Policy Summit 2009 - The Next Step

As Co-chairs of the 2008 policy summit on access to postsecondary education held on April 8-9 in Toronto, we are writing to convey our appreciation for your participation and to begin the discussion of how the event can best be followed-up.

As you will recall, the event began with a report from Professor Glen Jones on the outcomes of “Neither a Moment nor a Mind to Waste,” the highly successful international conference that preceded the policy summit. A copy of his presentation is included with this letter. Professor Jones’ presentation helped to focus our minds on key points around which a consensus has been forming, including the need for comprehensive outreach and student support programs, the importance of fostering success in education for Aboriginal peoples, and the advantages of early interventions to expand aspirations and abilities.

Much of the remainder of the day was taken up with deliberations about how the postsecondary education community in Canada can help ensure that the benefits of a post-secondary education are more widely and more equitably shared. In the plenary sessions and the breakout groups, many of you shared examples of initiatives that are already underway or are under consideration. We congratulate you on the work you have been doing, and encourage you to continue build on these initiatives in your institutions and communities. In the wake of the policy summit, we all need to renew our personal commitment to ensuring that more is done to reach out to and support students who face the greatest barriers to access and success.

Our discussions also highlighted the need for us to work together as leaders to address some of the important issues related to improving access to a postsecondary education. One of these is the need for better research analysis and metrics to drive policy making. As we heard, in the U.S., statistics charting the progress of students from different backgrounds through the education system are regularly used to shine the light on problem areas and to measure in concrete terms the progress made from year to year.

Canadian policy makers have benefited from the research and analysis that has been sponsored by the Canada Millennium Scholarship Foundation’s research program over the past number of years, but as the Foundation winds down its operations next year, it is important that work continues in the future in this area.

While the summit participants put forward many recommendations, there was particular agreement on the need to develop an advocacy and policy agenda supported by solid research on the issue of access to postsecondary education in Canada. As co-chairs, we indicated that we would be willing to oversee the creation of one or more working groups to consult with you on this and other ideas and develop more concrete proposals. Our work on this is now underway. We have also begun to discuss the need for a follow-up summit in 2009 and the shape that such an event might take. We will be in contact with you again in the near future to report on the progress of these initiatives and on ways in which you can stay involved.

In the meantime, if you have any suggestions as to which of the ideas raised in the policy summit should be followed-up and how this can best be done, please do not hesitate to share them with us. Please note that the Foundation will be maintaining the www.neitheramoment.com web site as a central place housing all the resource materials from the international conference and the policy summit.

Once again, we thank you for attending the summit. We look forward to working with you to ensure that Canadians from all backgrounds have the opportunity to access and succeed in a rich variety of postsecondary programs of the highest quality.

Yours truly,

James W. Knight, President Association of Canadian Community Colleges

Claire M. Morris, President and CEO Association of Universities and Colleges of Canada

 

