ONCAT awarding Lakehead University with $33,934 to strengthen pathway opportunities with Fanshawe College
February 24, 2023 – Orillia and Thunder Bay, Ont.
Lakehead University has been awarded $33,934 from the Ontario Council on Articulation and Transfer (ONCAT) to work with Fanshawe College on two projects exploring the development of new pathways into Arts, Applied Science, and Technology programs.
Both projects are being led by Kaylin Kainulainen, a doctoral student in Educational Studies in the field of Cognition and Learning at Lakehead University, where her research focuses on student mobility and transfer.
“Transfer is about getting students where they want to go as quickly and efficiently as possible. Lakehead and Fanshawe have an impressive track record of building pathways that meet student needs and ONCAT is excited to continue to support this important work,” said Adrienne Galway, Executive Director at ONCAT.
The first project “Exploring Opportunities for General Arts and Science Graduates” has been awarded $11,768 to explore the opportunities associated with the General Arts and Science programs at Fanshawe College.
This project will determine the potential for establishing new and enhancing existing pathways from the General Arts and Science certificate (GAP) and diploma (GAS) into a variety of degreed programs in the faculties of Health and Behavioural Sciences, Science and Environmental Studies, and Social Sciences and Humanities.
Building upon a previous ONCAT funded project, Lakehead University has also received $22,166 to work with Fanshawe College to create a series of “Bi-directional Pathway Opportunities for Students in Applied Science and Technology programs.”
The two institutions will explore how to decrease the time-to-completion from Honours Bachelor of Science (Chemistry Major) to the Chemical Laboratory Technology (CLT), explore the feasibility of an alternate pathway from Honours Bachelor of Science (Biology and Chemistry Major) to the CLT, and to add further complementary bi-directional pathways between other programs at both institutions.
“These projects were both initiated based on the existing relationship between Fanshawe College and Lakehead University and our mutual interest in increasing student mobility opportunities in our degree programming delivered in both Orillia and Thunder Bay,” said Dr. Michel S. Beaulieu, Associate Vice-Provost (Academic) at Lakehead University.
“External pathways to and from Lakehead University not only benefit the students who pursue them, but also contribute to the overall growth and development of the Ontario workforce,” said Jason Burt, Associate Dean of Applied Science and Technology at Fanshawe College.
“By offering opportunities for individuals to obtain complementary credentials at both Fanshawe and Lakehead, they are equipped with the skills and knowledge necessary to thrive in today's competitive job market and make meaningful contributions to their communities and the province as a whole,” Burt said.
“Lakehead University has a history of developing and delivering a broad range of high-quality programs,” said Dr. David Barnett, Provost and Vice-President (Academic) at Lakehead University.
“These two projects contribute to our goal of developing new and innovative collaborative learning options to meet the needs of learners and to equip them with the skills and experiences required to succeed.”
– 30 –
Media: For more information or interviews, please contact Brandon Walker, Media, Communications and Marketing Associate, at (807) 343-8110 ext. 8372 or mediarelations@lakeheadu.ca.
Lakehead University is a fully comprehensive university with approximately 9,700 full-time equivalent students and over 2,000 faculty and staff at two campuses in Orillia and Thunder Bay, Ontario. Lakehead has nine faculties, including Business Administration, Education, Engineering, Graduate Studies, Health & Behavioural Sciences, Law, Natural Resources Management, Science & Environmental Studies, and Social Sciences & Humanities. Lakehead University’s achievements have been recognized nationally and internationally, including being ranked in the top half of Times Higher Education's 2023 World Universities Rankings for the fourth consecutive year, and the number one university in the world with fewer than 10,000 students in THE’s 2022 Impact Rankings (which assesses institutions against the United Nations’ 17 Sustainable Development Goals). Visit www.lakeheadu.ca.
Established in 2011, the Ontario Council on Articulation and Transfer (ONCAT) was created to enhance academic pathways and reduce barriers for students looking to transfer among Ontario’s public colleges, universities, and Indigenous Institutes. For more information, visit www.oncat.ca. ONCAT is funded by the Government of Ontario. Visit https://www.oncat.ca
