Aboriginal students
There is a concentrated effort in British Columbia to increase access to higher education for aboriginal peoples. The Council of Ministers of Education, Canada (CMEC), commissioned a report in 2002 that stated only 38% of Aboriginal students were found to finish high school, compared with 77% of non-Aboriginal students. The legacy of residential schools, of distrust or indifference to the school system, which is seen as antagonistic to their culture, and the lack of reflection of an Aboriginal perspective in the secondary system were all cited as factors in the poor performance and completion of Aboriginals in the secondary system which subsequently affects enrolment of Aboriginal peoples in post-secondary education.
As of 2005, four out of ten Aboriginal people in British Columbia complete post-secondary education compared to six out of ten non-aboriginal students.
Currently in British Columbia there are three Aboriginal institutions, Nicola Valley Institute of Technology, Native Education College (a private Aboriginal College), and Wilp Wilxo'oskwhl Nisga'a. These institutions offer academic, vocational, technical, and continuing education for adults, striving to provide bilingual, bicultural certificate, diploma, and degree programs in areas such as forest rangers/technicians, fishery technicians, biologists, and scientists and training in hospitality and tourism, social services, trades, and financial planning. The following universities offer the largest number of programs designed specifically for Aboriginal students and also have some of the largest enrolments of Aboriginal peoples: Thompson Rivers University, Simon Fraser University, University of Northern British Columbia, University of Victoria, University of British Columbia, and Royal Roads University.
On April 24, 2007, the provincial government announced a $65-million "Aboriginal Post-Secondary Education Strategy" to close the education gap between Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal people. This strategy aimed to accomplish this goal by:
1- Increasing the opportunity for Aboriginal students and those who want to be by providing funding to the Aboriginal Endowment Scholarship, the Chief Joe Mathias B.C. Aboriginal Scholarship, Alberta Centennial Scholarships and loan options through StudentAid BC.
2- Supporting three-year Aboriginal service plans created by communities and institutions to develop partnerships that will encourage people to access post-secondary programs that will lead to jobs in their local areas.
3- Increasing opportunities for institutions and communities to develop Aboriginal-focused programs that recognize cultural and learning needs,like the Aboriginal Special Projects Fund.
4- Building supportive ways to help Aboriginal people enter the education system through adult basic education, upgrading and beyond up to graduate levels to reach their goals.
5- Providing institutions with funding to build culturally welcoming structures and gathering places that will lower isolation and increase retention by reflecting the character, community and traditions of Aboriginal cultures.
6- Encouraging Aboriginal perspectives and decision making by supporting Aboriginal participation on public post-secondary education boards.
7- Continuing to address the education needs of Aboriginal students by working with institutions to create a system-wide standard to track participation and success.
Aboriginal students have personal and academic support like that offered through the First Nations House of Learning at the University of British Columbia, which offers students a "home away from home" and can help to alleviate the feelings of isolation and loneliness that many Aboriginal people feel, especially at large urban universities and colleges. The same principle is available at the University of Victoria at their First Peoples House and Simon fraser university's first nations Student Centre.
Every public post-secondary institution in British Columbia provides services or liaisons for Aboriginal students. Thompson Rivers University, for example, provides an Elder-in-Residence in their Aboriginal Cultural Centre. The University of British Columbia provides a wide range of programs and services to Aboriginal students, starting with the First Nations House of Learning, established in 1987, that ensures that students have access to a range of supports. Other programs available at UBC includes the Residency Program, Aboriginal Health and Community Administration Program, CH'NOOK Aboriginal Business Education, First Nations Language Program, Indigenous Studies Program (Okanagan campus), Native Indian Teacher Education Program and Ts"kel Graduate Studies in Education. There is also a specialized campus library at the First Nations House of Learning called Xwi7xwa Library. The University of Victoria also has a wide range of programs and services to Aboriginal students. One key component is the LE,NONET Project, which is composed of a network supporting Aboriginal students at UVic through a Bursary Program, Peer Mentoring, Community Internships, Research Apprenticeships, and Staff and Faculty Aboriginal Cultural Training. In addition, there's also the Aboriginal Language Revitalization Program, an Office of Indigenous Affairs, First Nations Partnership Programs in Early Childhood and Youth Care, Indigenous Governance Program, Indigenous Studies Program, Indigenous Initiatives at the School of Social Work, and the Native Students Union.
There are associations involved with Aboriginal peoples in higher education, such as the Indigenous Aboriginal Higher Learning Association and the First Nations Education Steering Committee (FNESC) Post-Secondary Sub-Committee.
Students with disabilities
British Columbians with disabilities attending post-secondary institutions have access to some of the most accessible campuses in Canada. Disability services are prevalent at almost all campuses.
Assistive Technology BC works on contract with the provincial government. Its mandate is to "to provide technology support services ... to reduce barriers caused by the disability in meeting educational and employment goals. Through this program, adults with disabilities who are post-secondary students and/or clients of EPPD are eligible for special technology support services. These services include assessment, consultation loan of adaptive technology and training on the use of technology, all of which facilitate independence with reading, writing, and communication within learning and work situations"
The University of British Columbia is home to the Crane Resource Centre and Library, which provides resources for students with print disabilities, including a collection of approximately 2000 Braille titles, including dictionaries and foreign language texts; 4500 titles on audiocassette, CD, or e-text; 75 titles in large-print format; and a collection of print books, reports, government publications and journals dealing with blindness and print impairment. Interlibrary loans are available to other post-secondary institutions in British Columbia.
