Yukon partners with Alberta to evaluate Yukon College readiness for degree granting

The Government of Yukon is working with the Government of Alberta to ensure Yukon College meets established institutional standards as the college moves toward providing made-in-Yukon degree programs. Yukon College currently co-delivers degrees with partner universities.

Through a memorandum of agreement (MOA) signed between Yukon and Alberta, reviewers selected by the Campus Alberta Quality Council, an arms-length agency that evaluates proposed degree programs in Alberta, visited the college on June 22 and 23 for an organizational evaluation. The Council will assess Yukon College’s readiness to deliver and sustain high quality degree programs. This evaluation is the first phase of review for an institution wishing to offer its first degree program.

A second MOA will be negotiated to enable the Council to provide ongoing quality assurance services for the college’s future degrees beginning with the new Bachelor of Arts degree program in Indigenous Governance. To ensure enough time to complete this process, Yukon College plans to offer this new degree program starting in 2018.

Quality assurance ensures a degree is recognized nationally and internationally. This process will mark the first time one jurisdiction in Canada has provided external quality assurance to a college or university in another jurisdiction.

Quotes

“This partnership between Yukon and Alberta will ensure Yukon College is ready to meet established national and international standards and offer degree programs to Yukon’s postsecondary students. We look forward to working with Yukon College and the Campus Alberta Quality Council on this important step toward the establishment of Yukon University.”

–Minister of Education Tracy-Anne McPhee

“Education is a cornerstone of a healthy economy, and developing this partnership is one step closer to building a more resilient economy and country. For years, the Council has assisted Alberta’s post-secondary graduates in achieving success by ensuring high quality degree programs are offered through our institutions. The Government of Alberta is proud that Campus Alberta Quality Council is working with the Government of Yukon and Yukon College to increase quality educational opportunities for students in the north.”

–Government of Alberta Minister of Advanced Education Marlin Schmidt

“We will be profiling the quality of our faculty, staff, students and alumni during the Campus Alberta Quality Council institutional assessment. Offering made-in-Yukon programs rooted in the three pillars of Indigenous self-determination and governance, climate change and sustainable resource development and innovation will enable the college to meet the growing needs of our students, partners and stakeholders.”

–Yukon College president and vice-chancellor Dr. Karen Barnes

Quick facts

•Quality assurance councils or boards exist in most provinces to ensure quality and equivalency across degree levels and post-secondary institutions.
•Yukon does not have a quality assurance council because up until now, Yukon College has offered degrees in partnership with outside universities, which went through the partner institutions’ review process.
•Certificate and diploma programs offered by post-secondary institutions in Canada are subject to internal quality assurance processes. Therefore, Yukon College does not require the approval of an external quality assurance council for any certificate or diploma programs it currently offers.