In a recent piece for the Calgary Herald, Lee Easton (Confederation of Alberta Faculty Associations) and Shauna MacDonald (Alberta Colleges and Institutes Faculties Association) discuss an ongoing review of Alberta’s postsecondary education system funding and functions. The panel—chaired by University of Calgary Economist Dr Jack Mintz—will make its recommendations to the Government of Alberta in the coming weeks. Easton and MacDonald present three risks that the commission must address to ensure the recovery of AB PSE: a growing number of students with fewer instructors, volatile funding, and declining revenue from international enrolment. The authors describe six ways that these risks can be turned into opportunities, including ending “the funding roller-coaster,” investing in rural institutions, and restoring research competitiveness.
