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Canada's universities showcase benefits of private sector partnerships Ottawa - Canada’s universities invite Canadians to see first-hand how higher education is helping build prosperity through innovative partnerships with the private sector and communities. Open Doors, Open Knowledge is a series of national university open houses in November, organized by the Association of Universities and Colleges of Canada and its member institutions. With the theme of “Putting Ideas to work for Canadians,” this year’s Open Doors event will showcase how university and business partnerships are driving innovation and enhancing quality of life in Canada.
“Collaboration with universities helps businesses address challenges, find efficiencies and get new ideas to market faster,” says Christine Tausig Ford, vice president of AUCC. “These partnerships are making businesses more competitive, creating jobs and positioning Canada as a leader in the global knowledge economy.”
Partnerships between universities and the private sector, as well as the not-for-profit sector, provide students and new graduates with invaluable hands-on research experience. Through research projects, internships and co-ops, students can enhance their knowledge and skills while making connections with future employers.
“We need to further develop these kinds of partnerships, both in number and scale, to achieve Canada’s potential in innovation and productivity,” says Ms. Tausig Ford. “We need to invest in ways that link university researchers and students – the creative people who develop new knowledge – with businesses that turn that knowledge into new products, processes, services and technologies.”
More than 30 Open Doors, Open Knowledge events are taking place at institutions across Canada, with most scheduled during November 9-18. A full listing of events can be found at www.aucc.ca/canadian-universities/open-doors.
AUCC is the national voice of Canada’s universities, representing 95 Canadian public and not-for-profit universities.
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Media Contact:
Helen Murphy
Communications Manager
Association of Universities and Colleges of Canada
hmurphy@aucc.ca
613-563-1236 ext. 238
This letter to the editor was published in the Globe and Mail on November 6, 2012
By Christine Tausig Ford,
Vice-president and Chief Operating Officer,
Association of Universities and Colleges of Canada
Gwyn Morgan incorrectly argues that two in five Canadian university graduates are employed in low-skill jobs. The OECD report to which he refers is about the entry-level positions for all graduates from postsecondary education in Canada. More than three out of four of these positions are filled by those with trade, community college and CEGEP diplomas or certificates, not university graduates.
From 1990 to 2011, the number of jobs filled by university grads in Canada more than doubled (from 1.9 million to 4.5 million), while the growth in jobs in the skilled trades grew by less than a third. Professional and management jobs grew by 1.7 million during this time; 1.4 million of them were filled by university grads. And census figures reveal that those with BAs across a wide array of disciplines enjoy a significant income premium.
Canadians know they’re still getting great value and even greater opportunities with their university degrees.
Op ed published in Canadian Business magazine
By Paul Davidson
President and CEO Association of Universities and Colleges of Canada
In the course of my work over the last three years, I have visited more than 85 universities across the country, and what I have seen fills me with hope for Canada’s future.
First there are the students – more than ever before. Full-time enrolment is up over 50 percent since 2000, and our economy will need all of them and more to meet the labour market needs of the next decade. They are filled with passion and fueled by a desire to make a difference. We have to make sure they have the learning experiences that will equip them to succeed in a new kind of Canada.
Then there are the outstanding faculty – more than half of the professors in Canada have been hired in the last decade. They are a new generation, bringing new ideas and new approaches to teaching and research that are making Canada’s universities the envy of the world.
Together, they are tackling some of the toughest problems the world is facing – and they are finding solutions. Think of the dramatic improvements we are seeing in agricultural production. Consider how research is giving new life and creating new jobs in Canada’s forests. Consider how our lives have been transformed by new communications technologies. From the discovery of insulin almost 100 years ago to breakthroughs in stem cell research, to new therapies for cancer and other health issues, Canada’s universities are pushing the frontiers of discovery and innovation.
Canada’s university campuses are dynamic places of inquiry. Working with a broad array of partners they are helping drive innovation that is strengthening communities, fostering jobs and growth, and helping extend our reach to places like China, India and Brazil.
Crucial to these endeavours are the ways universities interact with the private sector and civil society. More than half of Canada’s undergraduates will pursue a co-op or internship, giving them important early experiences in the workforce, and helping employers identify and attract new talent. Universities are actively breaking down barriers to collaboration. And employers choose Canada’s universities to conduct close to $1 billion in research every year – research that contributes to their success – and to Canada’s in a globally competitive world.
In a world beset by economic fragility, Canada’s universities are a source of strength, and a resource for all Canadians. Come see for yourself.
