Microcredentials are a form of focused learning with the potential to respond to both the modern hiring needs of employers and the training needs of adults looking to advance or pivot in the labour market. At HEQCO, we define them as being tied to short learning opportunities that are focused on a discrete set of […]
Our perceptions are shaped by the way information is presented to us. This applies everywhere, including postsecondary education (PSE) where the dominant perspective often positions certain groups of students through a deficit framework. Deficit thinking uses a blame-the-victim way of attributing student failures to individual, family or community traits and approaches student difficulty through a […]
Work-integrated learning (WIL) — including co-ops, internships and practicums — is widespread in Canada; nearly half of postsecondary students complete WIL as part of their studies. Participation in WIL is associated with higher employment earnings and a higher likelihood of finding full-time work after graduation. Unfortunately, 35% of Canadian postsecondary students have missed out on […]
Our appointments as CEO and Vice President just over a year ago turned out to be coincident with many things, some anticipated and others not! The need to develop a new strategic research framework to guide HEQCO’s activities for the next three years was top of mind for us; however the path to completion was […]
The densely urbanized areas of southern Ontario — particularly the Greater Toronto Area (GTA) and Ottawa — attract a disproportionate number of people with more advanced educational credentials. This matters because this demographic group provides numerous advantages to communities, such as greater financial resources and key skills needed for modern technologies. While this is real […]
The phrase “people with disabilities” describes a wide variety of individuals including those with physical, learning, mental health, hearing and vision disabilities. Recognizing the diversity of disability is crucial to understanding each individual’s unique lived experience. It is important to understand the impact of systemic barriers faced by people with differing disabilities in order to […]
The long-term economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic is worsening inequality in Canada and is a growing concern for citizens and policy-makers. This manifestation of inequality has been referred to as the ‘K-shaped economic recovery,’ a term which describes the bifurcated outcomes that are largely positive for highly educated and high-income earners, and largely negative for lower-income workers with fewer educational credentials. There […]
The term work-integrated learning (WIL) refers to a range of experiences including apprenticeships, field placements, co-op programs and internships. Some WIL experiences may be a required part of an academic program while others may be a transitional experience either from academic life to the workforce or from one level of schooling to another. Thanks to […]
In September 2020, HEQCO released a report aimed at improving the accessibility of remote learning in higher education. At that point, we were six months into the COVID-19 pandemic in North America and dealing with the onset of a new academic year. Among the lessons we learned from postsecondary students, faculty and staff, as well […]