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Presentations: Program

Sunday, April 6
14h00 – 15h30	Registration & exhibits
Opening Keynote Session
15h30 – 15h40	Welcome
15h40 – 16h00	Post-Secondary Pathways - Taking a World View Norman Riddell, CEO, Canada Millennium Scholarship Foundation Maurits Van Rooijen, VP, International, European Access Network
16h00 – 16h50	Neither A Moment Nor A Mind To Waste David Stewart-Patterson, Senior Vice-President, Canadian Council of Chief Executives
Plenary Session
16h50 – 17h30	Conference Themes - Working Group Overview Alan Wright, University of Windsor - International Working Group I Increasing the Odds of Post-Secondary Access and Success through Institutional Strategy and Practice Opening Power Point Presentation Recommendation   Peter Dietsche, Mohawk College & Ontario Institute for Studies in Education (OISE) - International Working Group II The Power of Partnerships- Private & Public Collaborations with Higher Learning Institutions Opening Power Point Presentation Recommendation   Lynne Bezanson & Sareena Hopkins, Canadian Career Development Foundation - International Working Group III The Role of Career Development in Building Pathways to and from Post-Secondary Studies Opening Power Point Presentation Recommendation   Glen Jones, OISE, University of Toronto - International Working Group IV Marshalling Resources for Change – System-Level Initiatives to Increase Access & Success Opening Power Point Presentation Recommendation
Working Group Sessions
17h30 – 19h00	Breakout Groups - Working Sessions (Working Groups I-IV)
19h00	Opening Cocktail
Monday, April 7
Keynote Session
9h00 – 10h00	Keynote Speaker Sir David Watson, Chair of Higher Education Management, University of London
10h00 – 10h20	Networking Break
Parallel Paper Sessions
10h30 – 11h15	Bain-Greenwood, Fiona Tackling the Drop-Out Rates in Ontario Colleges: Strategies to Improve the Persistence Rates of Perceived At-Risk Students Country Focus: Canada English Goastellec, Gaële - CANCELLED Strategies and Practices for Teaching Institutions Aimed at Increasing Accessibility to Higher Education and Success at Studies in Under-represented Groups Country Focus: United States and South Africa French Hewitt, Lindsay Ann Engagement and Empowerment: Openings for Progression into Higher Education in Urban and Rural Scotland – 2 case studies Country Focus: Scotland English Kirby, Dale and Denis Sharpe Participating and Persisting: An Exploration of Factors Influencing Rural Students’ Transition to Post-Secondary Education Country Focus: Canada English Ollivier, Dominique and Daniel Baril Barriers to Participation in Post-Secondary Studies Among the Adult Population in Quebec: Examples, Challenges, and Proposed Courses of Action Country Focus: Canada French Prats, Harry and Victoria Appatova Integrated Curriculum Approaches for Under-Prepared Students: A Comprehensive Program for Access and Success Country Focus: United States English Sheikh, Dana The Issue of Access: “An Inalterable Dilemma” Country Focus: “EU” English
11h25 – 12h10	Abramovitch, Rona and O'Neil Edwards Spanning the Gaps to Post-Secondary Education (PSE): First Chances, Second Chances, Retention and Success Country Focus: Canada English Atherton, Graeme and Sarah Adibi The Politics of Access: Comparing National Widening Access Strategies in the UK and USA Country Focus: United Kingdom, United States English Bezanson, Lynne and William A. Borgen Career Development and Public Policy: Report on the Fourth International Symposium Country Focus: Canada English Hamilton, Kym Finding the Courage to Denounce and Announce: An Indigenous Perspective on Education Development Country Focus: New Zealand English Larose, Simon, Odette Garceau and Diane Cyrenne The MIRES Program: An Innovative Preventative Strategy to Encourage Persistence in the Fields of Mathematics, Sciences and Technology Country Focus: Canada French O'Brien, Ann Tackling Educational Disadvantage to Higher Education in Ireland: The Push/Pull Principle Country Focus: Ireland English Todd, Anna Kae, Carol Stewart and Greg McKenzie Urban Campus Partnership: An Innovative Model for Enhancing Access to Post-Secondary Education that is Evolving in the Heart of Downtown Calgary Country Focus: Canada English
12h10 – 13h10	Lunch
Keynote Session
