Instruct: Given a question, retrieve relevant documents that can help answer the question.
Query: Is higher education free in British Columbia?
Tuition fees vary across specific program areas, and detailed information on tuition rates is available from each institution directly. The average tuition for domestic students paid by undergraduate students in 2006-07 was $4,636, which was claimed to be the fourth-lowest in Canada.[24] Domestic students are defined as both Canadian citizens and Permanent Residents. Foreign and International students were required the unsubsidized cost of training, which could total as much as three to five times the tuition fees paid by domestic students.[25]
The total number of international students in British Columbia for the year of 2006 was 44,799, up from 23,011 in 1997.[37] This does not include students enrolled in programs of less than six months. This seems contradictory to the statistic of "more than 140,000 international students choosing to study in British Columbia each year" the British Columbia government claims in its Campus 2020: Thinking Ahead report. The top 10 source countries for long-term international students in 2003-2004 were: China, Japan, South Korea, United States, Taiwan, Hong Kong SAR, Indonesia, Mexico, India and the United Kingdom.[38]
The University College of the Cariboo and the Open Learning Agency amalgamated in 2005 to become Thompson Rivers University. Also in 2005, Okanagan University College is split to become UBC's Okanagan campus and Okanagan College, and the British Columbia government approves new private degree programs at Sprott Shaw College, University Canada West, and Columbia Colleges. In 2006, Canada and British Columbia's first private sector, for-profit, university, University Canada West, opens in Victoria. Former University of Victoria president, David Strong is the first president of UCW. A year later in 2007, Canada and British Columbia's first private, non-profit secular liberal arts and sciences university, Quest University Canada, opens in Squamish. Former UBC president, David Strangway is the first president of QUC.
In 1962, John B. MacDonald recommended changes in the post-secondary system in British Columbia.[11] A recommendation of the MacDonald report was the establishment of two-year community colleges offering programs in four fields of education: academic (university transfer); career/technical, to train students for specific employment with programs ranging in duration from a few weeks to two or more years; vocational, offering short applied programs of a year or less; and adult basic education to prepare those without high school graduation for other post-secondary programs or for employment. The report marked the development of British Columbia's Post Secondary School System. In the same year, King Edward Continuing Education Centre and the private Christian evangelical college, Trinity Junior College both open their doors.
In 1983, the BC Ministry of Advanced Education, Training and Technology established the International Education and Training Group (IETG), a forum for discussion between colleges, institutes and universities, and the ministries of Education and Advanced Education. Five years later in 1988, the provincial government commissioned a study on international education issues. The study reported that BC's institutions were uncoordinated in their internationalization efforts, were failing to present a professional image abroad, and that the province was not sufficiently proactive. In 1990, this led to the formation of the British Columbia Centre for International Education (BCCIE)—the first such organization in Canada.
The British Columbia Institute of Technology (also referred to as BCIT), is a public polytechnic institution of higher education. The post-secondary institute has five campuses located in the Metro Vancouver region, with its main campus in Burnaby, British Columbia, Canada. There is also the Aerospace Technology Campus in Richmond, the Marine Campus in the City of North Vancouver, Downtown campus in Vancouver, and Annacis Island Campus in Delta. It is provincially chartered through legislation in the "College and Institute Act." The school operates as a vocational and technical school, offering apprenticeships for the skilled trades and diplomas and degrees in vocational education for skilled technicians and workers in professions such as engineering, accountancy, business administration, nursing, medicine, architecture, and law.
Victoria College was brought under the direction of the Royal Institution in 1908, and it offered first and second year Arts courses. In this same year, the provincial government made a second attempt to establish a provincial university. They succeeded with An Act to Establish and Incorporate a University for the Province of British Columbia. It would be called the University of British Columbia, and it would be located in the western part of Point Grey. However, plans to start construction on the campus for the new university had to be postponed due to lack of funding. Meanwhile, McGill University agreed to continue providing higher education through Victoria College.
