2017-20 Strategic Mandate Agreement: Centennial College of Applied Arts and Technology

Preamble

This Strategic Mandate Agreement between the Ministry of Advanced Education and Skills Development and Centennial College outlines the role the College currently performs in Ontario’s postsecondary education system and how it will build on its current strengths to achieve its vision and help drive system-wide objectives and government priorities.

The Strategic Mandate Agreement (SMA):

• Identifies and explains the shared objectives and priorities between the Ontario government and the College
• Outlines current and future areas of program strength
• Supports the current vision, mission, and mandate of the College and established areas of strength within the context of the College’s governing legislation
• Describes the agreed-upon elements of the new College funding model, including:
  • a College’s enrolment plans and the initial midpoint levels of weighted funding units that will be funded in the corridor funding model during the period of this SMA; and
  • differentiation areas of focus including metrics, and targets.
• Provides information on the financial sustainability of the institution; and,
• Informs Ministry decision-making and enables Ministry to align its policies and processes to further support the College’s areas of strength

The term of the SMA is from April 1, 2017 to March 31, 2020.

The agreement may be amended in the event of substantive policy or program changes that would significantly affect joint commitments made in the SMA (e.g., Major Capacity Expansion and Highly Skilled Workforce). Any such amendment would be mutually agreed to in writing, dated, and signed by both signatories.

Ontario’s vision for postsecondary education

Ontario’s colleges and universities will drive creativity, innovation, knowledge, skills development and community engagement through teaching and learning, applied research and service.

Ontario’s colleges and universities will put students first by providing the best possible learning experience for all qualified learners in an affordable and financially sustainable way, ensuring high quality and globally competitive outcomes for students and Ontario’s economy.

Centennial College Mandate, Mission and Vision

Institutional mandate, mission, and vision statements describe where an institution currently is and where it sees itself in the future.

Vision

Transforming lives and communities through learning.

Mission

Educating students for career success.

Aspirations

The Ministry recognizes the importance of supporting institutions to evolve and acknowledges the strategic aspirations of its postsecondary education institutions. The SMA is not intended to capture all decisions and issues in the postsecondary education system, as many will be addressed through the Ministry’s policies and standard processes. The Ministry will not be approving any requests for capital funding or new program approvals, for example, through the SMA process.

Institutional aspirations

When Centennial College opened its doors in 1966, it did so with a mandate to serve local communities, offering students a pathway to employment and economic security. An anchor institution in the eastern part of the City of Toronto, Centennial has remained true to its historical mission and has also diverged from it, in an ambitious effort to respond to the economic, social, demographic, cultural and technological changes facing our communities and our institution.

Our vision is a confident one. We believe that we can lead our peers – across Canada and around the world – in the challenge to create more powerful, more meaningful and more relevant experiences for our community. We believe that we can change how we regard the value of a college education and how the world values it. We believe we must continue the pace of reinvention, excellence and innovation that has defined Centennial’s transformation to date.

Centennial sees itself as Canada’s global college. In addition to our significant international student population, this vision of an internationalized college is based upon global citizenship, social justice, a commitment to Indigenous communities and the empowerment of those who have been historically marginalized in our country. These principles are deeply embedded in our curricula across disciplines and professions as part of our Signature Learning Experience. While welcoming international students, we are also building cultural humility and awareness among Canadian students as global citizens, opening up an array of employment opportunities and empowering graduates to drive social change, social justice and inclusion.

We recognize that global citizenship is increasingly consonant with digital citizenship, as social and economic innovation and advancement are yoked to digital connectedness and technology. We embrace new ways of learning and teaching and are committed to advancing and accelerating the development of flexible, personalized learning experiences across the spectrum of delivery modes: face-to-face, hybrid and online. Our investment in faculty development and online and hybrid course delivery will ensure that students’ learning in the digital classrooms is as dynamic and transformative as traditional face-to-face teaching and learning.

In the coming years, we wish to increase the number of students enrolled in our Distinction in Leadership program, and have 20% of our students and employees engage with Nations from Métis, Inuit and First Nations communities or in international service-learning or student experiences. We remain committed to ensuring that graduates have the technical applied, occupational and professional skills needed to meet international workforce standards; by expanding our definition of essential employability skills and by embedding concepts of civic engagement, we aim to ensure graduates can do meaningful work and lead meaningful lives.

Aligned with this vision is our intent to use applied research as a driver for economic development, social innovation and entrepreneurship, and to enhance the experiential component of the learning experience while strengthening employability skills.

We aspire to be a leader in creating academic pathways and partnerships that expand opportunities for our students, bridging more college credentials with degree completion options. We envision Centennial as a model for life-long learning.

Centennial has carved out a unique place in the educational spectrum, offering the work-specific competencies traditional to the college system, while embracing elements of a liberal arts education. The result is a graduate who is not simply ready to contribute to the workforce, but indeed one who is ready to contribute to society.

Shared objectives and priorities for differentiation

Student experience

This section captures institutional strengths in improving student experience, outcomes and success. This section recognizes institutions for measuring the broader learning environment, such as continuity of learning pathways; retention; student satisfaction; co-curricular activities and records; career preparedness; and student services and supports.

Institutional approach to improving student experience

Centennial has embraced a holistic, partnered approach to creating conditions for student success across the College.

Centennial offers services and learning opportunities through student life functions (e.g. Student Life Enhancement, International Education and Global Citizenship, Equity and Inclusion) to enhance students’ holistic growth as they transition in, through and beyond the college.

In addition the College will build students’ career resilience along the four domains of self-directed career management as articulated by Andreas Hirschi: Identity Capacity (creating clarity around strengths, interest, values and abilities); Psychological Capacity (fostering hope, adaptation and endurance); Human Capacity (strengthening employability skills); and Social Capacity (learning, for example, from industry mentors).

Examples of institutional initiatives

In close collaboration with academic colleagues, Centennial College has launched a rigorous approach to maximizing student success by focusing on:

Leadership and the co-curricular learning environment

Students will be oriented to a menu of important co-curricular opportunities to develop essential skills for holistic success and employability (e.g. civic and community engagement, critical thinking and innovation, communications, career identity, interpersonal, professionalism, global citizenship, health and wellbeing and leadership).

Within an increasingly global and complex human landscape, leadership skills (related to teamwork, honouring diversity and enabling the strengths of partners) will be a particular focus. Centennial College will create a leadership development and education hub, the Centennial Leadership Academy, as the next step in defining its commitment to providing experiences which set students up for academic, personal, social, and career success. By participating in the Centennial Leadership Academy, students will be exposed to various leadership development theories; explore societal, group and individual values related to leadership; identify and reflect on their individual strengths, talents, passions and goals; develop focused career paths; and create a vision for their individual contributions in addressing social change as a leader within a global context. At the core of such an Academy will be a one-week, immersive learning and development experience, the Centennial Leadership Program. The program will be offered to current students during the academic year, with opportunities for further growth during the summer months, bringing talented high school students together for intellectually stimulating and culturally enriching leadership exploration.

Centennial advising and pathways services

The student experience will be further enhanced by moving towards a deeper, focused and coordinated developmental advising model, by investing in systems, processes, training, policies and practices that enhance the recent move towards the creation of Pathways Advisors and Centennial Success Advisors, two key institutional roles, that play pivotal roles in facilitating students’ academic, personal, and social development.