From November 9 to 18, I invite you to visit a campus near you to see how Canada’s universities are putting ideas to work. Our “Open Doors, Open Knowledge” events across Canada will show how students and faculty are working with their community to foster discovery and innovation.
Ottawa – Members of the Association of Universities and Colleges of Canada this week elected David Barnard, president and vice-chancellor of the University of Manitoba, as vice-chair and chair-elect of the Board of Directors.
Dr. Barnard has led the University of Manitoba since 2008 and also served as president at the University of Regina from 1998-2005. He has served as chair of the Association’s Finance Committee since October 2010, and is a member of the Board’s Standing Advisory Committee on University Research. He also served on the AUCC Board from 2003-05.
Three new directors were also elected to AUCC’s Board:
- Dominic Giroux, president of Laurentian University in Sudbury, ON;
- Ramona Lumpkin, president of Mount St. Vincent University in Halifax, NS; and
- Patrick Deane, president of McMaster University in Hamilton, ON;
AUCC’s is led by a 13-member board of directors made up of 12 university presidents and the president of the association. The other current members are:
- Stephen Toope, Chair of the Board of Directors and President, University of British Columbia in Vancouver, BC;
- Yves Beauchamp, director general of the École de technologie supérieure in Montreal, QC;
- Robert Campbell, president of Mount Allison University in Sackville, NB;
- Paul Davidson, president of the Association of Universities and Colleges of Canada;
- Elizabeth Cannon, president of the University of Calgary in Calgary AB;
- Colin Dodds, president of Saint Mary’s University in Halifax, NS;
- George Iwama, president of the University of Northern British Columbia in Prince George, BC;
- Luce Samoisette, rector of the Université de Sherbrooke in Sherbrooke, QC; and
- Alastair Summerlee, president of the University of Guelph in Guelph, ON.
AUCC’s board is assisted in voice, but not vote, by the chairs of five committees:
- Paul Gooch, president of Victoria University in Toronto, ON, who was elected this week as chair of the Standing Advisory Committee on the Act and By-Laws;
- Ray Ivany, president of Acadia University in Wolfville, NS, chair of the Standing Advisory Committee on Educational Issues and Funding;
- Daniel Woolf, principal of Queen’s University in Kingston, ON, chair of the Standing Advisory Committee on International Relations;
- Heather Munroe-Blum, principal of McGill University in Montreal, QC, chair of the Standing Advisory Committee on University Research; and
- Dr. Barnard, who continues to chair the Finance Committee.
AUCC is the national voice of Canada’s universities, representing 95 Canadian public and private not-for-profit universities across the country.
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For more information contact:
Helen Murphy
AUCC Communications Manager
hmurphy@aucc.ca
613-563-1236 ext. 238 or cell: 613-608-8749
Nadine Robitaille
AUCC Communications Officer
nrobitaille@aucc.ca
613-563-3961 ext. 306 or cell: 613-884-8401
Ottawa – Canada is increasingly an education destination of choice for top university students around the world. New university enrolment figures from all provinces except Quebec show that the number of international students in these provinces has increased 12 percent this fall. (Quebec figures are expected in November.)
The increases in international student enrolment are reflected in the growth of Canadian students as well, with an increase of 3.4 percent in the graduate student population and two percent among undergraduates.
AUCC says that the overall upward trend in enrolment demonstrates the value that students continue to put on higher education in Canada.
According to federal government estimates, 75 percent of new jobs in the coming decade will require postsecondary education. Between 2010 and 2020, AUCC estimates there will be 2.1 million jobs created for university graduates. During their careers university graduates will typically earn $1.3 million more than those with a high-school education alone. The lifetime income advantage for a bachelor’s graduate over a registered tradesperson or college grad working full-time is $1 million.
“Students and their families recognize that university remains the surest path to prosperity,” said Mr. Davidson. “University graduates routinely earn much higher incomes and experience more stable employment than those without a university education.”
Having international students in university classrooms provides value for Canadian students as well.
“The presence of students from around the globe on Canadian campuses enriches the education experience for all students,” says Paul Davidson, president of the Association of Universities and Colleges of Canada. “Living and learning alongside students with different perspectives, languages and cultures helps Canadian students develop the international awareness in demand by today’s employers.”
According to a July 2012 federal government report, international students pursuing their education in Canada generate 81,000 jobs, nearly $8-billion in spending and more than $445 million in government revenue.
AUCC is the national voice of Canada’s universities, representing 95 Canadian public and private not-for-profit universities.
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Media Contact:
Helen Murphy, Communications Manager
Association of Universities and Colleges of Canad
hmurphy@aucc.ca
613-563-1236 ext. 238 Cell. 613-608-8749
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