13h10 – 14h00	Keynote Speaker Vivienne Brown, Head of Policy & Strategy, Careers Scotland
Working Group Sessions
14h10 – 16h10	Breakout Groups - Panel Session and Discussion (Working Groups I-IV)
16h10 – 16h25	Health Break
Parallel Paper Sessions
16h30 – 17h15	Blais, Christine and Robert Kerr An Investment in Year One is an Investment in the Future Country Focus: Canada English Doray, Pierre, Sylvain Bourdon, Élise Comoé, Stéphane Moulin, Jake Murdoch and France Picard Canadian Student Pathways: An Interprovincial Comparison Country Focus: Canada French Hills, Greg, Dan Cornacchia and Andee Gerhardt The Power of Partnerships -- Private and Public Collaborations -- in Education Country Focus: United States English Hurd, Nicole, Keith Roots and Tomika Ferguson Delivering Access Together: A Higher Education and Secondary School Partnership Country Focus: United States English Layden-Oreto, Margie and Connie Korchak Do Money and Career Development Really Make a Difference? The Future to Discover Pilot Project and its Attempts to Improve Access to Post-Secondary Education Country Focus: Canada English Stuhldreier, Mike and Marti Ford Developing Curriculum Through the Integration of Aboriginal Culture With Educational Theory and Practice Country Focus: Canada English Warford, Laurance - replaced by Jean Petty CCTI-A National Initiative That Works in the U.S. to Ease Student Transitions Country Focus: United States English
17h30	Cocktail
Tuesday, April 8
Keynote Session
9h00 – 10h00	Keynote Speaker Brian Fitzgerald, Executive Director Business-Higher Education Forum (BHEF), Washington, DC
10h00 – 10h20	Networking Break
Parallel Paper Sessions
10h30 – 11h15	Bridger, Kath and Jenny Shaw - replaced by Ivan Reid Beyond Social Responsability and Good Will: The Business Case for Student Diversity and Success Country Focus: United Kingdom English Felouzis, Georges Student Pathways and Territories: From Pedagogical Efficiency to the Inconsistencies of the System Country Focus: Switzerland French Figueroa, Roberto and Nathalie Martin Keeping Their Eye on the Prize: Career Development Tools that Increase Retention and Engagement Country Focus: Canada, United States English Hill, Lu Ann Indigenous Institutions for a Booming Economy Country Focus: Canada English Mayer, Denis and Louis Mayrand Under-Represented Students at Laurentian University - Characterization, Interventions, and Outcomes Country Focus: Canada English Millett, Catherine and Michael Nettles Widening Access to Leading Universities: How College Preparatory Programs in Four Countries Achieve the Goal Country Focus: United States, Ireland, United Kingdom, South Africa English Swedlow, David and Michele Pola Transforming School Districts to Encourage Post-Secondary Enrolment: Preparing to Dream Country Focus: United States English
11h25 – 12h10	Chenard, Pierre, Geneviève Gourde, Amélie Groleau and Martin Ringuette From Scientific Knowledge to Action: Reflections on a Transfer of Knowledge Aimed at Encouraging Greater Participation in Post-Secondary Studies Country Focus: Canada French Galvin, Aine, Fiona Sweeney and Grace Edge Together We're Stronger: A Collaborative Approach by Irish Universities to Widening Access to Higher Education. Country Focus: Ireland English Jarvis, Philip The Real Game Series:Helping K-12 Students Choose Post-Secondary Programs as their Gateway to Success Country Focus: Canada English Oliver, Bernard, Diane Archer-Banks, Diana Melendez, Sophie Maxis and Jackie Basallo Enhancing College Access for Poor Minority Students: A Perspective from a Leading American Research University Country Focus: United States English Rattray, Jennifer and Kevin Chief Walking Together: A Strategy for Indigenous Student Success -- The University of Winnipeg's Aboriginal Education Strategy Country Focus: Canada English Smith, Ian and Sabra Desai Collaborations and Partnerships: Putting 'Community' Back into Community College Country Focus: Canada English
12h10 – 13h00	Lunch
Best Practices Gallery
13h00 – 14h30	Best Practices Exhibit Area & Networking Session
Closing Plenary
14h30 – 15h30	Ideas Forum Key Ideas from the Working Groups (Working Groups I-IV) & Electronic Dialogue
15h30 – 16h30	Moving Forward – A Post-Conference Agenda Bahram Bekhradnia, Higher Education Policy Institute (HEPI), Oxford
16h30 – 16h45	Closing Remarks from Conference Organizing Committee