Centennial Success Advisors – Every student working towards a credential is connected to a Centennial Success Advisor (myCA) once enrolled. The myCA guides their community of students across the transition in, through and beyond the College through frequent targeted communications and academic progress monitoring based on success alerts. Depending on students’ needs, the myCA refers them to Specialist Advisors (e.g., financial, career, co-op, student relations, Indigenous, international, athletics and wellness) and counsellors (personal, disability and learning strategists). Students can also be referred to a Pathways Advisor for specific academic transitions planning.

Pathways Advisors – Prospective Centennial students are encouraged to complete the myCareerGuide planning tool to explore how their strengths, interests, values and abilities translate to programs at the College. They are also invited to discuss their results with a Pathways Advisor to ensure they are making the right choices for their circumstances. They may explore potential for ways their prior learning can be recognized at Centennial. Further, any enrolled student who is exploring pathways out of their program, or who is taking courses but is not currently in a program, can meet with a Pathways Advisor to explore pathways towards that goal.

Career resilience and community connections

Career and Co-operative Education Services will develop students’ employability skills, improve graduate employment outcomes and ensure that career education remains central and embedded in the student experience. To build career resilience, students will be encouraged to assume personal responsibility in their career development journey. Through services and programs, they will develop important capacities associated with career resilience and the career self-management skills to persist in achieving their career goals and navigate the complexities of an ever-changing job market.

Starting early: Early engagement in the career planning process is essential, thus there will be tight coupling with a re-imagined orientation program. Students will be encouraged to reflect on their career goals and begin to consider activities that will build their career competencies. As part of the advising network, Centennial will implement a career advising framework that enables colleagues to partner in holistic coaching approaches towards the development of career self-management competencies for students.

Industry: Centennial will focus on developing relationships where employers are partners in students’ career development journey. One example of this is Centennial College’s recently launched Signature Industry Experience (SIE), which is an interactive service that will provide companies with several unique ways of engaging with the college. In addition to the many on-campus industry events, tours arranged at local employer sites will also foster professional relationships between employers and students, while connections between classroom learning and application of technologies and approaches in the workplace will enhance understanding of trends and employer expectations and access to the informal job market.

Mentorship and equity: Given the importance of mentorship for underrepresented groups, Centennial will establish a mentorship program, leveraging alumni connections and industry partners. It will expand mentorship opportunities to involve on-campus employers, who are also instrumental in helping students develop employability skills. Alongside their work experience, students will complete learning plans, which will include reflection on and articulation of essential skills and they will be coached on how to leverage these skills in the job market. Simultaneously, the College will address systemic barriers faced by equity-seeking groups in the workplace by contributing to local advocacy efforts and knowledge-sharing to dispel myths, developing capacity to recognize abilities across differences (and bias) and supporting employers to live their values by creating pathways to meaningful work for equity-seeking groups.

Co-op curriculum: Centennial’s co-operative education program continues to provide a competitive edge for students in helping them successfully transition to graduate employment. Through deepened learning activities, the co-op curriculum has been revitalized to reflect essential employability skills. Learning objectives and the employer evaluation used to measure performance of students on their work terms have been aligned with these skills and will provide students with more focused feedback for reflection and development.

Metrics and targets

System-wide Metrics	2019-20 Target
Overall Student Satisfaction Rate	76.5%
Student Satisfaction with Services (Q39)	65.7%
Student Satisfaction with facilities (Q49)	75.7%

Institution-Specific Metrics	2019-20 Target
Participation in leadership programming for students*	2% increase (from baseline)
Student satisfaction with academic advising	69%
Participation in career resilience programs*	2% increase (from baseline)

*New initiative: baseline data will be established in 2017-18 to enhance program quality during this SMA period (future years will focus on expanding participation)

Innovation in teaching and learning excellence

This section focuses on innovative efforts including pedagogical approaches, program delivery and student services that contribute to a highly skilled workforce and ensure positive student outcomes.

This section captures institutional strengths in delivering high-quality learning experiences, such as experiential, entrepreneurial, personalized and digital learning, to prepare students for rewarding careers. It includes recognition of student competencies that improve employability.

It begins to identify indicators of quality that are currently available and within an institution’s control.

Institutional approach to innovation in teaching and learning excellence

Centennial is committed to the vision of transforming lives and communities through learning. This vision is actualized through providing students with a transformative learning experience of the highest caliber. It includes part-time studies, international programs and partnerships and students’ co-curricular and leadership learning experiences. Centennial recognizes that learning happens both within and beyond face-to-face and online classrooms and is most effective when facilitated through the principles and applications of current and cutting-edge adult learning models and approaches.

Centennial’s approach to innovation in teaching and learning excellence involves a learning-centered framework. It supports environments that build the capacity and desire in all individuals to continually learn and develop. Centennial recognizes the importance of continuously assessing and evaluating services, programs, facilities, processes and systems in the context of supporting learning.

Centennial seeks to create learning environments that draw on collaborative, experiential and critical perspectives. It incorporates its learners’ frames of reference, leveraging their imaginations to engage in deep and effective learning. This approach to learning underlies concepts such as applied research, reflective practice, the scholarship of teaching and learning, communities of practice and the ethic of care – all of which Centennial uses to guide its practice, processes, and programs.

Centennial’s learners come with a wide range of learning abilities and s, cultural backgrounds, personal experiences and unique characteristics. These must be considered and incorporated into programming, services and delivery. Centennial seeks to reduce barriers and open doors of possibility for all learners. Its Signature Learning Experience (SLE) integrates these principles to open a world of knowledge and insight that reaches beyond the acquisition of career skills and competencies. The emphasis on global connections and experiences promises to have a transformational impact in the workplace as Centennial students graduate as innovators, entrepreneurs and socially conscious citizens.

To keep pace with continuously evolving student needs and expectations and the changing teaching and learning environment, Centennial faculty engage in activities and offerings through its Centre for Organizational Teaching and Learning to explore and practise ways in which they can further enhance their teaching and curriculum to support new and emerging deep learning approaches and outcomes.

Centennial understands that there are current pressures on postsecondary institutions that are creating the need for a comprehensive understanding of quality. Quality must include meaningful measurement, systematic evaluation and sharing of good practices.

Measuring learning

Centennial has implemented an innovative online course outline tool, Centennial College Online Course Outline (COCO), which ensures each course learning outcome is mapped both to the overarching program standards but also to student assessments. This shifts the focus from content to learning, and the measurement of learning through high-quality assessments.

Measuring learning environments

The widespread approach of measuring learning environments is reflected in Centennial’s use of the Student Satisfaction and Engagement Key Performance Indicator (KPI) Survey and its in-house Course Delivery Evaluation (student feedback questionnaire). These data are used in Centennial’s evidence-based Comprehensive Program Quality Review processes.

Measuring teaching excellence

Through the Course Delivery Evaluation, students are asked to report on appropriateness of delivery methods, use of technology, course organization, feedback, how their needs are met and interventions for student success.

Organizational learning for all employees is at the heart of Centennial’s strategic commitment of learning through engagement. Through a comprehensive array of learning and development programming, consultation and institutional capacity-building, Centennial engages with all employee groups across all divisions and campuses. Evidence-based frameworks guide outreach, employee engagement, learning and development course deployment and evaluation activities.

