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Post-secondary Infrastructure
For a community to grow and prosper, it must have excellent educational infrastructure. By better determining our educational needs, including opportunities for the preservation and expansion of Algoma University and Sault College, we will generate direct jobs and other related business opportunities.
Sault Ste. Marie is home to two post-secondary institutions are going through major transformations, as 2009 government stimulus funds will upgrade and expand the schools. Sault College is receiving $16 million to build a new academic wing, while Algoma University is getting $16 million to construct a Biosciences and Technology Centre. With these major investments, both institutions will be better positioned to grow in the future.
In 2008, the provincial government granted Algoma University independent status. As part of the school’s long-term growth strategy, the university is now better positioned to expand into new academic and research areas.
Sault College held a grand opening for its newly-constructed wind energy turbine on campus in July 2008. Also new to campus this year is the Brookfield Power Training Centre. The interactive lab space and classroom facility will be used by students training to work in the area of renewable energy.
Supporting the efforts of our local institutions to provide quality post-secondary education remains a priority for Sault Ste. Marie. Like any large local industry, its success results in significant economic benefits to the community as a whole.
Two immediate projects are the Community Training and Recruitment Strategy and a collaboration between AU, Sault College, the Economic Development Corporation and Destiny SSM to explore growth and business opportunities for the institutions.
Community Training & Recruitment
Destiny SSM established and facilitated a committee of affected organizations, institutions and stakeholders to address community training and recruitment needs. With funding from the Ontario Ministry of Training, Colleges and Universities, this committee commissioned an Algoma Workforce Trends, Opportunities and Priorities Report. Current efforts are directed towards establishment of a training board to address training requirements and needs that will help support and grow our economy.
Post-Secondary Partnerships
A project manager has been contracted to investigate and establish collaborative ventures between AU and Sault College to ensure the sustainability and growth of both institutions. The following are some initiatives that have been undertaken to achieve this objective:
- Identified student profiles by data mining source of first-year applications and acceptances – by gender, age and area of study – and set comparators with other like institutions in Canada;
- Researched potential joint marketing of e-learning and long-distance delivery of post-secondary programs, recommended a joint-marketing group specializing in this area and identified issues to be resolved;
- Liaised with the Campus Unity Group and the Diversity Committee which provided linkages with each other and with community groups and potential funding sources;
- Developed a critical path for the approval process of courses and programs at each institution and identified timelines
- Researched and wrote a briefing paper for the school presidents on the successful implementation of shared services in the public sector
www.algomau.ca , www.saultc.on.ca
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