Higher Education Pathwaysin Ontario:

A brief history & future look

Academic Plan Project TeamOctober 1, 2013

By Linda Basso, Pathways Coordinator

Spring 2009

MTCU established a Credit Transfer Steering Committee

Mandate: To design a new credit transfer system to enhance the mobility of postsecondary students in Ontario and increase the ability of college students to access degree programs in universities.

January 2011MTCU announced an investment of $73.7 million over the next five years to support the implementation of a new province-wide credit transfer system.

1. A Credit Transfer Innovation to help develop and expand new credit transfer pathways2. A central Credit Transfer website to give students the timely and accurate information they need to navigate their chosen destinations3. A coordinating body to be created to oversee the Credit Transfer website, to administer the Innovation Fund, to provide information to students and institutions, and to showcase and disseminate successful practices4. Targeted grants to institutions to support activities that are critical for successful implementation5. Accountability measures to monitor progress over time

1. Credit Transfer Innovation

Credit Transfer Innovation Funds Support the development of new student pathways • Projects to develop pathways from college diploma

programs to university degree programs• College to College transfer including:

– apprenticeship – college projects (bidirectional pathways)– transfer points between colleges within the same programs

• Credit Transfer website (ONTransfer)• Ontario Course Equivalency Management Centre

(OCEMC)

2. Credit Transfer Website

3. Coordinating Body

Ontario Council on Articulation and Transfer (ONCAT)

Established in 2011, replacing the former College-University Consortium Council (CUCC)

ONCAT Mandate:

• ONCAT is dedicated to assisting students to achieve successful academic and career futures.

• ONCAT facilitates and supports academic collaboration and the development of transfer pathways among Ontario's publicly funded colleges and universities to optimize postsecondary options for students and reduce duplication of prior learning.

ONCAT Goals:

• Provide leadership in the development and ongoing enhancement of postsecondary education transfer credit policies and practices in Ontario

• Maintain the provincial PSE credit transfer portal, ONTransfer

• Research, assess and report on credit transfer activity and results

• Provide support and advocacy for students with regard to credit transfer

• Solicit, select, supervise, support and fund provincial credit transfer projects as required

4. Targeted Grants to Institutions

Credit Transfer Institutional Grants (CTIG)Support the implementation of credit transfer• Data collection and reporting capacity• Transfer facilitation activities and student

support services• Pathways projects

ONTransfer Demonstration

http://www.ONTransfer.ca

Ontario Course Equivalency Management Centre (CEMC)

Summer 2012• Steering group of 12 institutions• All wanted to build a course to course

database as part of CTIG• Selected a vendor – Academy One

Original 12 Goals:

Goals: 1) Serve the needs of institutions and

provide good information to students2) Provide course to course

equivalencies across institutions

C2C for Institutions

• Workspace to maintain and update equivalencies – workflow management system – request expert advice – possibility for documents transfer

• Control/update from the institution • Collection of course catalogues from across the

sector • Recommend (2nd & 3rd degree) equivalencies • Possibility of management reports on searches