Students in British Columbia that have print disabilities also have access to the College and Institute Library Services (CILS), a centralized service funded by the provincial government and located at Langara College. CILS supports the delivery of accessible resources to BC's students with print disabilities. The service has been growing in the number of customers and diversity of products and services for over twenty years. In 2005, approximately 450 students made use of CILS.
In May 2008, the provincial government announced it would enhance post-secondary education for students with disabilities by providing $12 million over six years. The government indicated that "...the Assistance Program for Students with Permanent Disabilities will be expanded to include students attending private post-secondary institutions within B.C." In addition, a "$6.6 million Supplemental Bursary program for Students with Disabilities also has been created to help with these higher costs. For students with learning disabilities, an assessment is often a necessary prerequisite to receiving the support and services necessary to excel at the post-secondary level. The cost of an assessment can range from $1,200 to $1,800." This is for those students that are unable to pay for an assessment in the first place. Currently students have the opportunity to apply for a "Reimbursement of a Learning Disability Assessment," where if they quality they get a 75% refund of the cost of the assessment.
International students
International students have been coming to British Columbia for post-secondary education for almost as long as the higher education system has been established in the province. Globalization and modern technology has made it easier to obtain education in other countries, and governments are taking note when they consider their post-secondary student populations as a possible source of skilled workers to join the local economy.
In 1983, the BC Ministry of Advanced Education, Training and Technology established the International Education and Training Group (IETG), a forum for discussion between colleges, institutes and universities, and the ministries of Education and Advanced Education. Five years later in 1988, the provincial government commissioned a study on international education issues. The study reported that BC's institutions were uncoordinated in their internationalization efforts, were failing to present a professional image abroad, and that the province was not sufficiently proactive. In 1990, this led to the formation of the British Columbia Centre for International Education (BCCIE)--the first such organization in Canada.
The total number of international students in British Columbia for the year of 2006 was 44,799, up from 23,011 in 1997. This does not include students enrolled in programs of less than six months. This seems contradictory to the statistic of "more than 140,000 international students choosing to study in British Columbia each year" the British Columbia government claims in its Campus 2020: Thinking Ahead report. The top 10 source countries for long-term international students in 2003-2004 were: China, Japan, South Korea, United States, Taiwan, Hong Kong SAR, Indonesia, Mexico, India and the United Kingdom.
The federal and provincial government aim to increase the international student population, reasoning that international students enhance the educational experience for all students and that the students' "cross-cultural skills enhances future business and cultural development" and provides "an economic sector generating significant revenue." The government expects that with international students will also help address labour market needs.
The cost of tuition for international students is greater than tuition for domestic students (i.e. Canadian citizens). There is no public subsidization, and international students pay a mostly full-tuition fee basis. Most international students obtain funding either through personal resources (e.g., family or savings), or obtain funding through the institution, such as entrance awards. There are some government funds, but are usually open to nationals of developing countries only. The Canadian Bureau for International Education lists some of those awards.
The Off-Campus Work Permit Program for international students at public institutions was launched nationally as a formalized program on April 27, 2006. Prior to the introduction of this program, students were only allowed to work on the campus of the educational institution at which they were studying. Students who qualify for the program will be able to work up to 20 hours per week off-campus while classes are in session, full-time during summer and winter breaks, and over their reading weeks.
In April 2008, the Government of Canada's Minister of Citizenship and Immigration announced changes to work permits for international students who graduate from eligible programs at certain Canadian post-secondary institutions, making it easier to attract foreign students to Canada. For the first time, international students would be able to obtain an "open work permit" under the Post-Graduation Work Permit Program, with no restrictions on the type of employment and no requirement for a job offer. In addition, the duration of the work permit has been extended to three years across the country. Previously, the program only allowed international students to work for one or two years, depending on location. A minimum of one year of work experience in managerial, professional or technical positions (i.e., at level 0, A or B under the National Occupational Classification system) will be necessary to apply to stay permanently through the Canadian Experience Class.
Nearly all of the post-secondary institutions in British Columbia have an international students office and student association. International students interested in studying in British Columbia can contact the international office at the institutions they are interested in. In addition, the Government of Canada's Department of Citizenship and Immigration has information for international students about studying in Canada and applying for student visas.
Transferability of program credits
The ability of students to transfer from one post-secondary institution to another without losing credit for coursework at a previous institution in British Columbia is enabled with the presence of the BC Council on Admissions and Transfer (BCCAT), a provincially funded agency that was created in 1989 to replace the Post-Secondary Articulation Coordinating Committee that had been established in 1974. BCCAT has a mandate to "facilitate admission, articulation, and transfer arrangements among BC post-secondary institutions by encouraging them to develop policies and practices regarding the transferability of post-secondary credit courses so that credit granted at one institution can be applied toward credentials at other institutions." There are formal agreements between most institutions on mutually acceptable awarding of credits in specific programs. For example, a college may deliver the first two years of an articulated degree program and a university may deliver the final two years and award the degree. Private institutions have to be approved by the Degree Quality Assessment Board and have received the minister's consent to be accepted by BCCAT as a member of the BC Transfer System. The BCCAT has a Private Degree-Granting Institutions Policy that outlines the requirements a private institution must comply with to be considered for membership in the agency.