Province Launches New Course Database, Commits to Improving Credit Transfer Pathways

TORONTO, Jan. 16, 2014 /CNW/ - Students are pleased by Minister of Training, Colleges and Universities Brad Duguid's announcement of a new interactive course-to-course database aimed at improving student mobility and credit transfer within the province.

Launching on Monday, January 20, the Ontario Council on Articulation and Transfer (ONCAT)'s new course guide will be available at ONTransfer.ca and will feature over 35,000 credit transfer pathways for Ontario's college and university students.

"ONCAT's new interactive course-to-course database will make it easier for those students who choose to transfer between institutions due to a desire to change academic concentrations or financial, familial or geographic considerations to do so," said Amir Eftekarpour, President of the Ontario Undergraduate Student Alliance (OUSA) and Vice-President External of the University Students' Council at Western University (USC). "This database will provide students the ability to quickly determine which of their completed credits will be accepted at participating institutions, ensuring that these students will not be required to repeat completed learning upon transferring."

In his remarks, Minister Duguid made a number of additional commitments to improving the state of credit transfer in Ontario. Minister Duguid stated that he is committed to ensuring that ONCAT works to develop sector-wide policies regarding credit transfer accountability and transparency between Ontario's colleges and universities, as well course-to-course mapping of credit transfer pathways within the province.

Additionally, Minister Duguid stated that it is a goal of the Ministry to have the majority of first and second year core courses transferable between universities.

"OUSA has been a long-time advocate of making first and second year courses transferable at Ontario's universities," continued Eftekarpour. "Minister Duguid's commitment to improving credit transfer pathways for first and second year courses will significantly improve student mobility, resulting in significant cost savings for students, universities, and taxpayers. We look forward to continuing our work with institutions and the Ministry on this issue."

About the Ontario Undergraduate Student Alliance (OUSA)

OUSA represents the interests of over 140,000 professional and undergraduate, full- and part-time university students at eight member associations across Ontario.

SOURCE: Ontario Undergraduate Student Alliance

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