Vancouver Island institutions sign collaborative agreement

Camosun College, North Island College, Royal Roads University, the University of Victoria, and Vancouver Island University signed a memorandum of understanding today intended to foster collaboration related to the post-secondary education and training needs of Vancouver Island and the BC Coastal region as a whole. 

The purpose of the agreement is to provide a broader range of learning opportunities and supports to residents and communities of Vancouver Island, the Gulf Islands and the BC Coastal region through the development of an integrated and synergistic educational strategy.  Specifically, Vancouver Island’s five public post-secondary institutions commit to:

•    developing a coordinated and complementary network of public post-secondary institutions serving the needs of the residents of Vancouver Island, the Gulf and Northern Islands and the BC Coast;

•    creating a post-secondary network that can, when appropriate, speak with a unified voice to advocate for post-secondary education on Vancouver Island, the Gulf and Northern Islands and the BC Coast;

•    maximizing the human and physical resources of the five institutions; and

•    expanding and enhancing the capacities of the five institutions.

In welcoming the representatives of the partner institutions, Royal Roads’ President Dr. Allan Cahoon noted the agreement’s potential to build on a strong and successful collaboration that already exists. “We have a history of working together and complementing what we each do but now we will consciously and collectively look for additional ways to collaborate.”

North Island College’s President Dr. Jan Lindsay stated “One of NIC’s goals is to ensure that residents from northern Vancouver Island have access to upper level post-secondary education closer to home, and agreements like this pave the way for cooperative programming that meets the needs of our residents.”

Vancouver Island University’s Vice-President, Academic, Dr. David Drakeford said, “Vancouver Island University regards this agreement as an exciting opportunity to offer enhanced access to post-secondary education to students throughout Vancouver Island.”

“As one of the province’s four research-intensive universities, UVic is already engaged in research activities with other institutions and communities across the Island, and this agreement will further opportunities for sharing best practices in teaching and learning, environmental sustainability and community engagement,” said Dr. Katy Mateer, Associate Vice President, Academic Planning, University of Victoria.    

In signing the agreement, Camosun College’s President Kathryn Laurin noted, “I’m very excited to be formally acknowledging, through the signing of this agreement, our continuing commitment to working with and serving our communities in the areas of our mandate and strengths, and to doing this together with our sister institutions on the Island – together we have created and will continue to develop a post-secondary system par excellence.”

Also present at the signing was Deputy Minister of Advanced Education and Labour Market Development, Dr. Philip Steenkamp.