Annual Report 2016-17 Table of Contents Message from the Board Co-Chairs........................... 01 Mobility Infrastructure.................................................... 21 Message from the Executive Director........................ 04 Pathway Development Why Mobility Matters..................................................... 07 Knowledge Gathering Who We Are Learning Outcomes Strategic Priorities Transfer Banter................................................................. 25 Our Partners Committees...................................................................... 29 Students First................................................................... 11 Board of Directors.......................................................... 31 Building on Shared Resources..................................... 17 The ONCAT Team........................................................... 32 Bringing Our Identity Full Circle Platforms for Collaboration ONTransfer.ca Website Redesign Message from the Board Co-Chairs This is an exciting year for the postsecondary system serving on ONCAT’s Board of Directors, it really has been and one in which Ontario’s colleges celebrate their a pleasure to be involved with an organization committed 50th anniversary. Throughout these past decades, to not only supporting the partnership aspirations of postsecondary education as a system and the relationship institutions, but also involving students and government in of colleges and universities, has evolved to one of a collective effort to expand student mobility across this collaboration and partnerships. As postsecondary leaders province. We’re incredibly proud of the progress ONCAT 01 has made to date, serving students by facilitating work on We are proud of ONCAT for its advocacy on behalf of postsecondary pathways flexible enough to prepare them students across Ontario who are looking for more out for the unique demands of Ontario’s changing economy. of their postsecondary education – who are pursuing multiple credentials, diverse skillsets, and complementary In providing opportunities for colleges and universities to experience. In speaking to our students, we are aware collaborate, it has been a truly gratifying experience to see that they view access to different types of education the work toward an effective system for student mobility as an invaluable asset, and essential to their success in this province come to fruition. Aside from projects to in the knowledge-based economy. ONCAT’s work in develop transfer pathways and equivalencies in Ontario, support of a more integrated system for mobility in the ONCAT continues to support a growing body of research Ontario postsecondary community serves this need while and initiatives to sustain an integrated approach to student contributing to a more efficient use of public investment. mobility, to build partnerships among postsecondary institutions, and to develop consistent standards to facilitate As both of our terms come to a close, we would be remiss transfer, maintaining a high quality of academic success. if we didn’t acknowledge all those who have played an ONCAT has been a catalyst in broadening the discussion of instrumental role in ONCAT’s success. We would first like student mobility in Ontario. ONCAT enabled initiatives have to thank the Government of Ontario for recognizing the supported the more than 55,000 students who transfer importance of ONCAT’s past accomplishments and future annually among our institutions. ONCAT is also taking an potential for postsecondary education in Ontario, and active role in the burgeoning discussion around a Pan- recommitting their support for this work. Their continued Canadian transfer community. investment in student mobility makes meeting student needs for an efficient and flexible postsecondary system 02 an attainable goal. We would like to thank Glenn Craney, congratulations on their continued good work with the ONCAT’s former Executive Director, for his vision, and postsecondary community. We would like to thank our friendship. Glenn played an instrumental role in helping to partners on the board for their cooperation and support. lay the foundations for developing a credit transfer system And lastly, we offer our appreciation and thanks to our in Ontario. We would also like to thank Lia Quickert, interim colleagues at Ontario’s colleges and universities. Your hard Executive Director, for her leadership this past year, and work, and perseverance to serving students is at the core the rest of the secretariat for their unwavering commitment of all of ONCAT’s success. and dedication. We offer both Lia and the team our Tim McTiernan Glenn Vollebregt President & Vice-Chancellor, President & Chief Executive Officer, University of Ontario Institute of Technology St. Lawrence College 03 Message from the Executive Director What an exciting year for postsecondary! It’s the 50th among the colleges and universities has allowed us, as anniversary of the Ontario college system, coinciding nicely an organization, to help develop and foster different types with Canada’s 150th celebrations. There is no doubt that of partnerships and relationships among our 45 publicly since the creation of colleges back in the 60s, Ontario’s assisted institutions, allowing students the flexibility to postsecondary system has evolved and grown, and we are be mobile in order to plan their own enhanced learning so pleased to be a part of it. The history of collaboration experience. 04 Always working towards our goals of reducing barriers through to their website. More recently, we’ve partnered to transfer through institutional collaboration to improve with the Ontario College Application Service to deliver a student experience, ONCAT hosted a series of events this new fast-track application process for transfer students, year to broaden the scope of credit transfer in Ontario which provides them with a more seamless approach to and to serve natural networks within the postsecondary applying into a college, with a goal of expanding with our community. We held our ONTransfer.ca day, bringing university partners. And we also continue to support the together our large network of transfer advisors to share development of transfer agreements for all directions of best practices and discuss ways of improving the system. transfer. We met with our Northern Institutions Pathways Steering Looking forward, we’re pleased to announce that we’ve Committee with the goal of improving transfer networks in received a renewed mandate from the government of northern Ontario communities, and our Francophone and Ontario, and we couldn’t be prouder. We’re planning to Bilingual Institutions Advisory Group to address the needs use this vote of confidence to move forward with initiatives of students moving between francophone institutions. shifting our focus from the rapid growth of an early And we’re working on expanding our MOU with our stage transfer network to developing and sustaining the jurisdictional partners across Canada, to include newly- frameworks and practices that will bring credit transfer established provincial bodies. in Ontario in-line with stable, mature systems elsewhere We’ve seen important progress in projects that improve in the country. We’ve already started this shift with the student mobility in Ontario this year. We continue to work implementation of transfer committees to sustainably with eCampusOntario to collect online and continuing maintain and develop transfer networks. To better serve education courses that reside on our database and flow our developing role in Ontario’s postsecondary ecosystem, 05 we developed a new brand identity, and have embarked agenda forward. In particular, I would like to acknowledge on a strategic exercise this year to overhaul the way both of our co-chairs, Glenn Vollebregt, President and CEO ONCAT and ONTransfer.ca interact with our stakeholders. of St. Lawrence College, and Tim McTiernan, President and Vice-Chancellor of the University of Ontario Institute of Our successes would not have been possible without the Technology whose tenures are both coming to an end. We guidance and vision of our former Executive Director, Glenn thank you for your service and leadership these last few Craney. In October, we were sad to see Glenn move on, years, and wish you continued success. undertaking the role of Assistant Deputy Minister within the Ministry of Advanced Education and Skills Development Finally, on behalf of all of us at ONCAT, I’d like to thank all of the Ontario government. During his time at ONCAT, of our partners, including our 45 college and university Glenn worked extensively with our membership to develop members for their continued support as we grow and transfer credit policies and practices to enhance student develop to serve Ontario’s budding postsecondary transfer mobility and change the culture of credit transfer. He was community. instrumental in helping to lay the foundations for Ontario’s Sincerely, developing credit transfer system, and will be sadly missed by the community. We wish Glenn well in his new role, and appreciate having another champion in the sector. I would also like to take this opportunity to recognize Lia Quickert our Board of Directors for their continued support. Their ONCAT Executive Director (Interim) guidance and insight has helped to move the credit transfer 06 Why Mobility Matters At a time marked by new technologies that are impacting Increased focus on personalized learning; and all disciplines,