R. J. Simpson, Minister of Education, Culture and Employment, addressed the inaugural meeting of the Aurora College Transformation Academic Advisory Council (Academic Advisory Council) earlier today.
The Academic Advisory Council was created to support and advise the Associate Deputy Minister of Post Secondary Education Renewal during the transformation of Aurora College to a polytechnic university.
“I am excited to have eight distinguished institutions providing support and guidance as we transform Aurora College,” R.J. Simpson, Minister of Education, Culture and Employment said. “These institutions have faced many of the same challenges we will face in the coming years, and their expertise and experience will make a significant contribution to our transformation process – a process that will also include engagement with Indigenous governments and input from industry and other stakeholders in the NWT.”
In October 2018, the Government of the Northwest Territories committed to transforming Aurora College into a polytechnic university. Over the past year, significant progress has been made in strengthening the foundation and planning for change.
The Academic Advisory Council held their inaugural meeting today by video conference. Its creation and this meeting mark a key milestone in the transformation and complete one of the commitments made by the Government of the Northwest Territories.
The Academic Advisory Council links Aurora College with eight post-secondary institutions: Wilfred Laurier University, Ryerson University, University of Alberta, Southern Alberta Institute of Technology, Saskatchewan Polytechnic, Kwantlen Polytechnic University, Ontario Tech University and Yukon College.
These institutions were selected based on their reputations as leading academic institutions; their experience in the transformation from a college to a university or polytechnic university; inclusion of Indigenous peoples; understanding of vocational and degree programming; and/or their experience administering education and research programs in the North.
The commitment of these prestigious institutions is a reflection of the excitement that has been generated across the country for the transformation of Aurora College to a polytechnic university.
Twitter.com/artcgreen