Advancing a culture of academic integrity

Centennial College is committed to the principles and guidelines of academic integrity as established by the International Centre for Academic Integrity (ICAI). In 2016, students and faculty were surveyed to determine the extent of breaches of academic integrity in seven distinct categories, to gather feedback on ways to support both faculty and students and to design student work so as to minimize the opportunities for breaches. The survey results served as the basis for the development of an online academic integrity module, which was disseminated to all faculty and staff. Training sessions for faculty were held in 2016-17 reaching more than 600 faculty. An online academic integrity module for students will also be developed to further advance academic integrity across the College.

Examples of institutional initiatives

Personalized learning

Centennial’s focus on flexible and personalized learning, including part-time studies and learner pathways, peer tutoring and learning/math supports and programming, is informed by adult learning theories. The Centennial Libraries have seen a substantial rise in the demand for peer-tutoring in the Learning and Math Centres, reflecting an ever-growing need for this service. Students as peer tutors have the chance to earn wages and gain work experience, with a pathway to certification through the College Reading and Learning Association. Centennial’s Learning Centre and Assessment Centre launched a collaborative initiative to provide math advising support services for students who are assessed as being under-prepared in math. Students who are assessed at a high risk are referred to support and remediation services tailored to their learning needs. The Centennial College Learning Centres, enhanced academic learning strategies services, math drop-in centres, quality peer tutoring, and group study sessions, all help students to strengthen their learning skills, persist in their studies and achieve academic success.

Recognition of student competencies

Centennial remains committed to ensuring that graduates have the technical, applied, occupational and professional skills needed to meet international workforce standards. It also believes that the competencies within this framework are complemented by essential employability skills. In addition, Centennial believes that the changing world demands a new set of essential skills, resulting in competent, caring and capable employees and citizens. These new essential skills (NES) acknowledge the need to go beyond the current and widely accepted essential employability skills (EES) to ensure students have skills for the 21^st century, including the skills of entrepreneurship, innovation and intrapreneurship. In addition to integrating NES across the curriculum, the introduction of stackable credentials allows students to complete a short-duration, Board of Governors-approved certificate at the same time as completing their major field of study, providing the opportunity for even deeper development of NES capabilities, and a value-add to prospective employers. The first stackable credential, Indigenous Studies: First Peoples in Canada, allows students to explore First Peoples’ current issues, community, relationships, self-governance and sovereignty within Canada. Students explore themes of diversity, treaties, symbolisms, rites of passage ceremony and the Canadian government’s statement of apology to former students of Indian Residential Schools. Material is presented through oral traditions, stories, art, music, dance and symbolism. The second stackable credential, Inclusive Leadership Practices, allows students to examine the theories, models, and practices of inclusive leadership required in contemporary workplaces. The third stackable credential, Entrepreneurism, allows students to examine the ideology of entrepreneurism, including the concepts of innovation, individual ownership and decision-making related to balancing self-interest and social interests[1].

Experiential and work-integrated learning

The workplace is increasingly viewed as a valuable learning context to which all students should have access. Experiential learning needs to be thoughtfully integrated into program curricula, with attention to academic quality. Centennial’s goal is to embed experiential learning components into all new programs and into existing programs. This implementation can be mapped to Peggy Sattler’s (2011) work-integrated learning typology, which categorizes numerous experiential learning activities within three general groups: systemic training, structured work experience and institutional partnerships. Existing programs undergoing Comprehensive Program Quality Review provide an analysis of experiential learning opportunities in the curriculum. New programs in development incorporate a model for work-integrated learning.

Digital learning

Integrating technology into the face-to-face and digital classroom to promote rich, collaborative experiences requires a fundamentally different vision of teaching and learning. Centennial’s approach includes a process for identifying appropriate eLearning tools and infrastructure that can enhance learning-centered environments at the institutional, curricular and classroom levels and increase online and hybrid courses and programs. This includes faculty identifying eLearning tools to enhance the learning experience, curricular review processes that examine learning outcomes and integrate technology across the program, and institutional selection of technology tools and solutions to support students’ learning and success.

The approach also includes activities that facilitate the creation of enhanced learning environments through instructional design, faculty development, curriculum development, provision of academic technology and training.

Metrics and targets

System-wide Metrics	2019-20 Target
Graduation Rate	64%
Number of students enrolled in an experiential learning program (WIL)	3,300
Total number of registrations in ministry-funded courses offered in eLearning formats (2016 baseline:2,355)	8,355
Total number of ministry-funded courses offered in eLearning formats (2016 baseline: 481)	553
Total number of ministry-funded programs offered in eLearning formats (2016 baseline:34)	40
Retention rates (Yr1 to Yr2)	77%
Retention rates (Yr2 to Yr3)	87%
Student satisfaction rate (overall)	76.5%
Student satisfaction with knowledge and skills	86.2%
Student satisfaction with learning experience	86.2%

Institution-Specific Metrics	2019-20 Target
Number of student visits in Learning Centre services related to learning strategies and math support services (e.g., Learning/math strategists 1:1 consultations, workshops, class visits, tutor training, Peer tutoring 1: and group sessions)	35,544 (5% annual increase)
Percentage of all full time programs (with the exception of foundational programs) integrating experiential learning	100% of programs (with the exception of foundational programs) integrating experiential learning
Number of students participating in internationalized learning experiences beyond the classroom and abroad	275 students and staff

Access and equity

This section recognizes institutions for their efforts in improving postsecondary education equity and access. Institutions play an important role in providing equitable and inclusive environments that make it possible for students from diverse communities to thrive and succeed.

Institutions will also be recognized for creating equitable access opportunities that can include multiple entrance pathways and flexible policies and programming, with the focus on students who, without interventions and support, would not otherwise participate in postsecondary education. Examples include outreach to marginalized youth, transition, bridging and access programs for adults with atypical education histories and who did not meet admissions requirements.

Institutional approach to improving access and equity

Centennial College is a sector leader in creating accessible postsecondary education opportunities for underrepresented groups, serving a significant number of Toronto’s Neighbourhood Improvement Areas, new Canadians, first-generation students, students for whom English is an additional language, students with disabilities, adult returners and students receiving support from the Ontario Student Assistance Program (OSAP).

Access and equity is such a core value to Centennial College that student experience initiatives are also infused with commitments to access and equity. For example, endeavours lead by Centennial’s Community Outreach department facilitate pathways to education for youth, Indigenous learners and women in non-traditional areas of work.

Centennial’s student population is comprised of a slightly higher proportion of females and more than a third originate from backgrounds where the first language is neither English nor French. About a quarter of the student population describe themselves as Canadian, a fifth as South Asian, a similar proportion as Chinese and one-tenth as Caribbean. In 2016, Centennial’s first-year student population originated from 132 countries. This demographic includes a high proportion of immigrant students; more than half of the student population were born outside Canada and, of those, a third have been in Canada for three years or less. There is also a rich diversity of educational backgrounds: according to the Student Satisfaction and Engagement Survey, 29% of Centennial students are over the age of 26 and 28% already have a university degree (13% higher than the provincial average).