Higher education in British Columbia is delivered by 25 publicly funded institutions that are composed of eleven universities, eleven colleges, and three institutes. This is in addition to three private universities, five private colleges, and six theological colleges. There are also an extensive number of private career institutes and colleges.[1]
In the report, Campus 2020: Thinking Ahead, the creation of a Higher Education Price Index is recommended to reflect education costs so that each institution can set its own tuition levels independently, but subject to the limits imposed by the provincial government.[23] Regarding the issue of funding higher education in British Columbia, "research-based allocation" of resources will increase the efficiency of these funds. In relation to the system, more funding is necessary to focus on the specific targets of post-secondary achievement by progressively introducing outcome and performance measurements and accountability into the budgeting process.
Higher education institutions in British Columbia have particular mandates and serve specific community needs. They are able to decide how to achieve their mandate and deal with the various levels of administrative details with regard to operations, faculty, staff, and students.
Financial assistance for students attending post-secondary institutions in British Columbia can be either from government or private sources. The government administers a variety of student assistance programs for Canadian citizens, protected persons, and permanent residents. Both loans and grants are available for qualified full-time and part-time students. Such loans include Canada Student Loans and British Columbia Student Loans. Students also may be eligible for Canada Student Grants, depending upon their financial need and personal circumstances.
Nearly all of the post-secondary institutions in British Columbia have an international students office and student association. International students interested in studying in British Columbia can contact the international office at the institutions they are interested in. In addition, the Government of Canada's Department of Citizenship and Immigration has information for international students about studying in Canada and applying for student visas.
Currently in British Columbia there are three Aboriginal institutions, Nicola Valley Institute of Technology, Native Education College (a private Aboriginal College), and Wilp Wilxo'oskwhl Nisga'a. These institutions offer academic, vocational, technical, and continuing education for adults, striving to provide bilingual, bicultural certificate, diploma, and degree programs in areas such as forest rangers/technicians, fishery technicians, biologists, and scientists and training in hospitality and tourism, social services, trades, and financial planning.[29] The following universities offer the largest number of programs designed specifically for Aboriginal students and also have some of the largest enrolments of Aboriginal peoples: Thompson Rivers University, Simon Fraser University, University of Northern British Columbia, University of Victoria, University of British Columbia, and Royal Roads University.[30]
To maintain the quality and accreditation of higher education in British Columbia, the government passed legislation titled the Degree Authorization Act[14] that established criteria for when either a private or out-of-province public institution applies for consent to provide degree programs or use the word "university" in British Columbia, or new degree programs are proposed by British Columbia's current public post-secondary institutions. A Degree Quality Assessment Board[15] established in 2002 works with the government on reviews and makes recommendations to the Minister on institution applications.
In 2007, the population of British Columbia (BC) stood at 4,383,000.[2] Approximately 433,000 people were enrolled in public post-secondary institutions in BC during the 2006-2007 academic year. More than 17,250 identified themselves as Aboriginal students and approximately 10,500 were international students. In the 2011 calendar year, 151,774 applications[3] took place through BCcampus,[4] a publicly funded organization whose role is to support higher education by providing leadership in the use of ICT (Information and Communications Technology).[5]
There is a concentrated effort in British Columbia to increase access to higher education for aboriginal peoples. The Council of Ministers of Education, Canada (CMEC), commissioned a report in 2002 that stated only 38% of Aboriginal students were found to finish high school, compared with 77% of non-Aboriginal students. The legacy of residential schools, of distrust or indifference to the school system, which is seen as antagonistic to their culture, and the lack of reflection of an Aboriginal perspective in the secondary system were all cited as factors in the poor performance and completion of Aboriginals in the secondary system which subsequently affects enrolment of Aboriginal peoples in post-secondary education.[29]
McGill University affiliated with a second British Columbian high school in 1903, Victoria High School which was renamed Victoria College later to become the University of Victoria. In 1904 & 1905 McGill University received permission to improve and expand the University's course offerings in British Columbia. Two acts were passed to enable this; An Act Respecting McGill University, which gave McGill University permission to establish a University College in British Columbia for the higher education of men and women, and An Act to Incorporate the Royal Institution for the Advancement of Learning of British Columbia, which established the Royal Institution for the Advancement of Learning of British Columbia. This institution would undertake the responsibility of establishing a college anywhere in British Columbia.[9] Vancouver College in 1906 was formalized as McGill University College of British Columbia; then it began offering first and second year courses in Arts and Applied Sciences.
