(OTTAWA, April 11, 2022) – The Ontario government’s 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.
“This is tremendous news for students, employers and our community. This decision will provide more options to prospective students and enhance Algonquin’s established reputation in offering degree programs,” said Algonquin CEO and President, Claude Brulé. “This will also enable Algonquin to better meet the needs of regional employers through the development of new degrees in fields such as Public Administration, Information Technology, Game Design and Animation.”
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.
“Expanding the degree programs at colleges ensures more students will have access to high-quality, career-focused programs,” Minister Dunlop said. “More students will acquire the expertise and credentials to succeed in today’s job market.”
Currently, most of the programs offered at colleges are diploma programs. Prior to today’s announcement, colleges were only authorized to award degrees to graduates of their career-focused four-year honours degree programs.
The announcement today recognizes the success of the colleges’ degree programs and brings true equity to Ontario’s post-secondary system. It ensures every student whose education fulfils Ontario’s degree-level requirements is awarded a degree upon graduation.
Reading the news and watching the daily disturbing images and videos coming out of Ukraine has been deeply unsettling. It is difficult to comprehend the sheer horror and destruction, and how this once peaceful country has been shattered, with so many lives forever altered or lost.
I know that many in our College Community are impacted by these events, in some cases on a personal level, and there is a strong desire to help. Knowing that we have learners directly impacted by the tragedy in Eastern Europe, we have been working right from the start of the conflict to help those most affected – those who may be struggling financially. In addition, today I am announcing a series of enhanced initiatives to offer further direct support to those learners in need, and also help with the humanitarian crisis:
Ottawa, Ontario, April 11, 2022 – Today, Algonquin College announced it has secured a Gold rating for accessibility for two of its buildings and certification for a third, under the Rick Hansen Foundation Accessibility Certification™ (RHFAC) program.
“This rating is a significant milestone in Algonquin College‘s journey toward accessibility, demonstrating its commitment to removing barriers to further accommodate all learners and employees,” said Claude Brulé, Algonquin College President and CEO. “As we move forward constructing new buildings and retrofitting existing structures, we appreciate the expertise and support from the RHFAC program and aspire to have more of our buildings certified.”
At the event, Algonquin College students exhibit forward-looking research and technology projects produced in collaboration with industry, institutional and community partners, providing a glimpse into the future of technology and the current state of innovation. Ranging from robotics to web design, building science to social innovation, and anything in between, the projects students work on are incredibly diverse.
At the showcase, the five most promising projects, selected from over 40submissions, are presented by their teams to a panel of industry professionals during a live Zoom event. The judges ask the teams questions about their projects before deciding on winners. You’re invited to watch the finalists compete, and browse the entire catalogue of projects.
I want to provide an update on the College’s requirements for those who are required to attend work or academic activities in person at our Ottawa, Perth, and Pembroke campuses.
The change is based on recent lifting of most provincial restrictions, advice from our public health and government officials as it pertains to high vaccination rates, population immunization and high efficacy of vaccines, as well as feedback from our employees and learners.
Algonquin College will, contingent on current state of the pandemic and corresponding public health considerations, be implementing the following changes to our COVID-19 policies and procedures effective May 01, 2022:
OTTAWA (APRIL 4, 2022) – As announced today by the Canada Research Coordinating Committee, Algonquin College and the CHEO Research Institute have received a $234,492 grant from the Government of Canada’s New Frontiers in Research Fund (NFRF) to further collaborative research.
Delivered through the Canada Research Coordinating Committee (CRCC) and the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada (SSHRC), funding is provided through the 2021 NFRF Innovative Approaches to Research in the Pandemic Context competition, which supports Canadian-led research in a post-pandemic context.
The joint application, titled Transforming Health Information, Research, and Scholarship through Technology and Teamwork (NFRFR-2021-00176), explores the novel systematic review (SR) methodology developed by the research team. Specifically, the funding will support integration of a hybrid machine learning human screening approach and real-world validation of the online software platform.
