The Academica Timeline
No one becomes a sector leader overnight. Since our inception in 1997, we’ve been hard at work developing our understanding of Canadian postsecondary education and honing our research and consulting skills to ensure our work is in keeping with the latest best practices.
1990s: Getting Started
1997: Acumen Research established; Launch of the University Applicant Survey (UAS).
2000s: Becoming Academica
2003: College alternative to the UAS – the College Applicant Survey (CAS) – launched.
2004: UAS and CAS conducted online for the first time.
2005: Rebranded as Academica Group to reflect our dedication to the postsecondary sector and launched the Acceptance Declined Survey (ADS).
2006: Publication of the first issue of the Academica Top Ten (Top Ten).
2007: Received Gold Seal Certification from the Marketing Research and Intelligence Association (MRIA).
2008: UAS and CAS combined to create the sector-leading University/College Applicant Study (UCAS).
2009: Launched US branch
2010s: Developing the Services Higher Ed Needs
2010: Published “Strategic Enrolment Intelligence” (Download) and launched the Did Not Apply study (DNA).
2011: Launched Academica Careers, the Incoming Student Survey (ISS), and held the first Academica Summit.
2012: Indigenous Education Summit & launch of the Indigenous Top Ten.
2013: Launched the StudentVu panel.
2014: Launched the Academica Forum.
2015: Formalized our Program Market Analysis framework.
2016: Formally launched our Brand Research Services (Brand and Marketing).
2017: Launched our Early Leavers Survey (ELS).
2019: Publicly launched our Devant division.
2020s: Adapting to Support Higher Ed
2020: Launched one-time COVID-19-specific prospective student studies to support the sector understanding of how the pandemic affected applicants.
2022: Launched annual Student Housing Studies and consulting services (Housing).
2023: Refreshed our Academica Forum (See more) and Academica Website with a new look, feel, and content organization.