As outlined in its Statement of Diversity, Centennial College and its Board of Governors value and embrace diversity, equity and inclusion as fundamental to its mission to educate students for career success within a context of global citizenship and social justice. Centennial values the educational and life experiences its students bring with them and encourages the sharing of those experiences as part of its learning environment. It also recognizes that historical and persistent inequities and barriers to equitable participation exist and are well documented in society and within the college. Centennial believes individual and systemic biases contribute to the marginalization of designated groups. These biases include race, sex, gender, sexual orientation, age, disability, ancestry, nationality, and place of origin, colour, ethnicity, culture, linguistic origin, citizenship, creed (religion, faith), marital status, socio-economic class, and family status, receipt of public assistance or record of offence. Centennial also acknowledges that resolving First Nations sovereignty issues is fundamental to pursuing equity and social justice within Canada.

Given Centennial’s student profile and value commitments, it is critical that its practitioners provide a level playing field and also address the fact that the playing field has to be levelled in the first place. Hence Centennial’s focus will be on universal supports that address the inequity under question, including the roll-out and embedding of universal design in the classroom; the indigenization of the institutional environment; and the internationalization of the campus and curriculum to embed a global dimension into the design and delivery of what it does.

To advance such initiatives, Centennial’s approach depends on collaboration with community agencies, application of assessment and access measures and the launch of access and bridging programs (e.g., the School College Work Initiative, Community Employment Services, youth at risk transitioning into aerospace manufacturing, foundation and bridging programs in PSW, paramedicine and nursing, and a focus on language proficiency and study skills). It is also dependent on all college community members, understanding their individual and collective responsibilities, expectations and roles, in creating a respectful, safe, accessible and welcoming campus community; providing a safe and inclusive environment will be seen as an integral part of core activities for all units.

Examples of institutional initiatives

Robust orientation

Orientation will grow from a one-day welcoming event to a developmental program delivered over several weeks. The underlying philosophy is to level the playing field for students arriving from diverse backgrounds and with unique needs by positioning orientation as a developmental program focused on system use, academic integrity, rights and responsibilities, services, financial literacy and building meaningful relationships. In addition, acknowledging that identity constructs are not mutually exclusive (e.g., an indigenous, first generation student with a disability) there will also be a series of modules related to normalizing adversity for students from these underrepresented areas. Focus groups with students and college partners have revealed the need to prioritize academic foundations, social connection and belonging, career education and institutional systems as a means for preparing all students for success during the transition to college. In parallel, Success Advisors, as part of the new Centennial Advising and Pathways Services (CAPS), will monitor students’ individual academic and personal journeys and will receive prompts when a student (or group of students) may require individualized success planning around goals, barriers, resources, or other issues.

Innovations in accessible learning

Centennial College is committed to improving access and success for underrepresented groups, including students with disabilities. In 2015-2016, 2,474 students (14% of the student population) accessed the Centre for Students with Disabilities (CSD) to receive disability counselling, assistive technology, and/or accommodated testing. To serve students with disabilities effectively, without fear of stigma or inconvenience, and to benefit all learners, Centennial will build an inclusive and accessible learning culture for all by:

• Incorporating universal design for learning (UDL) principles into teaching and learning
• Faculty onboarding processes that include UDL principles
• Providing accessibility workshops via the college’s online teaching and learning platform and in class
• Issuing of a Faculty Accessible Learning Certificate, recognizing accessible learning practices (e.g., inclusive curriculum, course delivery and evaluation methods)
• Resourcing individual faculty efforts to infuse accessible learning into class instruction
• A pilot project involving faculty providing course materials in advance of lectures and digital notes following each class; and
• An automated and more convenient vehicle for students to decide how to share their accommodation needs with faculty (hard copy in person, automated email, or a combination)

Indigenous strategy for access and participation

Centennial’s commitment to “make a bigger promise to students” highlights its pledge of “targeting outreach to diverse communities, with groundbreaking work for our Indigenous peoples.”

Centennial’s innovative work to date, includes strategies to integrate Indigenous ways of knowing and doing into curricular and co-curricular activities through expanded efforts with Indigenous communities to build relevant learning and cultural opportunities. Examples include: Indigenous Learning Circles for all students; curricular and co-curricular incorporation of examples/references and teaching s (e.g., sharing of authority) that are relevant to Indigenous ways of knowing and being; and fostering respect for Indigenous peoples (and other equity-seeking groups) during student and employee transitions to the college so that they are aware of group needs, in addition to their own biases and positions toward creating spaces and places for Indigenous peoples.

Centennial has developed specific supports and services to facilitate Indigenous learners’ transition into college studies and their engagement in the college community, including communicating with Nations to assist with Band funding; partnering with Indigenous service organizations to facilitate wraparound services that are customized and responsive to individual student needs; connecting students with Indigenous networks on and off campus; welcoming Indigenous Traditionalists, leaders, citizens, and community members to facilitate Learning Circles for students, faculty members, support staff and administrators; and consulting with Indigenous Traditionalists, leaders, citizens and community members to inform college policy, curriculum and practice re: Indigenous culture, tradition, and ways of knowing and being. Centennial also continues relationships with Indigenous students who have graduated as they transition into employment.

In the next five years, Centennial’s future directions on Indigenization will include the development of an Indigenous Protocol that will outline how it will achieve specific goals in partnerships and collaboration with First Nations, Inuit and Metis communities, to implement the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada’s Calls to Action, particularly with respect to education for reconciliation.

In consultation with Leaders and Traditionalists (Elders) we will seek to design and deliver academic programming and support that considers the unique needs of the Indigenous learners and includes preparatory strategies to ease the cultural and academic transition to the college learning environment. These strategies include: providing resources to introduce and expand understanding of Indigenous heritage and culture; offering an Indigenous course for all students and employees; enhancing library resources to support Indigenization; implementing curriculum and pedagogy that reflects Indigenous ways of knowing and learning; and further supporting the creation of physical, social and cultural Indigenous spaces.

Global citizenship education and inclusion

Through its guiding principles to advance access and equity, Centennial works to increase awareness and competencies through orientation and learning activities that build inclusivity for all students. It works in collaboration across each division to develop integrative programming and interventions that prevent and address intersectional violence, micro-aggressions, individual and systemic bias, with the goals and objectives to promote the safety of all members of its community. These interventions must include professional development programs on equity and inclusion for all employees, who have an instrumental role in creating equitable conditions for students to thrive.

Providing a safe and inclusive environment will be seen as an integral part of core activities for all units. Centennial will further maintain and build inclusivity by:

• Embedding equity, inclusion and human rights principles throughout the organization that integrate tenets of anti-oppression/anti-racism
• Identifying strategies to eliminate systemic barriers and increase access for the Human Rights Code-protected groups
• Further developing college policies that address systemic intersectional harassment, discrimination and violence, institutional barriers and safety issues
• Implementing accountability measures that are built into student-led activities, faculty, staff and institutional processes, appointments at all levels and unit level planning and reporting
• Strengthening processes and structures continuously so that intersectional bodies of knowledge and methodologies are shared and integrated
• Integrating formal and informal (community-led) learning offerings access and equity initiatives in new and existing curriculum, thus advancing knowledge and understanding regarding gender, gender identity, Indigeneity, race/ethnicity, faith, language and accent, socio-economic status, citizenship status, abilities and sexual orientation; and
• Empowering faculty to further support the academic, professional and personal success of international and domestic students through internationalization-at-home initiatives

