Teaching-Stream Faculty in Ontario Universities

Research Summary: University culture shift: The advent of teaching-stream faculty In Ontario as in many parts of the world, rising enrolments, reduced per-student funding and a growing focus on educational quality are putting pressure on higher education to find innovative solutions. One approach, being used in varying degrees in Ontario and around the world, is […]

Simplifying the Application Process for Institutional Financial Aid: A Case Study at Brock University

Research Summary: Institutional Financial Aid Process Should be Simplified The application process for institutional financial aid can be long and complicated, often requiring students to speculate on financial details they may not know or feel comfortable raising with their family. A new report published by the Higher Education Quality Council of Ontario (HEQCO) suggests that […]

Financial Literacy of Low-income Students: Literature Review and Environmental Scan

Research Summary: Low knowledge of costs, benefits and financial aid pose barrier to higher education Ontario postsecondary enrolments are rising, but not among students from low-income families.  And of those low-income students who do pursue higher education, approximately half are not taking advantage of government grants and loans designed to help them. Students who could […]

@ Issue Paper No. 11 Participation of Low-Income Students in Ontario

Research Summary: Low knowledge of costs, benefits and financial aid pose barrier to higher education Ontario postsecondary enrolments are rising, but not among students from low-income families.  And of those low-income students who do pursue higher education, approximately half are not taking advantage of government grants and loans designed to help them. Students who could […]

@ Issue Paper No. 10 Defining, Measuring and Achieving “Student Success” in Ontario Colleges and Universities

Executive Summary: Students Service Programs Not Reaching Those Who Need Them Most While colleges and universities across Ontario offer a wide range of academic, personal and financial support programs to help students successfully realize their postsecondary education (PSE) goals, most students remain unaware of the services available to them.  A new @Issue paper Defining, Measuring and […]

Understanding the Gender Gap in University Participation: An Exploration of the Application Behaviour of Ontario High School Students

Research Summary:  High school course selection and tracking significant factors in PSE gender gap High school course selection and the practice of tracking (which divides high school students into academic or applied classes based on aptitude and interest) might help explain why more Canadian women than men are pursuing a postsecondary education.   A new study […]

@ Issue Paper No. 9 Adult Learners in Ontario Postsecondary Institutions

Executive Summary: Adults Who Would Benefit Most from Education Are Least Likely to Participate Adults with high literacy levels are three times more likely to participate in adult learning in Ontario than those with low literacy levels. As a result, those who would benefit most from further education are missing potential social and economic opportunities, […]

An Evaluation of the “Alternative to Academic Suspension Program” at Brock University

Research Summary: Brock program offers new path for students facing academic suspension Across Canada, some 20 per cent of college students and 15 per cent of university students fail to graduate within five years.  A number of them drop out of school altogether or are forced to leave because of poor academic performance. In the […]

@ Issue Paper No. 8 An Overview of PSE Accessibility in Ontario

Executive Summary: Efforts to evaluate postsecondary access programs hampered by lack of research data Over 80 per cent of Ontario secondary school students enrol in some type of postsecondary institution by age 21, placing the province among world leaders in postsecondary participation. But gaps in access remain for some groups – most notably those with no parental […]