At the Northern Alberta Institute of Technology, eighteen programs may be eliminated due to increasing financial constraints and a decrease in international student enrollment.
The institution will temporarily halt the programs to conduct an additional assessment. Peter Leclaire, NAIT’s vice-president academic, stated at a press briefing on Thursday that the school aims to assist in ensuring NAIT provides pertinent and viable courses.
Leclaire stated that this choice wasn’t made impulsively.
NAIT has already observed a reduction in international student enrollment, and predicts further decreases over the coming three years, according to him. In recent times, the institution registered approximately 4,000 international students; however, he forecasts this figure might fall to around 1,200.
This educational institution is one of several post-secondary schools in Alberta experiencing the effects of new federal policies that limit the number of study permit applications that can be approved.
Leclair also pointed out increasing expenses and duties as additional elements contributing to the possible program reductions.
“International tuition fees may be up to three times higher than those for domestic students, which can significantly impact funding—ultimately helping to maintain certain programs,” he stated.
The programmes that might be impacted encompass:
- The School of Health and Life Sciences offers two programs: the Leadership in Healthcare Certificate and the Personal Fitness Trainer Diploma.
- Eight from the media and information technology program, including the captioning and court reporting certificate;
- Two from the school of energy and natural resources, including the alternative energy diploma;
- Two from the field of construction and building sciences, including the surveying and geospatial engineering technology diploma;
- Within the field of manufacturing and automation at the school, there are three programs, including the Nanosystems Engineering Technology diploma;
- And the transportation school’s pre-employment auto body repair certification.
Students currently enrolled in a program can finish their studies, whereas those intending to start in September must opt for either an alternative course of study or receive a tuition reimbursement.
Leclaire mentioned that approximately 450 individuals have received acceptances into these programs or are awaiting their offers.
Leclaire mentioned that the school decided which programs to suspend following an analysis of application and enrollment figures, labor market performance, job placement statistics, student contentment, as well as fiscal sustainability.
He mentioned that they often discuss the skilled trades and technological fields experiencing significant growth, and their aim is to adapt accordingly to better support both the economy and Alberta using the available resources.
He mentioned that any choice to put a program on hold needs to be approved by the academic council.
CBC News acquired an email addressed to NAIT employees from Stephen McMillan, who oversees the schools of transportation and manufacturing and automation as their dean. In his message, he states that the programs within these departments will be temporarily halted with the intention to eventually suspend them.
Shauna MacDonald, who leads the NAIT Academic Staff Association, indicated that it seems the choice to phase out these programs has already been finalized.
“It was completely astonishing. This represents an enormous quantity of programs. It appears to be quite a spontaneous response,” MacDonald said to CBC News.
Approximately 100 staff and faculty members involved in these programs might face impacts, she mentioned.
MacDonald acknowledged the presence of new financial burdens, however, she pointed out that insufficient funding from the provincial government to post-secondary institutions poses an even greater concern.
CBC News has reached out to the Advanced Education Ministry for their input.
The captioning and court reporting diploma program offers ‘no direct equivalent.’
The correspondence sent to students stated that the captioning and court reporting diploma program offers “no direct equivalent,” but NAIT will assist applicants in finding other programs that match their interests.
Participants of the program claim that there is no alternative like it across Western Canada.
Daisy Reyes, who will graduate from the program next month and was instrumental in reviving its club, expresses frustration at witnessing the disintegration of the community they have worked hard to build.
I didn’t see this coming at all; it’s like yanking away the foundation for those who had been eagerly anticipating what lies ahead,” Reyes commented.
She’s equally concerned about how this impacts the availability of court reporters in Canada.
“I simply can’t grasp their direction with this. It seems like there’s no consideration of how it impacts both the court reporting sector and the broader legal field,” she stated.
The school intended to reduce the program.
15 years ago
but changed direction following a demonstration.
