A province-wide conversation about the future of universities has been spurred by the Council of Ontario Universities (COU), which represents 20 universities in Ontario, including Carleton University.
COU is encouraging students and parents to submit feedback on the state of Ontario universities in a year long, online survey open to all members of the public.
“The survey features questions about what skills and knowledge students will need in the new economy,” said David Lindsay, president of COU. According to Lindsay, COU will look at feedback at the end of the campaign in April 2017 to pinpoint issues with Ontario universities, be it structural or academic.
Throughout the campaign, universities will host events on campus, as well as webinars and team meetings with employers, in an effort to better inform students on the skills employers are looking for, according to Lindsay. Participating universities will then submit reports based on feedback to COU. Findings will also be posted in regular blog posts on COU’s website.
“We need everyone, on both ends, working together and thinking about it. We need to show people what we already have and build,” Lindsay said. “This is a way to connect students, parents and employers to one another. We are asking the public what are their . . . concerns [and] ideas.”
The point of the campaign, according to Lindsay, is to address rapidly changing technology and globalization, to ensure students are prepared for the future.
“We are actively thinking and developing ideas about the future,” Lindsay said.
While some have expressed eagerness to share their thoughts on the online survey, others feel the feedback should only be restricted to people in the university community, such as Ahmed Hassan, a fourth-year Carleton engineering student.
“The survey should not be open to the general public. It would be beneficial to attain research from more concentrated groups of people who would give more credible and reliable information,” he said.
Katie Koonoo, whose daughter studies at York University, said schools should work on improving methods of communication.
“It would be nice if you could actually speak to someone by phone to discuss financial aid applications,” Koonoo said. “It’s hard when you have to be on campus to sort [Ontario Student Assistance Program] out when you live away [from campus].”
Koonoo added she thinks it’s important for universities to get feedback and connect students with employers.
“It’s great that a conversation is being started,” she said.
In addition to the survey, each of the 20 participating universities of COU will host events, discussions, and awareness campaigns, according to Lindsay. These will be run independently by each university.
