Post-secondary institutions are well-positioned to prepare Canada for a prosperous future, a new report from Public Policy Forum says.
Innovation in Post-Secondary Education is the latest instalment in the think tank’s Skills for the Post-Pandemic World series examining the future of work as we leave COVID-19 behind.
Authored by Stacey J. Young, Fiona M. Deller, and Karen E. McCallum, the report outlines how our academic institutions are accessible, diverse in mission and scope, and offer a wide range of programs.
This is borne out in the fact that Canada is an attractive destination for international students: foreign students make up a higher percentage of enrolment in our system than post-secondary institutions in all but six other OECD countries, and much more than the United States.
Despite this success, there is room for some improvement. They examine specific learner-centred and responsive program innovations some post-secondaries are implementing that, while helping them adapt to the challenges of the pandemic, are not sustainable. Continued support is needed.
To that end, the authors recommend the following policy considerations:
- No one-size-fits-all solution: Governments must consider the match between institution type and response to an external labour-market need
- Fund appropriately: Increased funding is not necessarily needed, but funding levers must be supportive of innovation and rapid response
- Support flexibility: Funding and regulatory frameworks must be tailored towards flexibility to enable resiliency and rapid upskilling through solutions such as shorter semesters and micro-credentialing
- Assess quality: Institutions need to quickly assess the strength and viability of innovative solutions without being slowed by bureaucracy and needless red tape
- Develop and use competency frameworks: A common taxonomy and language for advanced skills that is vetted by all stakeholders is important for students successfully transition to the workplace
