Appendix 1. Strategic Context

Ministry Vision, Mission and Values

Vision

The Ministry of Advanced Education envisions a province where all British Columbians have affordable access to the best possible, technologically advanced, integrated and accountable post-secondary education system.

Mission

The Ministry of Advanced Education provides leadership and support for a top-notch advanced education and training system that provides all British Columbians with opportunities to develop the skills and knowledge they need to participate fully in the economic, social and cultural life of the province.

Values

The following values guide the Ministry in its work:

1. A student-centred post-secondary education system.

2. Excellence, innovation and continuous improvement.

3. Relevance and responsiveness of the post-secondary education system.

4. Recognition of the key role post-secondary education, skills training, research and development play in a successful economy.

5. Life-long learning opportunities for all British Columbians.

6. A positive and supportive working environment.

7. Effective working partnerships.

8. Greater equity and equality for British Columbians.

9. Results-based accountability.

10. Fiscal responsibility.

Planning Context

This section outlines some of the changing environmental factors, challenges and opportunities that relate to post-secondary education and industry training in British Columbia over the next three fiscal years and beyond.

Population/Demographics

• British Columbia's primary post-secondary age population (i.e., aged 18–29 years) is projected to increase from 671,466 in 2003/04 to 697,057 in 2006/07, for total growth of 3.81 per cent over the three years. In the longer term, British Columbia's primary post-secondary age population is projected to increase to 722,647 in 2009/10, for total growth of 7.62 per cent over the six years.
• As reflected in the graph below, the primary post-secondary age population in British Columbia is projected to grow faster than in the rest of Canada until 2014. After that, British Columbia's primary post-secondary age population is projected to decline, but at a more moderate rate than in the rest of Canada.

		Population of Persons Aged 18-29 — BC vs. Rest of Canada

• Student participation rates in post-secondary education are increasing. According to the most recent Statistics Canada data available, British Columbia's overall post-secondary participation rate in 1999/2000 was 25.2 per cent, compared to 20.7 per cent in 1990/91 and 23.4 per cent in 1995/96.
• In view of the projected growth in the primary post-secondary population, together with increasing numbers of older students due to the need for life-long learning, demand for post-secondary education and industry training is expected to increase for the foreseeable future.

Post-Secondary System

• Despite continuing increases in post secondary system capacity, student entrance requirements to British Columbia's public post-secondary institutions, particularly the three largest public universities, have increased significantly in recent years, reflecting the impact of demographic and economic factors on student demand.
• As in other jurisdictions, student tuition fees at British Columbia's post-secondary institutions have been increasing. In 2003/04, the average undergraduate student tuition fee at British Columbia's public universities was $3,870, which was approximately equal to the Canadian average. The average student tuition fee for university transfer programs at British Columbia's public colleges, university-colleges and institutes was $2,685 in 2003/04.
• British Columbia's private post-secondary institutions complement the public post-secondary institutions in providing increased access and choice for students. The recent passage of the Degree Authorization Act provides British Columbia's private post-secondary institutions with the opportunity to offer degree programs and grant degrees.
• Advances in education technology continue to provide opportunities to expand student access and choice. The Ministry is taking advantage of these opportunities, through expansion of online learning and the BCcampus initiative.

Labour Market and the Economy

• British Columbia continues the shift toward a knowledge-based economy. Jobs in the new economy increasingly require knowledge, skills and abilities gained through post-secondary education or industry training programs. By 2011, approximately three-quarters of projected occupational opportunities in British Columbia will require some form of post-secondary education or industry training.
• Some occupations in British Columbia, particularly in the health care and skilled trades sectors, are facing current, or potential future, labour market shortages, particularly in certain regions. This is partly due to the aging labour force profile and the anticipated retirements of baby boomers over the next ten or fifteen years. In addition, cyclical economic factors, such as the strong growth in construction activity during 2002 and 2003, are creating tight labour market conditions in certain skilled trades across a number of provinces, including British Columbia.
• The Ministry will continue to work with other ministries, including the Ministry of Health Planning and the Ministry of Skills Development and Labour, to identify current and future labour market needs and ensure that those needs are responded to by the post-secondary education and industry training system.
• In terms of the number of registered apprenticeship completions on a per capita basis, British Columbia had 0.7 apprenticeship completions per 1,000 population in 2001, half the number of 1.4 apprenticeship completions per 1,000 population in Alberta.
• The creation of the new Industry Training Authority and the ongoing implementation of a modern industry-training model that is flexible and responsive to the needs of industry and the economy will improve the supply of skilled trades workers.
• Post-secondary education, research and innovation are increasingly important to British Columbia's future economic growth and prosperity.
• The post-secondary education and industry training system must continue to strengthen ties with local community and regional groups, to ensure that their needs are addressed along with the needs and priorities of Government.

Fiscal and Accountability

• As the post-secondary system becomes increasingly complex, the Ministry must ensure that institutional autonomy is balanced with accountability to students and taxpayers. In recognition of this, the Ministry, in consultation with public post-secondary institutions and other partners, has developed and implemented an accountability framework for the public post-secondary system.
• In view of the fiscal environment, the Ministry and public post-secondary institutions need to be creative in increasing the utilization of existing facilities, particularly during the summer months when public post-secondary institutions have had traditionally low student enrolment.

Highlights of Strategic Shifts and Changes from Previous Service Plan

At the beginning of its mandate, Government identified five areas in which the strategic focus of British Columbia's post-secondary would be shifted. These strategic shifts, which continue to guide Ministry's operation, are as follows:

• More choice for students — to ensure the system serves students better and more flexibly, and to allow students to take advantage of the increasing array of choices.
• More accountability to taxpayers — to focus on success by encouraging the acceptance of explicit results-oriented accountability by the public post-secondary system.
• Better alignment between the costs and benefits — to ensure that the costs of public post-secondary education are aligned with the benefits it provides. This implies determining the appropriate share of costs between students, institutions, governments and the private sector.
• Better links to the public interest and the economy — to create closer and more effective links between the post-secondary education system and the economy and the public interest.
• Coherent and integrated public system — to reshape public post-secondary institutions into a more coherent, integrated system with differentiated institutions working together in a complementary manner.

Consistency with Government's Strategic Plan

The Provincial Government Strategic Plan describes Government's overriding, long-term goals for British Columbia. Every ministry and government organization contributes to achieving these goals by ensuring that their service plans are consistent with Government's Strategic Plan.

The following describes how the Ministry of Advanced Education 2004/05 – 2006/07 Service Plan contributes to and is consistent with Government's Strategic Plan.