Metrics and targets

System-wide Metrics	2019-20 Expected Values
Number of students with disabilities enrolled	2,421
Proportion of students with disability enrolled	16.2%
Overall student with disabilities satisfaction rates	75.5%
Overall graduate satisfaction rates for students with disabilities	76%
Employment rates for students with disabilities	70.5%
Number of first-generation students enrolled	6,000
Proportion of first-generation students enrolled	42%
Number of Indigenous students enrolled	800
Proportion of Indigenous students enrolled	4.4%
Overall student satisfaction rates for Indigenous students	76.0%
Overall graduate satisfaction rates for Indigenous students	74.4%
Employment rates for Indigenous students	75.7%
Number of French-language students enrolled	154
Proportion of French-language students enrolled	1%
OSAP recipients as a proportion of all eligible students	89%
Percentage of university graduates enrolled in college programs	28.3%
Percentage of college graduates enrolled in university programs	2%

Institution-Specific Metrics	2019-20 Target
Number of student visits to advising services, counselling services and services for students with disabilities	2% increase (from baseline*)
Participation in learning opportunities to build staff capabilities to incorporate Universal Design for Learning (UDL)	2% increase (from baseline*)
Participation in learning opportunities to build staff capabilities to integrate the Indigenous Curricular and Pedagogical Practices guidelines	2% increase (from baseline*)

*New initiative: baseline data will be established in 2017-18 to enhance program quality during this SMA period (future years will focus on expanding participation)

Applied research excellence and impact

This section captures institutional strengths in producing high-quality applied research that further raises Ontario’s profile as a globally recognized research and innovation hub.

Applied research projects create or improve products, services and processes. College applied research gives industry firms access to the skills and competencies of faculty and students, facilities and equipment and markets and networks through the colleges’ connections to local business and communities.

Institutional approach to applied research excellence and impact

Institutional approach

Many organizations, public and private, have embraced the challenge of supporting, educating, advising, and investing in innovators, entrepreneurs and intrapreneurs. As new essential skills, innovation and entrepreneurship have a broad impact on how Centennial adapts its curriculum, delivery and services.

Centennial’s institutional approach to applied research is underscored by its belief that innovation and entrepreneurship are relevant to every sector of our economy and are therefore everyone’s possibility. If they are to become an integral feature of our national culture and not just an option for a chosen few, they must be embodied broadly as values and as skill sets and must have goals that allow for social innovation, creating entrepreneurs whose goals go beyond commerce and towards advancing a civil society. Centennial emphasizes research and innovation that is inclusive and global, with experiential learning as a primary purpose, and that is built on partnerships.

Impact on students: A 2016 study at Centennial College (Gupta, Lloyd, Zhao, Aromiwura and Jafar, 2016) showed that students who participated in paid applied research and innovation experiences at the college were more likely to be: employed in a job related to their program; hired shortly after graduation; and highly satisfied with how the college prepared them for their job.

Impact on faculty and programs: Centennial’s engagement in applied research through inquiry and scholarship (including the scholarship of learning and teaching, SoTL) contributes to faculty development, curricular relevancy and program renewal. Centennial’s integrated approach to SoTL captures the richness and complexity of academic scholarship in a global context, reflecting its emphasis on internationalization, equity, inclusion and valuing of multiple ways of knowing, being and learning. Learnings from applied research and innovation have been incorporated into 28 courses across the college. Applied research partners contribute on Program Advisory Committees, ensuring that Centennial’s schools are abreast of emerging changes in academic disciplines and industry sectors. It has also resulted in training and adoption of new equipment and software into its teaching laboratories.

Areas of research strength

Centennial has been ranked among Canada’s top 50 research colleges by Research Infosource every year since 2013, breaking into the top 10 in 2016. Faculty, support staff, administrators and students from all academic schools have participated in applied research and innovation projects, attesting to a growing capacity at the college. Current applied research and innovation strengths include: health and wellness; energy; transportation (including aerospace); media; global citizenship, diversity, equity, and inclusion. Emerging applied research and innovation strengths include: information and communications technology; clean technologies; teaching and learning; internationalization; and automation.

Partners

Centennial collaborates with several businesses, universities, hospitals and dozens of private, public and community partners for applied research and innovation projects and programs. It is deeply embedded within regional innovation eco-systems anchored by Regional Innovation Centres such as MaRS Discovery District and ventureLAB. It engages with other members of the Ontario Network of Entrepreneurs (ONE) in referring clients, collaborating on programming and sharing best practices. Centennial co-founded the Colleges Ontario Network for Industry Innovation (CONII) and continues to be an active member of this network. Centennial plays a key role in industry and business associations, such as Ontario Aerospace Council and the Scarborough Business Association. It is also an active member of Tech Access Canada, a national association of Technology Access Centres associated with the college system.

Collaboration with industry and key partners

Various business, industry, and community organizations have accessed Centennial’s applied research and innovation capacity through all four campuses. Small and medium-sized organizations have particularly benefitted from these collaborations. Research collaborations in recent years have included industry and community partners such as AMD, Bombardier Aerospace, Celestica, Community Living Toronto, York University, Ryerson University, Clear Blue Technologies, University of Toronto, Holland Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation Hospital, Scarborough and Rouge Hospital, NexJ Systems, Spongelab Interactive, Providence Healthcare, Markham Stouffville Hospital and the Toronto and Region Conservation Authority. In addition to its own in-reach and out-reach activities, Centennial’s relationships with the National Research Council and Ontario Centres of Excellence have been a source of applied research and innovation partners. In the coming years, Centennial expects to grow existing partnerships while adding new collaborations both regionally and globally, and will continue to attract research funding from federal, provincial, other public, private and community sources.

Examples of institutional initiatives

Technology access centre

With the recent founding of Wearable, Interactive, and Mobile Technology Access Centre for Health (WIMTACH), Centennial has established a dedicated centre to help digital health and wellness businesses with their innovation and entrepreneurship needs. WIMTACH has established a model of rapid innovation that uses student hackathons to brainstorm and prototype diverse solutions to challenges facing these companies and public health organizations, such as hospitals.

Downsview aerospace innovation and research

Centennial is a founding member of the Downsview Aerospace Innovation and Research (DAIR) consortium, which represents major aerospace companies and academic institutions collaborating to create an Aerospace Hub at Downsview Park in Toronto, Ontario. This is an example of an initiative designed to achieve higher levels of productivity through innovation in experiential teaching and learning, modern and relevant program design and partnerships with businesses and the community. Through this initiative, Centennial will increase its capacity to prepare students for the rising demands of employment in the aerospace industry. Centennial is also leading efforts towards an Innovation Centre within Downsview Park, which would include space and services for industry and academia to come together and would enable and encourage aerospace sector collaboration. Centennial has assembled a coalition of several industry partners for an applied research program to develop the next generation of landing gear technology.

Bringing the new essential skills to a global community

Centennial has identified innovation, entrepreneurship and intrapreneurship as among the new essential skills for its graduates entering the workforce. It will embed entrepreneurial and innovation learning outcomes in its curriculum through annual and comprehensive reviews. Centennial will also grow the number of co-curricular and extra-curricular opportunities for learners to gain experiential learning through applied research and innovation. Integrating applied research, technology transfer and business incubation will assist learners, faculty members and employees in improving their innovation and entrepreneurship skills.

