The governing body for higher education in Nova Scotia is the Ministry of Labour and Advanced Education, of which Kelly Regan is Minister of Labour and Advanced Education.
The Higher Education Branch of this body "supports the development of a highly qualified workforce to meet labour market demand as well as the cultivation of knowledgeable, engaged citizens" Under the Higher Education Branch, there are four divisions which support this mission:
Post-Secondary Disability Services Division
Private Career Colleges Division
Student Assistance Office
Universities and Colleges Division
The Post-Secondary Disability Services Division (PSDS) "assists students with permanent disabilities in achieving individual success in their post-secondary studies by reducing or removing educational-related barriers through the provision of grants, services and equipment."
The Private Career Colleges Division "works with private career colleges to ensure that Nova Scotians have access to training opportunities that respond to labour market needs and lead to employment."
The Student Assistance Office "provides an opportunity for all academically qualified Nova Scotians to have equity of access to quality post-secondary education and training. The program provides needs-based assistance to students who would be unable to attend post-secondary study because their family resources were not sufficient to cover their educational costs."
The mandates of the Division of Universities and Colleges of the Ministry of Labour and Advanced Education are as follows
develops and manages funding agreements between the province and the public post-secondary institutions
analyzes reports and publications to inform the Minister on policy issues conducts Nova Scotia-based higher education research through the Minister's Post-Secondary Education Research Advisory Panel represents the province at a regional and national level regarding post-secondary education issues.