OUSA announces release of submission regarding quality of education in Ontario post-secondary institutions

TORONTO, July 18, 2012 /CNW/ - The Ontario Undergraduate Student Alliance (OUSA) announces the release of Educated Reform: striving for higher quality education at Ontario universities. The document, released today, presents OUSA's position on a range of topics related to delivering high quality education within the Ontario post-secondary education sector.

Educated Reform explores strategies that government can employ to improve the quality of education being offered in Ontario universities with little or no additional cost. The document recommends the implementation of Ontario teaching chairs & teaching-focused faculty, experiential education, improved credit transfer and online learning. It also provides commentary on performance funding, differentiation, satellite campuses, teaching-only universities, three-year degrees and summer terms.

The document will form the basis of OUSA's contribution to the productivity and innovation consultations being held by the Ministry of Training, Colleges & Universities this summer. Rylan Kinnon, OUSA Executive Director explained, "Educated Reform provides OUSA's initial research and recommendations based on the questions in the Ministry's discussion paper." Adding "OUSA looks forward to discussing our recommendations and research with the Ministry and other sector stakeholders in the roundtable discussions throughout the summer." OUSA intends to release another document in the fall following the consultations that will respond to what we heard and learned during the consultations.

Educated Reform emphasizes that post-secondary education requires more funding from the government, but also that efficiencies can be found that will enable quality improvements with existing funding. Alysha Li, President of OUSA stated "in the face of fiscal uncertainty, we encourage the government and universities to make better use of current funding," adding "Educated Reform is a call to the entire sector to better leverage the funds we do have."

Educated Reform can be accessed by visiting http://www.ousa.ca.

OUSA represents the interests of over 150,000 professional and undergraduate, full- and part-time university students at nine member associations across Ontario.

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