Metrics and targets

System-wide Metrics	2019-20 Target
Number of externally funded applied research projects (2016-17 baseline: 32)	24
Number of partnerships / collaborations with community / industry firms (2016-17 baseline: 23)	18

Institution-Specific Metrics	2019-20 Target
Total number of paid student contracts involved for applied research and innovation projects.	200
Percentage of FT faculty engaged in research and scholarship activities to inform teaching innovation and excellence	50%
Number of programs that embed innovation as a new essential skills	62

Innovation, economic development and community engagement

This section recognizes the unique role institutions play in contributing to their communities and to economic development, as well as to building dynamic partnerships with business, industry, community members and other colleges and universities. It focuses on regional clusters, customized training, entrepreneurial activities, jobs, community revitalization efforts, international collaborations, students, partnerships with Aboriginal Institutes and a program mix that meets needs locally, regionally and beyond.

Institutional approach to innovation, economic development and community engagement

Since 1987, access, inclusion and collaboration have been hallmarks of Centennial’s approach to innovation, economic development and community engagement. More than 3,600 previously unemployed individuals have received support from Centennial’s Centre of Entrepreneurship to launch their businesses, with a 97% startup success rate. Since 2009, Centennial staff and students have helped 158 businesses address their innovation needs, through the Applied Research and Innovation Centre. Innovations include new or improved strategies, capabilities, products, services, or processes for a wide range of sectors. In digital health alone, Centennial has helped in the development of more than 40 products, of which at least 30 have been commercialized.

The Community Outreach Office supports three main areas for engagement with individuals who typically experience multiple barriers to postsecondary education:

• Youth from underserved neighbourhoods
• Women with an interest in non-traditional careers; and
• Indigenous citizens and community members from Nations and communities

Staff engage in developing multi-level, systemic relationships with: individuals and their inner circles; service-providing organizations; and postsecondary education, neighbourhood, municipal and provincial access/outreach/engagement networks.

Centennial’s emphasis is twofold. It wants to engage these individuals where they are in their lives, in as many ways and places as possible, to help them map out a journey to accomplish their goals. It also wants to establish relational webs of assets and support, within the college and in the community, to ensure that the necessary resources are available to respond to the complexities of students’ lives as they pursue their education en route to a sustainable career.

The work is contingent on identifying current levels of readiness and capacity and planning responsively.

This means success is viewed as achieving goals through persistence over time, in spite of obstacles, rather than retention within a model route. Thus, Centennial engages personally and directly with youth, women and Indigenous learners. It connects with school boards, Chiefs of Nations, hospitals and organizations, such as the Native Canadian Centre, East Metro Youth Services and YWCA. It participates in Neighbourhood Action Partnerships, Youth Service Networks and Education Forum of the Chiefs of Ontario. It is a member of the Council of Educators of Toronto, the Toronto Crown Ward Education Championship Team and the Indigenous Peoples Education Circle. It has been a contributor to the United Way Toronto and York Region Community of Practice for Youth Educational Partnerships and the Youth Success Strategy. Centennial frames contexts and connects people into networks so that youth, women and Indigenous peoples know that they are heard by, belong in and are worthy of postsecondary education and the sustainable career and meaningful life to which it leads.

Community engagement

In 2013-14, Centennial hosted 1,153 public events, ranging from symposia, recruitment programs and human resources and community outreach events, partnering with 467 organizations and associations. During this time, more than 380 community-focused research, teaching and development activities and projects took place and 1,453 service-learning and experiential projects occurred.

Innovation, entrepreneurship and economic development

Centennial believes that innovation and entrepreneurship are relevant to every sector of the economy. Its Applied Research and Innovation Centre has fostered internal capacity by developing innovation programs in specific sectors, starting with health and wellness. As institutional capacity in this individual sector was developed, Centennial focused on other sectors, such as sustainable energy and aerospace.

In recent years, the Centre of Entrepreneurship has developed specialized programs for: globalized businesses (both inbound and outbound); youth entrepreneurs; seniors and professions with high self-employment rates, such as chiropractors and artists.

In addition, endeavours such as the Signature Industry Experience through Strategic Initiatives and External Relations have taken a sectoral approach to industry engagement and economic development. Centennial has created Sector Advisory Boards aligned with industry sectors relevant to its communities and Ontario.

These approaches allow Centennial to identify the innovation, entrepreneurship and broader economic development needs in our communities and connect them with relevant programs and services at the college. It allows Centennial to engage as an anchor institution with industry supply chains and clusters in its communities that are relevant to the programming it offers.

Examples of institutional initiatives

Entrepreneurship

Centennial has a rich history of entrepreneurship, starting with the founding of the Centre of Entrepreneurship three decades ago. Centennial’s approach to entrepreneurship focuses on the learners, setting them up for success through training, coaching, mentoring and access to financing. The Centre of Entrepreneurship has been recognized with national awards through Colleges and Institutes Canada.

Centennial is home to Ontario’s only college-led campus-linked accelerator (Ontario Centres of Excellence), Accelerator for Centennial Community Entrepreneurs and Leaders (ACCEL),[2] focused on helping youth-led businesses. To help entrepreneurs looking to scale up their ventures, Centennial is building out a soft-landing program to help globally bound businesses. Centennial is also developing a micro-loan funding program to support innovators and entrepreneurs.

In collaboration with ONE members, the Scarborough Business Association, Scarborough Community Renewal Organization, Rotary Clubs, student and community organizations and regional anchor institutions, Centennial is fostering an entrepreneurial ecosystem for eastern Greater Toronto Area (GTA).

Social procurement

As a founding member of AnchorTO, Centennial is leading social procurement initiatives that will build business capacity and create vendor opportunities for emerging entrepreneurs, equity-seeking groups, social enterprises and those facing barriers. Centennial is actively collaborating with major anchor institutions in the GTA through a community of practice to implement social procurement and contribute to inclusive economic development.

Signature Industry Experience (SIE)

Centennial College has launched the new Signature Industry Experience (SIE), an interactive service that will allow companies to engage with the college. The SIE is a single point of contact that will connect companies with a variety of college-wide opportunities, including applied research, co-op students and graduates, networking, government advocacy and funding opportunities. The SIE intends to create active partnerships with 100 members within the first year and aims to add an additional industry partners over the next three years.

Centennial’s sectoral industry engagement is further guided by Sector Advisory Boards, a group of experts representing key sectors of importance to the College and its communities. Furthermore, representatives from individual Sector Advisory Boards comprise The Circle of Champions that meets with Centennial College’s Executive Team to advise on high-level industry trends, needs and opportunities. The sectors represented include advanced manufacturing, clean technology, financial, information communication technology, aerospace, defense, automotive, health sciences, media and community.

Advanced Communities Centre

The Advanced Communities Centre will be a training and research facility that will test and verify the latest developments in clean technology, high performance buildings and urban agriculture. This Centre would house Centennial College’s environmental programming and applied research activities across all its schools, in addition to interacting with and supporting other departments within the college, external industry partners and the community. The Centre would also be a place where staff, students, industry partners and community members can interact with their surroundings and the built environment to explore the innovative technologies and processes that run within the building. It would have districts of focus where new technologies and applied research and innovation ideas can be tested and emerging ideas centered on sustainable practices can be explored. A main focus of the Centre will be sustainable urban food production through aquaponics.

