NEWS RELEASE
GEORGIAN COLLEGE
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Georgian University Partnership Centre to expand degree programs
Georgian College will immediately begin planning for 11 new degree programs, as recommended in a new report on the future of degree studies in Simcoe County.
The Ministry of Training, Colleges and Universities has confirmed the central role played by Georgian’s University Partnership Centre in degree program delivery in central Ontario.
This allows immediate planning of eleven new degree offerings – five Georgian degrees and six degree-diplomas in partnership with Lakehead University.
In addition, Georgian will look for new University partners.
“We are delighted with this green light to move forward on our innovative plans,” says Georgian President and CEO MaryLynn West-Moynes. “Our partnerships have been a success story for our students and our communities, and collaboration will continue to be our focus. Our goal is to provide real-world education combining academics and practical skills in degree studies that meet the needs of the 21st century.”
The decision follows a Ministry report which recommends a five-year framework for degree studies offered by Georgian, Lakehead and Laurentian University in Simcoe County.
In the wake of this report, Laurentian announced it is leaving Barrie and dissolving its partnership with Georgian.
Georgian will work closely with the Ontario Ministry of Training, Colleges and University (MTCU) and Laurentian during the transition.
“We are committed to ensuring students are our top priority in every aspect of the transition from this partnership, and in the renewal and expansion of our University Partnership Centre into the future,” says West-Moynes.
Since 2003, the University Partnership Centre has been formally recognized by MTCU as a cost-effective model for expanding access to postsecondary education through collaboration and credit transfer.
Its central vision is to provide choice and flexibility in degree studies in innovative ways.
This includes collaborative university degrees, Georgian’s own degrees, and transfer agreements with 500 universities across Canada and world-wide.
Students can save time and money with improved pathways and the availability of more transfer credit options – in some cases moving from diplomas to degrees with full recognition of their college credits.
While servicing the direct from high school market, the centre also meets a great need of mature students who may be unable to relocate elsewhere for degree studies because of home, work and family commitments.
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