 

 

Presentations: Alphabetical

 

Abramovitch, Rona and O'Neil Edwards
Spanning the Gaps to Post-Secondary Education (PSE): First Chances, Second Chances, Retention and Success
Country Focus: Canada
English

Bain-Greenwood, Fiona
Tackling the Drop-Out Rates in Ontario Colleges: Strategies to Improve the Persistence Rates of Perceived At-Risk Students
Country Focus: Canada
English

Bekhradnia, Bahram, Higher Education Policy Institute (HEPI), Oxford
Moving Forward – A Post-Conference Agenda

Bezanson, Lynne, Canadian Career Development Foundation
The Role of Career Development in Building Pathways to and from Post-Secondary Studies
International Working Group III

Blais, Christine and Robert Kerr
An Investment in Year One is an Investment in the Future
Country Focus: Canada
English

Bridger, Kath and Jenny Shaw - replaced by Ivan Reid
Beyond Social Responsability and Good Will -The Business Case for Student Diversity and Success
Country Focus: United Kingdom
English

Brown, Vivienne, Head of Policy & Strategy, Careers Scotland
Keynote Speaker

Chenard, Pierre, Geneviève Gourde, Amélie Groleau and Martin Ringuette
From Scientific Knowledge to Action: Reflections on a Transfer of Knowledge Aimed at Encouraging Greater Participation in Postsecondary Studies
Country Focus: Canada
French

Dietsche, Peter, Mohawk College & Ontario Institute for Studies in Education (OISE)
The Power of Partnerships- Private & Public Collaborations with Higher Learning Institutions
International Working Group II

Doray, Pierre, Sylvain Bourdon, Élise Comoé, Stéphane Moulin, Jake Murdoch and France Picard
Canadian Student Pathways: An Interprovincial Comparison
Country Focus: Canada
French

Felouzis, Georges
Student Pathways and Territories: From Pedagogical Efficiency to the Inconsistencies of the System
Country Focus: Switzerland
French

Fitzgerald, Brian
Executive Director, Business-Higher Education Forum (BHEF), Washington, DC
Keynote Speaker

Galvin, Aine, Fiona Sweeney and Grace Edge
Together We're Stronger: A Collaborative Approach by Irish Universities to Widening Access to Higher Education
Country Focus: Ireland
English

Hamilton, Kym
Finding the Courage to Denounce and Announce: An Indigenous Perspective on Education Development
Country Focus: New Zealand
English

Hewitt, Lindsay Ann
Engagement and Empowerment: Openings for Progression into Higher Education in Urban and Rural Scotland - 2 case studies
Country Focus: Scotland
English

Hills, Greg, Dan Cornacchia and Andee Gerhardt
The Power of Partnerships -- Private and Public Collaborations -- in Education
Country Focus: United States
English

Jarvis, Philip
The Real Game Series: Helping K-12 Students Choose Post-Secondary Programs as their Gateway to Success
Country Focus: Canada
English

Jones, Glen, OISE, University of Toronto
Marshalling Resources for Change – System-Level Initiatives to Increase Access & Success
International Working Group IV

Kirby, Dale and Denis Sharpe
Participating and Persisting: An Exploration of Factors Influencing Rural Students’ Transition to Post-Secondary Education
Country Focus: Canada
English

Mayer, Denis and Louis Mayrand
Under-Represented Students at Laurentian University - Characterization, Interventions, and Outcomes
Country Focus: Canada
English

O'Brien, Ann
Tackling Educational Disadvantage to Higher Education in Ireland: The Push/Pull Principle
Country Focus: Ireland
English

Oliver, Bernard, Diane Archer-Banks, Diana Melendez, Sophie Maxis and Jackie Basallo
Enhancing College Access for Poor Minority Students: A Perspective from a Leading American Research University
Country Focus: United States
English

Sheikh, Dana
The Issue of Access: “An Inalterable Dilemma”
Country Focus: “EU”
English

Swedlow, David and Michele Pola
Transforming School Districts to Encourage Post-Secondary Enrolment: Preparing to Dream
Country Focus: United States
English

Warford, Laurance - replaced by Jean Petty
CCTI-A National Initiative That Works in the U.S. to Ease Student Transitions
Country Focus: United States
English

Watson, Sir David, Chair of Higher Education Management, University of London
Keynote Speaker

Wright, Alan, University of Windsor
Increasing the Odds of Post-Secondary Access and Success through Institutional Strategy and Practice
International Working Group I

 

Policy Summit

• Kati Haycock, President, The Education Trust
  Keynote
  
  
  
• Dr. Glen A. Jones