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Attention News Editors:
Survey on postsecondary issues sent to all parties, results to be made
public in January
OTTAWA, Dec. 13 /CNW Telbec/ - In an effort to ensure that all parties'
views on the critical issues of higher education and research reach as many
voters as possible, Canada's universities sent an open letter to the four main
federal leaders Dec. 9, calling on each party to outline its commitments to
higher education.
The Association of Universities and Colleges of Canada sent the letter on
behalf of its 90 member institutions, asking the parties to answer eight
questions on their policies for postsecondary education investments in four
critical areas: capacity and quality; affordability, outreach and support;
international education; and graduate studies and research.
"With Canadians seeking access to a high quality, postsecondary education
in record numbers, our universities face increasing pressures in these key
areas as they work to produce more graduates, more innovative ideas, and more
international linkages than ever before," said AUCC board chair Bonnie
Patterson, who is also president of Trent University.
"In today's global race for talent and ideas, a continued commitment by
the federal government to increased investments in higher education and
research will be critical to the country's future productivity and
competitiveness."
The leaders were asked to reply to the survey by Dec. 30 and their
responses will be released publicly by AUCC Jan. 11, 2006.
In its open letter, AUCC acknowledges the strides made in the last
Parliament in relation to higher education and research. But, it adds, the
next federal government must commit to decisive action to ensure that Canada's
universities have the necessary resources to compete for talent and ideas in
today's knowledge-based, global economy.
"So far, this campaign has focused on the public discussion of ideas and
policies, and we welcome the tone of the campaign to this point," says Claire
M. Morris, president of AUCC.
"We look forward to seeing the answers from the four leaders and hope
that this open letter will encourage all parties to engage with voters in a
serious dialogue on issues relating to higher education and research."
The Association of Universities and Colleges of Canada is the voice of
Canada's universities. It represents 90 Canadian public and private not-for-
profit universities and university-degree level colleges.
December 9th, 2005
Open Letter from the Association of Universities and Colleges of Canada
to Paul Martin, Leader of the Liberal Party of Canada
Stephen Harper, Leader of the Conservative Party of Canada
Jack Layton, Leader of the New Democratic Party of Canada
Gilles Duceppe, Leader of the Bloc Québécois
Canada's universities are responding to the challenge of the global race
for talent and ideas by producing more graduates, ideas and international
linkages than ever before. It is vitally important in this federal election
that you, as party leaders, engage Canadians in a serious dialogue on issues
relating to higher education and research.
AUCC member institutions acknowledge the strides made in the last
Parliament in relation to higher education and research and are ready to
assist you in addressing these important issues during the election campaign.
On January 23, Canadians will vote to elect a government that best represents
their values and aspirations. Canadians will look to their government to
ensure that all citizens and communities are able to participate fully in the
highly competitive, global knowledge-based economy of the 21st century.
Investing in people and ideas is essential to the future productivity,
prosperity and quality of life of Canadians. At the Association of
Universities and Colleges of Canada, we look to the government of Canada for
decisive action to:
- ensure that universities have the capacity to offer high-quality
education to growing numbers of undergraduate and graduate students;
- ensure that postsecondary education opportunities are affordable, that
no qualified individual is denied access because of financial
circumstances, and that outreach and support are available to increase
the participation and retention of Aboriginal Canadians and other
under-represented groups;
- ensure that more international education opportunities are created to
equip students with the skills and knowledge they need as global
citizens, and to make Canada a destination of choice for the best and
brightest from around the world;
- and ensure that Canadian universities can attract and retain the
researchers and graduate students that this country needs to compete
in a global knowledge-based economy and to enhance the prosperity and
quality of life of its citizens.
On behalf of the 90 members of the Association of Universities and
Colleges of Canada, we are submitting eight questions for your consideration.
We ask that you provide your response to our questions by December 30th. On
January 11th, 2006, we will release your responses to media, post them on our
web site, and share them with our member institutions across Canada, in an
effort to make sure that all parties' views on these important questions reach
as many voters as possible.
Thank you in advance for responding to our questions and for making
certain that higher education and research are central to the issues discussed
during this election campaign.
Sincerely,
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Bonnie Patterson Claire M. Morris
President, Trent University and Chair, President and CEO
Association of Universities and Colleges Association of Universities
of Canada and Colleges of Canada
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cc. Executive Heads of all AUCC Member Institutions
December 9th, 2005
Association of Universities and Colleges of Canada
Questions to Party Leaders on Investing in Higher Education
Investing in Capacity and Quality
---------------------------------
1. In constant dollars, per student operating funding from all levels of
government for Canadian universities is at a record low. In the United
States, governments invest $5,000 more per student in four year public
universities and colleges. One way for the federal government to help
close this gap and to ensure that universities can offer high-quality
education to growing numbers of students is to provide more resources
to the provinces for higher education.
