Front Burner The crisis facing Canada's colleges and universities
Dec 3, 2024
Alex Usher, President of Higher Education Strategy Associates, discusses the dire situation facing Canadian colleges and universities. He highlights the drastic drop in international student enrollment due to tightened immigration policy, jeopardizing financial stability. Usher explains how reliance on these fees has led to cuts in programs, particularly in rural areas. He critiques government involvement in education funding, emphasizing the disconnect from community challenges and the escalating housing crisis impacting students' living conditions.
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Funding Gap Fueled By International Students
- Canadian universities' government funding stayed largely flat and failed to keep pace with rising costs, especially labor costs.
- Institutions relied heavily on international student fees to bridge the gap, which was disrupted by federal visa caps.
Federal Caps Devastate College Enrollment
- Federal government visa caps combined with negative messaging greatly reduced demand for international students.
- Colleges, especially in Ontario, lost up to 70% of their international students due to these policies.
Private Campuses and Diploma Mill Concerns
- Some Ontario colleges opened multiple private GTA campuses via partnerships to expand international enrollments.
- This led to abuses and programs seen as diploma mills, harming international student recruitment.