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​​.

Developing University Literacy and Promoting Academic Success across Disciplines: A Case Study of French-Language University

Pilot course at the University of Ottawa prepares first-year students for university-level French In 2012-13, the University of Ottawa piloted a French course designed to help first-year students transition into university-level French. After completing the course, students felt more confident with their writing, literacy and oral communication skills, which in turn helped them better integrate […]

@ Issue Paper No. 19 – Emphasizing Numeracy as an Essential Skill

Numeracy skill development, assessment in Ontario higher education doesn’t add up At a time when numeracy is an essential skill for work and life in general, the development and evaluation of numeracy skills in Ontario’s college and university students doesn’t add up, according to a new report from the Higher Education Quality Council of Ontario […]

Clinical Teaching of Interprofessional Child Development Assessment Skills in a Large Group Setting

Health science workshops focus on collaboration Providing effective patient care and treatment requires health professionals from a number of disciplines working collaboratively. However, it is difficult to teach the core skills needed for effective teamwork and cooperation to large groups of students studying diverse subjects with limited clinical access. A new study by the Higher […]

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 […]