If your party forms the next government, will you work with the provinces
to negotiate a dedicated transfer for postsecondary education?
2. The federal Indirect Costs program reimburses a portion of the costs
(such as the general costs associated with operating facilities,
managing the research process, and with regulation and safety
compliance) that universities incur to conduct federally-sponsored
research. Currently, the program provides support for indirect costs
at an overall average level equivalent to 25 percent of direct costs
funding. This falls well short of the minimum 40 percent rate required
to cover a significant portion of the indirect costs that universities
incur. Thus, they must find money in their general operating budgets
to cover the remainder.
If your party forms the next government, will you ensure that the
Indirect Costs program provides reimbursement of a minimum rate of 40 percent
of the direct costs of federally sponsored research so that universities will
cover fewer of these costs from their general operating budgets?
Investing in Affordability, Outreach and Support
------------------------------------------------
3. Student assistance is important to ensure that no academically
qualified individuals are unable to pursue postsecondary education
opportunities because they lack the necessary financial resources. The
student financial aid system in Canada is complex. It involves the
federal government, the provinces, universities and third party
organizations and is delivered through a mix of grants, loans and tax
credits.
If your party forms the next government, what will you do to ensure that
money invested in student financial aid is going to those students most in
need and that it is sufficient to meet the need?
4. This country can ill-afford to under-develop the potential and
under-utilize the skills, knowledge and creativity of important
segments of Canadian society. Several groups such as low income
individuals, Aboriginal Canadians and some recent immigrants are
under-represented in the Canadian university system.
If your party forms the next government, what measures will you take to
ensure that financial aid is available to under-represented groups and that
universities can provide the necessary outreach and support to ensure that
these groups can benefit fully from higher education?
Investing in International Educational Opportunities
----------------------------------------------------
5. International education opportunities for Canadian students help them
to develop the global skills and perspectives that are in high demand
in the labour market and Canadian society. Opportunities for students
from other countries to study in Canadian universities create
important linkages between Canada and the rest of the world.
Currently, less than one percent of Canadian university students
participate in short-term, for-credit study, internship, or research
experiences abroad each year - far less than in other key OECD
countries. Canadian universities have set a goal of having five
percent of university students participate in an international
educational opportunity. As a first step, universities aim to triple
the number of students who participate by 2010 - moving from 6,000 to
18,000 annually.
If your party forms the next government, will you take the necessary
measures to triple the annual number of university students who have an
international education opportunity, and to ensure that the best and brightest
students from other countries are attracted to study at Canadian universities?
Investing in Graduate Studies and University Research
-----------------------------------------------------
6. Many business leaders and analysts have identified the relative
underproduction of graduate degrees in Canada as a barrier to
increasing this country's international competitiveness and
productivity. The United States produces more than twice as many
master's graduates and 50 percent more PhD graduates on a per capita
basis than Canada.
If your party forms the next government, will you undertake the necessary
investments to begin to close this gap by supporting more students to pursue
graduate studies and ensuring that universities have the faculty and
infrastructure necessary to educate 25 percent more graduate students over the
next four years?
7. In 2004, Canada invested 1.89 percent of its GDP in research and
development - far below the OECD average of 2.26. The United States
stood at 2.73 percent in that year. Universities are the lynchpin of
Canada's R & D effort, performing more than one third of all research
and educating the country's highly qualified research personnel. They
are the only sector to perform research for all other sectors, across
the full range of disciplines and with a significant presence in all
regions. Funding for university research through the three federal
granting agencies (the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research
Council of Canada, the Social Sciences and Humanities Council of
Canada and the Canadian Institutes of Health Research) has increased
significantly in recent years. However, competitor countries around
the world are not standing still. For Canada to compete in the global
race for talent and ideas, funding for university research must be
internationally competitive.
If your party forms the next federal government, will you ensure that
university-based research in Canada is funded at internationally competitive
levels through the federal research granting agencies?
8. Competing effectively in an internationalized R&D environment requires
investments in cutting-edge university research infrastructure. The
Canada Foundation for Innovation, in partnership with provinces,
universities and the private sector, has been the major funder of new
university research infrastructure in Canada in recent years. The
international standard for supporting research infrastructure is
20 percent on top of the direct costs of research.
If your party forms the next government, will you ensure that the Canada
Foundation for Innovation is able to meet and maintain this international
20 percent standard for funding of university research infrastructure?
For further information: on this release and AUCC, please contact: Jeff Pappone, Media relations officer, Association of Universities and Colleges of Canada, (613) 563-3961, ext. 330, jpappone@aucc.ca, Web site: http://www.aucc.ca