Hey Canada! Join the rest of the world and allow private universities

University Canada West pres says private universities can improve undergraduate education and access
Erin Millar, Macleans.ca

The backbone of higher education in many countries is private universities and colleges. Take, for example, leading universities in the U.S.A.: names that jump to mind are Stanford, Princeton, and Harvard - all of which are private institutions. Considering that these universities are widely regarded as some of the best in the world, why does Canada stubbornly resist similar schools, opting instead for publicly funded universities? This is a question that baffles Dr. David Strong, president and vice chancellor of University Canada West, and has led him to establish the new private university in British Columbia.

While there are a number of private, non-profit universities (most of which are religious), University Canada West claims to be the only for-profit, private university in Canada. It was created after a group of academics and business leaders came together in 2002. The first graduates received their diplomas last November. The university offers Bachelor of Commerce, Bachelor of Arts (in communications, tourism, economics, or geography), and Master Business Administration degrees. The focus of the school is access (it accepts students with only a 65 per cent average) and speed (students can complete a bachelor degree in two years and a MBA in one year).

Although there are few private universities in Canada, there is no shortage of private colleges, offering everything from English-as-a-second-language training to diplomas in information technology and healthcare. But not all colleges are created equal. Private schools, particularly in B.C., have been in the news lately for operating illegally. For instance, Lansbridge University in Vancouver was ordered to close its doors May 1 after it was found to be violating the Degree Authorization Act. Many of these schools have low entrance requirements and the quality of education is questionable. In the most extreme cases they function as degree or visa mills. Because of these schools, private institutions in Canada struggle with their reputations. Some people argue that illegal schools and degree mills even erode the reputation of the public system internationally. However, Dr. Strong is quick to point out that not all private institutions are alike.

"I think the fact that Lansbridge was shut down is evidence that the legislation is working," Strong said in an interview. Strong himself shows that University Canada West (UCW) has more credibility than schools like Lansbridge. He was the president of the University of Victoria from 1990 to 2000, has held a number of senior administrative and faculty positions at Memorial University, is a noted earth science researcher, and has received a slew of honorary degrees. Other prominent names are also associated with the school, including president emeritus of the University of Alberta Dr. Myer Horowitz, principal of Jesus College at Oxford Sir Peter North, secretary general of the ministry of education in Malaysia Dr. Tan Sri Johari Bin Mat, and former World Bank president Robert S. McNamara among others.

So why have these people lent their names to a new private institution in Canada? "We feel that Canada needs to join the rest of the world and have a wider spectrum of opportunities," explained Strong. Having worked in public universities for most of this career, Strong feels that he has both an appreciation for their strengths and a profound understanding of their weaknesses. Pursuing an education at most public universities can be slow and cumbersome, according to Strong. This means that it takes students too long to complete degrees and it takes universities too long to respond to the real world. And so, by shortening exam periods and minimizing vacation time, UCW is offering students the opportunity to take the same number of lectures over a shorter period of time, as short as two years for a degree that traditionally takes four years.

Not only can this be an advantage to the student, but also improves access to education for other students, argues Strong. It takes Canadian students an average of five years to complete a standard bachelor degree. By pushing students through the system faster, Strong wants to create spots for more students and lower the academic requirements to get in.

Although most universities advertise that a 65 per cent average is required to apply, there are so many applicants that minimum entrance averages are closer to 80 per cent. "The big universities have so many applications that they don't have the time or resources to look at anything other than high school marks," said Strong, who believes that the students in the 65 to 80 per cent mark gap should have the opportunity to study at a university. "People who do other things may not get the academic grades and they suffer," he said, illustrating the point with a UCW student who is a champion horseback rider.

Strong is adamant that the fast-track education model that he promotes does not affect the quality of education. Students are able to design their schedules to be longer if desired and UCW offers learning and skills coaches to provide support. UCW's retention rate is similar to many public institutions, he says. "We think that our students are getting a better deal."

Strong also thinks that private universities might be able to do a better job of providing undergraduate education than the big research universities. He believes that changing the current funding model and allowing more private universities would make undergraduate education delivery more competitive and undergraduate schools would be forced to "treat the students like consumers." He thinks that by funding smaller institutions to focus on undergraduate education, the large universities would be free to focus on research by "leaving a significant chunk of the undergraduate teaching to others."

Surely, any idea that could provide additional undergraduate spaces would be welcomed by the major universities in Toronto-the University of Toronto, York University, and Ryerson University-which have been pushing legislators to address an anticipated surge of undergraduate students expected in the Greater Toronto Area. Some estimate that as many as 70,000 additional undergraduate spaces will be needed in the next ten years. However, for the time being, Ontario is not welcoming private universities.

"Ontario made it so cumbersome to apply as a private institution that it can't work," said Strong. The province requires that a school have a five-year track record before setting up shop, making it impossible for new universities. Strong thinks this is a mistake. "To me, the fundamental flaw is the expectation that the taxpayers have to fund post-secondary education."

Strong says that his university shows that the private sector can do its part in providing post-secondary education too. But the government should provide qualified students with funding to attend whatever institution they choose. "We don't want money from the government," he said, "but a student who can't afford to come here should get access to the funding."