.C.

 

VICTORIA – British Columbia’s public post-secondary education system is preparing students to take their places in the province’s knowledge economy. Here’s a statistical* profile showcasing higher learning in B.C.:

 

More affordable

·         Fifth-lowest tuition in Canada – the $4,840 average tuition undergraduate students paid at B.C.’s public institutions in 2009-10.

·         Approximately one-third – the proportion of their post-secondary education costs students pay through their tuition.

·         Two per cent – the limit on tuition fee increases again this year at B.C.’s public universities, colleges and institutes.

·         Over $2 billion – student financial assistance provided by government since 2001.

·         Over $39 million – the amount of loan-reduction funding provided annually to students through the B.C. Loan Reduction Program.

·         B.C. is the first province in Canada to offer an affordable, universal, U-Pass transit program to students at all publicly funded post-secondary institutions.

 

More choices

·         Seven – the number of new university campuses since 2001: Thompson Rivers University, Capilano University, University of the Fraser Valley, Vancouver Island University, Kwantlen Polytechnic University, Emily Carr University of Art + Design, and the University of British Columbia Okanagan.

·         203,357 student spaces – the total number of full-time equivalent seats being funded by the provincial government this academic year.

·         36,000 – the number of new full-time spaces for students added to B.C.’s 11 universities, 11 community colleges, three provincial institutes and the Industry Training Authority since 2001.

·         2,500 – the number of graduate student spaces being added to B.C.’s four research-intensive universities from 2007-08 to 2010-11.

·         300 – the number of new degree programs approved by the Minister of Advanced Education and Labour Market Development since 2001, giving students more choices.

·         18 – the number of private and out-of-province public institutions that have received authority under the Degree Authorization Act to offer degree programs in B.C, offering over 40 degree programs for students to choose from.

·         More than 150 – the number of private career training institutions accredited through the Private Career Training Institutions Agency.

 

 

·         Over 2,000 – the number of distance courses students can enrol in through BCcampus. These courses and online learner support services available through BCcampus are increasing learning options and learner success at B.C.’s public post-secondary institutions. Between August 2009 and July 2010, approximately 160,000 students applied to B.C. institutions through the province’s online application service.

 

Record investments in post-secondary education

·         $19.7 billion – amount of money invested in post-secondary education in B.C. since 2001.

·         55 per cent – the increase in annual operating funding for post-secondary institutions since 2001.

·         $1.9 billion – the amount invested in support of post-secondary education this year.

·          Approximately $10,000 – amount per full-time student funded by the provincial government, up from $8,440 in 2001-02.

 

Record investments in campus facilities

·         $2.1 billion – amount of capital expansion at public post-secondary institutions since 2001 – the largest post-secondary expansion in history.

·         More than 960 – capital projects on campuses throughout B.C. since 2001.

·         Over 50 new buildings or major expansions under construction.

·         Seven – number of new campuses completed since 2001.

 

More doctors and nurses

·         More than double – the number of doctors who will graduate in B.C., compared to 2001 – 256 per year by 2011. The University of British Columbia now has the highest number of seats of any English-speaking medical school in Canada.

·         The number of nursing education spots has doubled, with more than 4,000 new seats added since 2001 and 25 new nursing programs created.

·         2,107 – nursing credentials awarded by public post-secondary institutions in B.C. in academic year 2008-09, up from 1,343 in 2000-01. More than half received their bachelor of science in nursing, most of whom will go on to become registered nurses in B.C.

 

More students

·         Over 440,000 – the approximate number of students enrolled in public post-secondary institutions in B.C. This is the highest number ever.

·         Over 24,000 – the number of international students in B.C. public post-secondary institutions – the highest number ever.

·         Over 21,000 – the number of public post-secondary students who identified themselves as Aboriginal – a significant increase since reporting began in 2003.

 

* Statistics from most recent years available.

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Media Contact:

Corinna Filion Communications Director Ministry of Advanced Education and Labour Market Development 250 952-6508 250 812-7977 (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.