Quality assurance practices for postsecondary institutions in Yukon

Credit transfer and articulation in Yukon

Other resources

The postsecondary education system in Yukon is described in CICIC's Postsecondary Education Systems in Canada, Provinces and Territories of Canada. The system can be divided into three categories of postsecondary program delivery:

colleges
apprenticeship
private training institutions

Quality assurance mechanisms in Yukon's postsecondary education system vary by type of program. They include:

legislation (statutes and regulations)
affiliation
credit transfer and articulation
external and internal review
professional accreditation
other organizations related to quality assurance

Legislation

The College Act establishes the only public community college in Yukon. Under the Act, Yukon College is responsible for providing educational programs, services, and activities to meet the needs of people in Yukon and provides certificate, diploma, and degree programming. The board of governors of the college is responsible for the government, conduct, and management of the operations of the institution including educational policies and activities that relate to quality assurance, particularly establishing programs of study and student admission standards. The Act also establishes campus advisory committees to advise the board of governors on the programs and activities of the community campus, with particular reference to the needs of the community.

The board of governors is accountable to the minister of education. The minister tables the board's report with the Legislature.

Affiliation

Yukon College is not formally affiliated with any particular university.

External and Internal Review

Yukon College serves a vast, sparsely populated region of the Canadian North. In its program development, the college relies heavily on community input to ensure that community service and graduate employment needs are met.

New programs and significantly changed programs are processed using procedures in which course and program content are developed with input from presidents' committees on programs. These committees are composed of sectorial representatives from outside the college and provide advice on the feasibility of new program proposals as well as content considerations. Coupled with input from campus committees at the college's 13 campuses, these committees ensure that college programming remains relevant to community needs. All new and significantly changed courses and programs are approved by the college's academic council to ensure that appropriate rigour and standards are met in areas such as instructor qualifications and learning outcomes.

The Department of Education also provides input into the review of some college programs.

Professional Accreditation

Many of Canada's regulated professions have associations that conduct accreditation reviews of college programs pertaining to their professions. In these instances, accreditation teams from the professions review the reports provided by the colleges and may conduct on-site visits in accordance with the policies and procedures established by the professions.

Other Organizations Related to Quality Assurance in Colleges and Apprenticeship

Membership in the Colleges and Institutes Canada is not mandatory for Yukon College, although it is a member. Colleges and Institutes Canada does not perform quality assurance functions with respect to its members, but it does promote quality programming and the use of high academic standards by conducting research and facilitating broad discussion on quality assurance issues.

The Association of Accrediting Agencies of Canada (AAAC) is a national organization composed of professional associations involved in promoting good practices by its members in accreditation of educational programs.

Legislation

Apprenticeship training in Yukon comprises a combination of workplace training and educational class instruction. The Apprentice Training Act establishes the authority responsible for apprenticeship matters in Yukon. The Act requires that the government appoint an apprenticeship advisory board and director of apprentice training. The board's main function is to advise the minister of education on matters relating to the designation of trades in Yukon, and to recommend regulations for training and certification for those trades.

The Act also authorizes the government to make regulations relating to many aspects of apprenticeship including, but not limited to, the qualifications necessary to become an apprentice; the duration, nature, and scope of the training; appointment of examining boards; examinations and standards for examinations; issuing certificates; and monitoring of the training of apprentices. The Regulation sets the Department of Education as responsible for the delivery of apprentice training and tradesperson qualification in Yukon.

External and Internal Review

The Department of Education, through the Advanced Education Branch, determines the delivery agents for apprentice in-school training and in most cases, administers the in-school examinations of students in apprenticeship training. Quality is monitored through internal reviews of completion examination results and external reviews of curriculum by trade committees to ensure relevance to the needs of industry. Course and instructor evaluations conducted by students and outcomes surveys administered by the delivery agents are sometimes used to evaluate the in-school delivery portion. Yukon College delivers some of the in-school portion of apprenticeship training in accordance with the standards and curriculum set by Advanced Education. Yukon apprentices also attend in-school training in other jurisdictions under agreements between Advanced Education and those jurisdictions.

An Interprovincial Standards "Red Seal" Program (Red Seal) promotes and facilitates the standardization of provincial and territorial apprenticeship training and certification, as well as the regular updating of national trades certification standards to reflect the ongoing technological changes taking place in all trades. The Canadian provinces and territories developed the Red Seal program in cooperation with the federal government (Employment and Social Development Canada) to standardize trade certification requirements and provide greater employment mobility throughout Canada. These standards and qualifications are developed through the work of trades experts from across Canada representative of employers and employees in their occupation. A Certificate of Trades Qualification bearing the Red Seal provides recognition in most jurisdictions throughout Canada. For employers in other jurisdictions, the Red Seal is an assurance of quality certification to nationally recognized standards. Advanced Education is a member of the Interprovincial Standards Red Seal Program. Most Yukon apprentices obtain their "Red Seals" upon completion of their apprentice program if the Red Seal examination is available in their trade.

Legislation

The Occupational Training Act establishes the government of Yukon as the authority that governs private occupational training. The Act authorizes the government to enter into agreements with other governments or organizations to arrange for or provide training programs relating to occupational skills. For this purpose, boards or committees may be established to advise or assist in the administration of any policy, program, or service relating to occupational training.