Publications

HEQCO conducts and commissions studies and evaluations, often in partnership with Ontario’s colleges and universities, on key issues in accessibility, quality and accountability. Various organizations and individuals have considerable and valuable expertise in postsecondary education research. The research publications below reflect this collaboration with some of the best thinkers on issues related to higher education. Join our mailing list and keep current with the latest HEQCO research.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​

At HEQCO, we are committed to meeting the needs of people with disabilities in a timely manner, and will do so by preventing and removing barriers to accessibility and meeting requirements under the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, 2005. To request HEQCO material in alternate formats, please contact info@heqco.ca​​.

The Role of Planetariums in Promoting Engagement and Learning

Digital planetariums:  Despite the “wow factor,” more evaluation of effectiveness needed Digital planetariums – in which the night’s sky is projected on domed ceilings – have a decided wow factor and today’s interactive versions can bring to life academic studies in astronomy.  But more research is needed into their potential effectiveness as a learning tool, […]

What is an internship An inventory and analysis of internship opportunities available to Ontario postsecondary students

Ontario postsecondary internship programs should emphasize educational quality There is significant variation in the structure of internship programs offered in Ontario’s colleges and universities – from length of program to requirements for completion. But a new study from the Higher Education Quality Council (HEQCO) also finds that when viewed through the lens of experiential learning […]

Ontario Private Career Colleges: An Exploratory Analysis

Private Career Colleges an Under Examined Part of Ontario’s Postsecondary System Despite serving 53,000 full time equivalent students, or about 1 in 15 of the province’s postsecondary students, private career colleges are an understudied higher education option in Ontario. A new report by the Higher Education Quality Council of Ontario (HEQCO) provides an overview of […]

The State of Entrepreneurship Education in Ontario’s Colleges and Universities

Business is booming in entrepreneurship education From for-credit courses to business incubators, entrepreneurial activity is on the rise in Ontario’s colleges and universities, according to a new study from the Higher Education Quality Council of Ontario (HEQCO). Although variously defined and documented across the province’s 44 postsecondary institutions, entrepreneurial education has been a growing priority […]

The “Other” University Teachers: Non-Full-Time Instructors at Ontario Universities

More research needed on the “other” university teachers: Non-full-time instructors Over the last decade, increases in Ontario university enrollment have outstripped growth in full-time, tenure-stream faculty. Non-full-time faculty, which include sessional and graduate student instructors, play a significant role in addressing increased teaching demands although there is a dearth of public information about hiring trends […]

Evaluating Essential Skills for Ontario’s Tradespeople (ESOT) Project

Some apprentices lack foundational math, reading, document use skills Some apprentices lack foundational math, reading and document use skills, which might contribute to low apprenticeship completion rates, according to a report from the Higher Education Quality Council of Ontario (HEQCO). Amid concerns by college educators about essential skill levels required for in-school and on-the-job success, […]