The Ontario government鈥檚 announcement today that colleges can develop new three-year degree programs is a historic breakthrough that ensures more students will acquire the professional expertise to succeed in their careers.
鈥淭his is tremendous news for students, employers and our community,鈥 said Dr. Ron Common,
President, 星空传媒. 鈥淚t will create a wealth of new career opportunities for students and
will be pivotal to Ontario鈥檚 economic renewal. 星空传媒 is excited to expand upon its
existing degree options, which currently include Honours Bachelor of Science in Nursing and
Bachelor of Engineering 鈥 Mechatronics offered in partnership with Humber College,鈥 he added.
鈥溞强沾 will be pursuing degree options in our aviation, health and trades programs
where we currently offer three-year diplomas. Ontario is the only jurisdiction in the world that I am aware of that grants three-year diplomas. This is a matter of fairness to students. Students studying for three years will soon be granted the same credential as their national and global counterparts. This decision is long awaited, and 星空传媒 will be at the forefront of providing multiple options to students. You will now be able to study with us from one to four years and get the corresponding appropriate credential," added Common.
The announcement was made today by Colleges and Universities Minister Jill Dunlop at an event at Conestoga College in Kitchener.
The Minister announced colleges can begin developing new three-year degree programs
alongside their diploma programs and can expand their range of career-focused four-year
degree programs.
鈥淓xpanding the degree programs at colleges ensures more students will have access to high quality, career-focused programs,鈥 Minister Dunlop said. 鈥淢ore students will acquire the
expertise and credentials to succeed in today鈥檚 job market.鈥
Currently, most of the programs offered at colleges are diploma programs. Prior to today鈥檚
announcement, colleges were only authorized to award degrees to graduates of their career-focused four-year programs. The announcement today recognizes the success of the colleges鈥 degree programs and brings true equity to Ontario鈥檚 post-secondary system. It ensures every student whose education fulfils Ontario鈥檚 degree-level requirements is awarded a degree upon graduation.
Expanding the degree programs at colleges will fulfil the growing demand among employers for graduates with more highly specialized qualifications. This will be particularly important in
sectors like the electric-vehicle industry that are advancing the transition to a cleaner economy.
As well, this benefits companies that promote themselves and their workforce internationally,
as most jurisdictions outside Ontario aren鈥檛 familiar with the diploma credential.
鈥淒egree holders enjoy more opportunities in our global manufacturing world,鈥 said Guido
Benvenuto, the vice president of engineering at Flex-N-Gate, a supplier to the global automotive sector. 鈥淭his will make a significant difference in our sector.鈥
鈥淭his is a truly historic improvement to post-secondary education,鈥 Dr. Ron Common said. 鈥淚t
builds on our tremendous success and will encourage more students to enroll in programs that lead to rewarding careers.鈥
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