1. Establish an Adult Learning Forum

An Adult Learning Forum, comprised of learners and institutional, business and industry, community and government representatives, will be established to monitor the department's progress toward achievement of the goals set for adult learning, and to provide advice to the Minister on adult learning issues, particularly in the area of work force development.

2. Improve arrangements for transfer and recognition of prior learning

The department will encourage initiatives that enhance the recognition of prior learning and experience, and promote the smooth and effective transfer of students in courses/programs of comparable subject material.

3. Coordinate application systems

The department will work with post-secondary institutions and the Alberta Council on Admissions and Transfer to implement a province-wide electronic application system in order to increase the ability of institutions to respond more quickly to students seeking entry.

4. Establish an accountability framework

Advanced Education and Career Development will play a lead role in ensuring the development and implementation of an accountability framework for post-secondary institutions and programs with performance measures that focus on results.

5. Remove barriers to responsiveness in programming

The department will move away from its current procedures of program approval and develop a broader system of accountability using key program performance measures and indicators.

It was agreed that Strategy 1 needed greater clarification as to the exact function and membership of the Adult Learning Forum before it could be supported. Concern was expressed about possible duplication and the creation of another level of bureaucracy.

* Stakeholders should be selected for multi-year terms and meet more frequently than once a year in order to be effective.
* An Adult Learning Forum should not be tied to a particular goal but should act as an open forum where once or twice a year individuals could come together to share ideas.

Strategies 2 through 5 received a strong measure of support.

Many individuals felt that improving transfer arrangements is one of the key strategies leading to fulfillment of the vision. Improved transfer arrangements would enable learners to reach their goals more effectively and efficiently. It was felt that government should mandate such improvements. Some said that action should be taken quickly to review legislation in the area of transferability and accreditation. The general consensus was that the mandate of the Alberta Council on Admissions and Transfer should be strengthened and given the "teeth" necessary to successfully influence effective transfer arrangements between institutions and to arbitrate disagreements when required.

* Increase the use of challenge exams.
* Allow the international baccalaureate program offered in high schools to be credited towards the first year of a college or university program.
* Provide some transferability of credit for job and other learning experiences.
* Merge the department of Advanced Education and Career Development with Education.
* Standardize the first two years of post-secondary education and make it available in different types of institutions.
* Study the system of transferability currently in use in European countries.

It was felt that a coordinated application system could potentially benefit students and lead to cost-savings. It was clearly indicated that such a system should not be used as a centralized admissions or registration system.

In terms of Strategy 4, establishing an accountability framework, a clear message was sent that performance measures should not be solely quantitative in nature, but should also reflect qualitative aspects of the system. It was also recommended that performance measures should reflect the different mandates of institutions. A suggestion was made that core measures be established for the system with additional measures to reflect the unique characteristics of each institution.

* Standards should conform with other provincial, national and international jurisdictions.
* Improve recognition of foreign credentials as well as interprovincial transfers.
* Student evaluations should be undertaken 3-5 years after graduation/completion of studies.

In conclusion, it was generally agreed that implementing the strategies would lead to the accomplishment of the goal. In particular, Strategies 2 and 3 were strongly supported.

BACK / NEXT PAGE