N.B. abandons merger of universities and community colleges

The New Brunswick government has dropped the controversial idea of merging university and community college campuses to form polytechnic institutions.

In a post-secondary education report made public Thursday, the government is instead calling for "formal partnerships" between universities and colleges to create Institutes of Applied Learning and Training.

"We support [the] … recommendation for IALTs, which are not designed to replace our universities and community colleges but rather to complement them and build on their existing strengths," Premier Shawn Graham said in a release.

"The true spirit of collaboration is evident in this concept, and it is critical if we are to achieve self-sufficiency."

Under the new structure, universities and colleges will have to submit five-year plans to government that reflect the Liberal’s self-sufficiency mandate.

The government said it will strengthen the community college system by opening up 11,000 more spaces over the next five years and setting up a new campus in Fredericton.

Opposition MLA Jody Carr said the plan will force institutions to conform to a political agenda.

"That’s really restricting those organizations," Carr said.

Graham said that asking schools to fall in with his government’s agenda will ensure taxpayers get their money’s worth from education.

"The legislature has a role to play to make sure that the dollars are being spent as the communities are requiring," the premier said.

The plan will also see more university courses taught at the colleges, and it will be easier to transfer credits between schools.

Several new councils, agencies and committees will be set up to co-ordinate this new collaboration.

John McLaughlin, president of the University of New Brunswick, said he supports the new plan, but he’d like to see more money to support the system.

"There are huge issues about funding going forward. We’ve recommended a lot more funding of the system if it’s going to work — both on the student side and on supporting this world-class system," McLaughlin said.

Graham said it’s the first comprehensive review of the province’s post-secondary education system in 40 years.

This is the government's second attempt to reform the post-secondary education system. Last year, a commission recommended merging the University of New Brunswick's Saint John campus with the community college.

It made a similar suggestion for the Edmundston and Shippagan campuses of the University of Moncton, sparking demonstrations and petitions.

After weeks of controversy and protest, the Graham government backed down and asked campus administrators to come up with their own report.

The report said government will continue the freeze on tuition at both universities and colleges for one more year, along with the $2,000 grant for all first-time university students and a $10,000 tuition rebate for graduates who stay in the province.