Metrics and targets

System-wide Metrics	2019-20 Target
Number of active Program Advisory Committees (PACs)	102
Number of employers engaged in PACs	783
Graduate employment rates	78%
Employer satisfaction rates	94.1%
Proportion of Graduates employed full-time	55.7%
Proportion of Graduates employed full-time in a related job	39%

Institution-Specific Metrics	2019-20 Target
Number of learners participating in experiential learning focused on entrepreneurship	100
Number of programs that embed entrepreneurship as a learning outcome	47
Number of industry partners in SIE	150

Enrolment strategy, program direction, sustainability and partnerships

Enrolment strategy and program direction

Enrolment plan

The purpose of this section is to identify institutional enrolment plans and aspirations. The enrolment projections are based on Centennial’s plans and assumptions for the coming years.

As stated in the College Funding Formula Technical Manual, the introductory corridor midpoint in 2019-20 will be calculated based on the “three-year average, two-year slip”, the average of three years of enrolment two years prior to the funding year.

Domestic projected funding eligible enrolment

Projected eligible full-time head count

Level	Actuals 2015-16	Actuals 2016-17	Projected 2017-18	Projected 2018-19	Projected 2019-20
Ontario College Certificate	779	784	809	850	915
Ontario College Diploma/Advanced Diploma	7,100	7,171	7,262	7,518	8,001
Ontario College Graduate Certificate	691	648	762	768	768
Baccalaureate Degree in Applied Area of Study	74	91	95	138	196
All other funding activity in full-time equivalent (FTE); Part-time, Tuition short, Prior Learning and Assessment Recognition (PLAR)	775.1	704	775	785	790

International projected funding-eligible enrolment

Projected eligible full-time head count

Level	Actuals 2015-16	Actuals 2016-17	Projected 2017-18	Projected 2018-19	Projected 2019-20
Ontario College Certificate	308	283	269	279	279
Ontario College Diploma/Advanced Diploma	3,851	4,361	6,000	6,380	6,510
Ontario College Graduate Certificate	1,081	1,290	1,655	1,700	1,700
Baccalaureate Degree in Applied Area of Study	56	87	80	85	90

International strategy and collaboration

International aspirations

Internationalization is the key to Centennial’s differentiated position within the postsecondary landscape in Canada.

Every Centennial College student becomes part of the Signature Learning Experience, preparing them for career and personal success in a highly diverse and interconnected global economy. The innovative curriculum encourages students to see beyond the local and recognize how global perspectives affect their career development and provide opportunities to learn to contribute more broadly to civic society. Centennial recognizes the value of the diverse perspectives that students bring with them and leverages these within an international education program to provide graduates with a distinct advantage in the global job market.

Currently, Centennial serves the learning needs of approximately 8,000 international students from 134 source countries. It attracts students from across the globe and offers every Centennial student a distinctive internationalized education. Centennial’s international student population has a direct impact of more than $260 million to the local economy.[3]

International enrolments generate revenue streams that address funding challenges. In addition, revenue generated from international students supports strategic and capital investments, enhancing the overall quality and capacity of teaching and learning.

Diversifying the international student body is a strategy intended to mitigate risk and enhance the learning experience for all students. Centennial’s goal is one-third enrolment from India, one-third from China and one-third from other countries.

Collaboration and partnerships

Centennial has secured more than 120 institutional and foreign government pathway agreements. In support of the internationalized learning experience and the acquisition of international perspective and skills, Centennial also offers multi-country delivery of Centennial College programs. For example, International Business Management Post-graduate Certificate students can take a semester abroad with educational partners in Italy (University of Milano- Bicocca) and India (Alliance University). They earn a first level Masters Degree from Italy and a Post-graduate Certificate from Centennial and can intern in Italy, India or Canada. With additional courses, they can earn a Masters of Business Administration (MBA) from Alliance. Centennial’s goal is to see 20% of domestic students participate in an offshore experience.

Global citizenship and equity learning experiences (GCELEs) are 10- to 14-day service-learning projects that help prepare students to be leaders of positive social change in our interconnected world. All college students, staff and faculty are eligible to apply for this program. Since the first GCELE in the Dominican Republic in 2010, benefiting eight students, nearly 500 students and 150 employees have participated in 50 social justice projects around the world focusing on issues as diverse as sustainable farming practices in Cuba, community health support in Honduras, early childhood education in Ghana, human rights in New York and work with indigenous groups in Ontario.

The International Exchange Program is a reciprocal opportunity allowing students to spend one semester studying abroad at one of Centennial’s partner institutions around the world, during which time they will take courses that are relevant to their academic program at Centennial in order to earn credits at home, upon successful completion at the host institution. Centennial both sends to and hosts students from overseas partners from academic disciplines such as Mechanical Engineering Technology, Business, and General Arts and Sciences. Since 2011, students have participated in exchanges in Denmark, Ireland, Finland, France, Germany, Mexico, Romania, South Korea, Spain and the USA.

Summer International Programs (SIPs) allow students to learn a new language or take an intensive course at one of Centennial’s partner institutions around the world. These programs are offered to students from all academic disciplines. The first four SIPs went to Spain, Finland, South Korea and Mexico and 44 students participated. In 2015-2016, 73 students were engaged in SIPs.

The International Education Services and Global Experience (SaGE) team’s industry stream programs help students gain valuable work experience through international placements connected to industry. During their time with the program, students will engage in work that is related to their field of study and will allow them to put the knowledge they have gained in the classroom to work. To date, students in the Project Management, Hotel and Resort Management, Travel and Tourism, Community Development Work and Social Service Work programs have taken part in the internship program. In 2012, there were six international internships. In 2015-16, there were 17 in 11 countries, from Bangladesh to South Africa.

In 2016, Centennial College opened its first international learning site in the city of Suzhou. Suzhou Centennial College (SCC) is the first Canadian college or university registered and approved to deliver postsecondary programs in China. It offers 12 programs, including nine Centennial programs providing Canadian credentials in business foundations, accounting, finance, international business, (postsecondary and post-graduate), software engineering, hospitality foundations and hotel and resort management, as well as English language training. All programs offer articulated pathways to Centennial’s campuses in Toronto. New applied-learning programs will be added in the future, based on the China market and its need for new skills.

International strategy and risk mitigation approval process

Centennial’s internationalization and risk mitigation strategies are embedded in key documents. The Board of Governors approves the overall strategy through its approval of Centennial’s strategic plan and annual business plans and budget. The academic plan is reviewed for context and alignment with the strategic plan. The Board’s Audit and Finance Committee leads the oversight in aspects of risk management related to international activity, but this is also shared with the full Board. Centennial’s Enterprise Risk Management (ERM) framework, policy and procedures are applied throughout the decision-making processes to evaluate new strategic directions, emerging markets, capital projects and business process-implementations involving change. New market development is researched and recommended by leaders within the International Department; the Executive Team approves much of this work, with high-risk ventures being taken to the Board. Opening new recruitment offices overseas is approved by the Executive Team; more complex projects are taken to the Board.

