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What is a college?
Barry Keefe, Director of International Education at St. Lawrence College in Ontario (Canada), shares his views about the Canadian college system and explains why he believes colleges are both necessary and important.
“I hear of a post-secondary level of education in Canada referred to as a College. I’m familiar with universities, but what are Colleges?"
That question is not unusual. For centuries, the university has been understood to be a place to continue education after finishing high school. Colleges, particularly in the Canadian model, are not as well understood. Assumptions are made, often by those who have followed the path of a more traditional nature that the university path is the ultimate choice, rather than simply one of several.
We are living in an increasingly complex environment undreamed of in the mediaeval origins of the university. In Ontario, our provincial government determined over 40 years ago that there was a critical gap in our education system not served by the university model. Our college system was created to fill that gap.
There is an important need to continue supporting the liberal arts and research initiatives carried out at our universities. At the same time, much of the complex work that keeps the world moving forward is carried out by those who develop skills through an institution such as St. Lawrence College. One only has to think of college graduates when flying, for example, or complex professions needed to make hospitals function, or graphic designers who fill our world with images. Without colleges, much of our modern work wouldn't happen.
Colleges are an important part of the education system in Canada, and Canada has one of the best systems in the world. Consider the following from the Economist magazine of October 18, 2007, commenting on the annual report of the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), which compares school test results from 57 countries:
"There are big variations in educational standards between countries. These have been measured and remeasured by the OECD's Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) which has established, first, that the best performing countries do much better than the worst and, second, that the same countries head such league tables again and again: Canada, Finland, Japan, Singapore, South Korea."
In December 2007, the same magazine, continuing to report on the OECD survey, commented:
"There is bad news for the United States: average performance was poor by world standards. Its schools serve strong students only moderately well, and do downright poorly with the large numbers of weak students… The results are unsettling for Britain, too. The country was excluded from the OECD's 2003 study because its sample of students was so poor. That, conveniently, disguised what is now apparent: that the excellent results of 2000, when the country came seventh in reading and well above average in both maths and science, were a statistical blip. This time Britain is way down the league in all three subjects."
Those comments are not the usual common wisdom, often because the country 'brand' has a more popular impact than data might support. The traditional big brand destinations, such as Britain or the United States, continue to draw large numbers of international students. And yet, as with other commodities, the main brands may not always deliver the best value and may rest somewhat on the laurels of past performance or of a few well-recognised names.
Of course, there are many reputable colleges and universities in those countries and we work with them, but each destination should be examined with equal, clear-headed scrutiny.
It is unfortunate that colleges are sometimes seen as lesser cousins to the universities. This is more often a reflection of unspoken cultural assumptions about the type of work associated with status. In our society, it is a sad commentary that one may be a highly paid computer programmer, graphic designer, or marketing consultant, yet still not be as socially well-regarded as an (often financially-challenged) lawyer. Times change, and one of the current trends is to see university graduates enrolling at colleges to connect better with the world of work.
The reality is that we are globally interactive. Many students and their families from around the world have recognised that and have chosen to study in a country like Canada to gain a varied cultural and work experience. In Canada, students have also appreciated the opportunity to remain in the country to work for up to three years after graduation, furthering their development of skills and knowledge while earning income.
Veröffentlicht am: 29.04.2009
Autor: Barry Keefe (Director, International Education, St. Lawrence College, Kanada)
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