The provincial government is responsible for higher education in British Columbia. It enacts legislation regarding the establishment, management, and operation of post-secondary institutions. The government also provides leadership and support for post-secondary education.[13] As part of this support, the government manages the overall funding and program co-ordination for the public and private post-secondary education systems, as well as the provincial student financial aid programs for eligible students. In addition, it is responsible for intergovernmental issues, performance accountability, data management and analysis, and policy related to transitions within the post-secondary education system.
Higher education in British Columbia started in 1890 with the first attempt by the British Columbia government to establish a provincial university, An Act Respecting the University of British Columbia that established the first convocation of the "one university for the whole of British Columbia for the purpose of raising the standard of higher education in the Province, and of enabling all denominations and classes to obtain academical degrees." [7] In the same year, Whetham College opened as a small, independent institute located in downtown Vancouver that was intent of preparing "its students not only for the Army, Navy and Civil Service examinations and for Matriculation Examinations in any university or college, but also for first and second year examinations in Arts leading to the degree of Bachelor of Arts in any university;" unfortunately, it closed only three years due to financial difficulties.[8] A second independent post-secondary institution opened in 1892 known as the Columbian Methodist College. It was opened by the Methodist Church of Canada in New Westminster, and it was affiliated with Victoria College of the University of Toronto and offered courses towards Arts & Theology degrees.[7]
As of 2005, four out of ten Aboriginal people in British Columbia complete post-secondary education compared to six out of ten non-aboriginal students.[30]
There are associations involved with Aboriginal peoples in higher education, such as the Indigenous Aboriginal Higher Learning Association and the First Nations Education Steering Committee (FNESC) Post-Secondary Sub-Committee.
Columbia Bible College (CBC) is an institution of higher education in Abbotsford, British Columbia, Canada. The college states that its mission is to "equip people for a life of discipleship, ministry and leadership in service to the church and community". Theologically, Columbia Bible College is evangelical Anabaptist and is operated by two regional Mennonite conferences, British Columbia Mennonite Brethren and Mennonite Church British Columbia. Columbia is accredited by the international Association for Biblical Higher Education (ABHE), and is registered with the British Columbia Private Career Training Institution Association (PCTIA). The musical group Close Talker was formed out of Columbia.
The University of British Columbia is home to the Crane Resource Centre and Library, which provides resources for students with print disabilities, including a collection of approximately 2000 Braille titles, including dictionaries and foreign language texts; 4500 titles on audiocassette, CD, or e-text; 75 titles in large-print format; and a collection of print books, reports, government publications and journals dealing with blindness and print impairment.[33] Interlibrary loans are available to other post-secondary institutions in British Columbia.
International students have been coming to British Columbia for post-secondary education for almost as long as the higher education system has been established in the province. Globalization and modern technology has made it easier to obtain education in other countries, and governments are taking note when they consider their post-secondary student populations as a possible source of skilled workers to join the local economy.
Public education is provided through School District 50 Haida Gwaii, which operates elementary and secondary schools in Masset, Port Clements, Queen Charlotte, Sandspit, and Skidegate. Higher education programs are offered at the Haida Heritage Centre in partnership with the Northwest Community College, University of Northern British Columbia, and with the Haida Gwaii Higher Education Society.