I am pleased to announce that The College Employer Council and OPSEU/SEFPO have reached an agreement to enter binding interest arbitration, and that the strike that was scheduled to commence at 12:01am on Friday March 18, 2022, is called off. This also includes all work-to-rule activities.
I am grateful to all those who contributed to this resolution. Our entire College community – every employee and learner – has made many sacrifices during the last two years, and we have overcome many obstacles together. The news of this agreement is another example of the commitment we all share for providing quality education for our learners.
Please see the full joint statement from The College Employer Council and OPSEU/SEFPO at this link.
Given recent changes to Provincial guidelines on COVID-19 restrictions, I want to provide an update on the College’s requirements going forward.
The College’s active screening requirements at campus entry points will remain in place until at least the end of the Winter term.
All those required to attend our campuses in-person must wear a mask until at least the end of the Winter term.
Any changes to our policy will be communicated directly with employees and learners.
A reminder, that with consideration for the ongoing health and safety of those required to attend our campuses – and in line with Ontario’s 24 Colleges – Algonquin College is maintaining its vaccine policy until at least the end of 2022 Winter term.
Thank you for your ongoing commitment to the health, safety and wellbeing of our college community, and please stay safe.
OTTAWA – (March 2, 2022) – Syntax Strategic, a marketing, public affairs, and government relations firm, has announced a five-year $50,000 award in partnership with Algonquin College. The goal of this award is to create a pipeline of talent from programs such as communications, marketing, and design and cast the broadest net possible with preference going to Black, Indigenous, (and) People of Colour (BIPOC) students to encourage more diversity in the public relations field. The Syntax Strategic Award will be awarded annually to two students in their final year of studies. Each student will receive $5,000 plus a paid summer internship opportunity.
This new award comes in the wake of companies publicly struggling to find talent and diverse candidates due to the mass exodus of people from the workforce due to COVID-19. CEO and founder of Syntax Strategic Jennifer Stewart decided it was time for a fresh approach to finding new talent and ideas: “If we want diversity in agencies, we need to invest in it. We can no longer sit back and hope that the right candidate with the right skills and background falls into our laps. We are building the future workforce we need, and we hope other businesses do the same.”
Algonquin College has more than 50 years of experience educating, training, upskilling and reskilling students and workers for the careers of today and tomorrow. The College works with employers to understand their staffing needs, challenges, and timelines – and prepare workers with the right skills at the right time.
With careful consideration for the ongoing health and safety of those required to attend our campuses – and in line with Ontario’s 24 Colleges – Algonquin College will be maintaining its vaccine policy until at least the end of Winter term 2022. This includes maintaining our proof of vaccination requirement.
This decision comes after thorough discussions with local public health officials and the Chief Medical Officer of Health over the past week. As the Province lifted capacity limits in all remaining indoor public settings and discontinued vaccine passports as of March 1, it also provided businesses and other settings the choice to continue to require proof of vaccination.
Until further notice, our vaccination policy will remain unchanged – this includes providing proof of vaccination (two approved doses) or a valid exemption (as set out in our policy) and continued screening before being permitted entrance to our campuses. Masks also continue to be required until further notice. Please see this link for details on our policy and its requirements.
buildings and certification for a third, under the Rick Hansen Foundation Accessibility Certification™ (RHFAC) program.
OTTAWA (April 6
OTTAWA – (March 2, 2022) – Syntax Strategic, a marketing, public affairs, and government relations firm, has announced a five-year $50,000 award in partnership with Algonquin College. The goal of this award is to create a pipeline of talent from programs such as communications, marketing, and design and cast the broadest net possible with preference going to Black, Indigenous, (and) People of Colour (BIPOC) students to encourage more diversity in the public relations field. The Syntax Strategic Award will be awarded annually to two students in their final year of studies. Each student will receive $5,000 plus a paid summer internship opportunity.