Ontario Council on Articulation and Transfer supports post-secondary learner mobility at Fanshawe College

Earlier this week, Dr. Adrienne Galway, Executive Director of the Ontario Council on Articulation and Transfer (ONCAT) was joined by Jill Dunlop, Minister of Colleges and Universities, and Dr. Ann Marie Vaughan, President and CEO of Humber College, to announce 39 new projects focused on supporting post-secondary learner mobility.

Over the next year, ONCAT is flowing over $2.8 million to support learner mobility projects at 35 colleges, universities and Indigenous Institutes in Ontario. These projects aim to empower learners by recognizing previous education and professional experiences and facilitating smoother transitions between programs and institutions. 

Fanshawe College received $75,000 of ONCAT funding to support the development and implementation of learner-centric policies, practices and pathways. Through the Bulk PLAR (Prior Learning Assessment and Recognition) Outreach Project, learners will be supported in their employment mobility through the creation of a more flexible and efficient assessment model that recognizes prior learning acquired outside the classroom. In addition to developing the assessment, the project will focus on knowledge mobilization, marketing, recruitment, and provide wrap-around support for students to successfully navigate their post-secondary journey.

The Early Childhood Education program at the College’s regional site in Clinton and the Educational Support program delivered at the Woodstock/Oxford Campus were selected to participate in this project based on local labour market demand and the need to upskill those currently employed within each field. Successful participants will earn accelerated credentials, improving their professional recognition and local job market impact.

"Empowering learners with accessible pathways to navigate their educational journey is key to helping them achieve their professional and academic goals,” said Dr. Galway. “The increased funding will promote improved transitions between institutions and programs, helping learners get where they want to go." 

“The Ontario government is proud to support ONCAT’s important work to make it easier for learners of all backgrounds to pursue their educational goals,” said Minister Jill Dunlop. “By facilitating smoother transitions and recognizing the wealth of knowledge gained through previous experience, we are fostering a more inclusive and supportive environment to advance student success in Ontario.” 

“At Fanshawe, we take pride in unlocking the potential of our students by providing pathways to success, an exceptional learning experience and a global outlook to meet student and employer needs,” said Fanshawe College President, Peter Devlin. “We are thankful for ONCAT’s support to advance a shared belief that there are many routes to learning and achieving academic and career success.”

In fall of 2023, ONCAT initiated calls for projects for greater accessibility and impact within the post-secondary sector. This call was met with an unprecedented number of applications from post-secondary institutions, demonstrating a growing interest to support greater learner mobility, expand access to post-secondary opportunities and improve pathways to the labour market.  

Established in 2011, the Ontario Council on Articulation and Transfer plays a pivotal role in supporting learner mobility, working to reduce barriers for students seeking to transfer among the province's public colleges, universities, and Indigenous Institutes. For more information, visit www.oncat.ca. ONCAT is funded by the Government of Ontario.