Improving Canada's Digital Advantage
In its recent submission to Industry Canada’s consultation on the digital economy, ACCC recommended that the federal government increase research and development funding by five percent, enhance copyright legislation to facilitate the reproduction of digital materials for colleges, establish a college infrastructure and equipment fund adequate to secure the supply of advanced skills required to support a digital economy, and allocate resources to ensure that digital learning is accessible to disadvantaged groups.
Canadian Consortium for International Education Marketing
On June 29, ACCC, the Association of Universities and Colleges of Canada, the Canadian Association of Public Schools – International, the Canadian Bureau for International Education and Languages Canada signed a Memorandum of Understanding to establish the Canadian Consortium for International Education Marketing. The consortium will provide leadership, coordination and added value to the education sector’s marketing efforts to attract international students to Canada.
Canadian Colleges to Welcome Chinese Education Leaders
ACCC has issued a request for proposals for four member institutions to host senior administrators from Chinese post-secondary technical and vocational training institutions for a two-week period in September. The administrators wish to learn the governance and management systems of our colleges and institutes, and gather best practices that could be adapted for the Chinese system. This will be an exceptional opportunity to create linkages and partnerships with Chinese counterparts.
Presidents' Academy a Resounding Success
Our Presidents’ Academy wound up last week in St. Andrews-by-the-Sea, New Brunswick. Topics included social and economic barriers to education, succession planning, and the varied mandates of colleges. Particular thanks go to Gilbert Héroux, President of Vanier College who chaired the event, and Don Gnatiuk, President of Grande Prairie Regional College, for leading a dynamic concluding session with a go-forward action plan that energized. As one participant wrote on the evaluation form, "I experienced more creative ideas over these five days than I did over the previous 360."
The Next Round of Advocacy
ACCC staff is now laying the groundwork of our advocacy agenda for 2010-2011. Soon we will be asking ACCC participants to lend their voices to support key messages. Presidents should mark their calendars for the ACCC on Parliament Hill event which will be held November 29-30 in Ottawa.
Congratulations
Congratulations to Mark Frison, who has been appointed the new President of Assiniboine Community College effective August 30, and to Liane Roy, the new President and CEO of Collège communautaire du Nouveau-Brunswick.