Strategic areas of program strength and expansion

Program areas of strength

1. Social Services
2. Performing Arts
3. Business Management
4. Culinary Arts
5. Business Legal
6. Nursing Related
7. Automotive
8. Aviation (Maintenance)
9. Electronics
10. Chemical/Biological

Program areas of expansion

1. Performing Arts
2. Business Management
3. Business Legal
4. Aviation (Maintenance)
5. Chemical/Biological

Apprenticeship

Aspirations with respect to apprenticeship training

In-school apprenticeship training has been a core element of Centennial’s programs for the past 50 years. In the motive power sector, Centennial is the largest training delivery agent in the province. Centennial also delivers training in the construction, service trade sectors and hosts the largest Child and Youth Care Apprenticeship program in the college sector. With an aging workforce, employers are beginning to lose skilled workers to retirement at increasing rates. This has led to increases in the number of apprentices and longer wait times to get into school.

Centennial has made substantial investments in labs, classrooms and equipment and has the capacity to increase the number of spaces to meet the needs of apprentices in the community. Centennial looks forward to participating in apprenticeship modernization efforts and leveraging increased flexibility to better serve employers and apprentices in its region.

Plans for attracting apprentices

Centennial currently employs a variety of strategies to attract apprentices into its programs. Some of these are Centennial-led initiatives and a number are collaborative efforts with multiple stakeholders. Where special or targeted funding is available, Centennial has focused efforts on the target groups to maximize results.

Centennial works with employers and prospective apprenticeship students to promote programs and provide information through a variety of communication channels. Some programs, like Child and Youth Care, have a Pre-Apprenticeship program for high school students (dual credit) that provides an opportunity for students to explore the program and profession. Centennial also organizes career fairs that bring employers and graduating students together for networking and job-search purposes.

Centennial’s primary strategy to engage high school learners in apprenticeship opportunities is through direct interaction with technology that is used in the various sectors that it serves. Centennial is working with school boards to bring students in at a younger age. Efforts include the Skills to College Work Initiative trade sample programs, dual credit course offerings, OYAP, skills contests at the local and provincial level and skills camps in partnership with SkillsCanada.

Increasing the participation of women in trades has been a long-term endeavor but the number of women in male-dominated trades is still very low. Engaging with women at younger ages is the new strategy that Centennial and other stakeholders are using. Trades awareness initiatives, such as Centennial’s Strong Girls Strong Women program, mentoring programs for women in trades in partnership with school boards and SkillsCanada Trade Girl Days are all examples of promotion of trades to young women.

Strategies so that apprenticeship training responds to needs of the local labour market

Centennial is using a number of strategies to link apprenticeship training to the needs of the labour market, including credit transfer/pathway initiatives, co-op program options and pre-apprenticeship programs. The Ontario Council on Articulation and Transfer credit transfer initiatives provide graduates of postsecondary programs with automatic credit or exemption from some levels of apprenticeship in-school training when they gain employment and register as apprentices. By maximizing credit transfer opportunities, Centennial will increase efficiency of the current system and eliminate duplication of training delivery. Centennial plans to increase the number of co-op opportunities for students to increase the hands-on skills of program graduates and provide stronger connections between its trade programs and employers.

Multi-year funding for Pre-Apprenticeship programs would allow more long-term planning to strengthen relationships with the community and employers to better respond to the local labour market.

Financial sustainability

The Ministry and Centennial recognize that financial sustainability and accountability are critical to achieving institutional mandates and realizing Ontario’s vision for the postsecondary education system. To this end, it is agreed that:

It is the responsibility of the Board of Governors and senior administrators of the College to identify, track, and address financial pressures and sustainability issues. At the same time, the Ministry has a financial stewardship role. The Ministry and the College agree to work collaboratively to achieve the common goal of financial sustainability and to ensure that Ontarians have access to a full range of affordable, high-quality postsecondary education options, now and in the future.

The College remains accountable to the Ministry with respect to effective and efficient use of provincial government resources and student resources covered by policy directives of the Ministry, or decisions impacting upon these, to maximize the value and impact of investments made in the postsecondary education system.

System-wide Metrics	Benchmark	2015-16 Actuals	2016-17 Actuals	2017-18 Projections
Annual Surplus (Deficit)	>0	$9,946,301	$16,435,207	$4,740,461.10
Accumulated Surplus (Deficit)	>0	$90,951,222	$107,295,455	$112,035,917.10
Net Income to Revenue Ratio	>1.5%	3.81%	5.92%	1.68%
Net Assets to Expense Ratio	>60%	89.07%	100.77%	102.03%
Quick Ratio	>1	2.08	2.80	2.49
Debt Servicing Ratio	<3%	1.54%	1.77%	2.01%
Total Debt to Assets Ratio	<35%	22.84%	21.08%	19.9%

Institutional collaborations and partnerships

Centennial College is committed to institutional collaboration and partnerships. Its Academic Partnership Framework will provide a structured approach for effectively creating and managing partnerships in a global context. This framework will illustrate the academic partnership and pathways scope, while reflecting organizational realities, alignment of strategic and academic priorities and responsibilities to learner, community and industry needs.

The creation of an Academic Partnership Framework provides a lens through which strategic partnerships and pathways will be created, strengthened and nurtured, while ensuring mutual value-add, quality assurance, sustainability, improved risk management processes, accountability and opportunities for innovation.

The Academic Division works with a number of partners in collaboration, as applicable, with other areas of the college. These partners include universities, colleges, industry/employers, various levels of government, school boards, provincial and national professional organizations, alumni, regulatory and accrediting boards, provincial and national advocacy groups, non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and service/community organizations. Partners link to the Academic Division as part of a continuum.

The Academic Division’s partnership with school boards includes the School College Work Initiative (SCWI), work-integrated learning opportunities and joint projects.

Colleges and Universities

Centennial College continues to create pathways for credential completion internally among Centennial programs and with external colleges and universities. Internal pathways involve transition, bridging or preparatory programs (access) and providing for Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) including Prior Learning Assessment and Recognition (PLAR). External partnerships (domestic and international) involve pathways for degree/credential completion, joint/collaborative programming, on site partner program delivery and offsite program delivery.

Collaborative or joint programs

Collaborative and joint programs expose students to the applied and technical advantages of a college diploma, with the theoretical foundations of a four-year bachelor degree. Centennial College has three joint degree programs with University of Toronto Scarborough. These include New Media, Journalism and Paramedicine. In addition, Centennial partners with Ryerson University and George Brown College in the largest collaborative Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree program in Ontario, which has a shared, multi-institutional admissions, service and student placement model.

Centennial also has on-site degree completion opportunities by universities such Nipissing (Bachelor of Commerce, Bachelor of Business Administration), Cape Breton (MBA in Community Economic Development) and Brock (Bachelor of Recreation and Leisure Studies). This model offers on-site, flexible and blended delivery, allowing students to seamlessly achieve additional credentials and advance their learning and career development.

Credit transfer pathway

With these agreements, students who wish to continue their studies after completing a college credential may do so with a corresponding university program. As of 2016, Centennial had 409 Ontario pathways, 194 Canadian pathways (outside Ontario) and 398 international pathways leading to advanced credential completion. It has degree completion pathways with Algoma University, Brock University, Carleton University, University of Guelph, University of Guelph- Humber, Lakehead University, Laurentian University, McMaster University, Nipissing University, University of Ontario Institute of Technology, Ryerson University, University of Sudbury, University of Toronto, Trent University, University of Western Ontario, Wilfrid Laurier University, University of Windsor, York University and out-of-province and international institutions.

Ministry/government commitments

• The SMA2 process has focused on implementing the first stages of the new funding model and demonstrating the ongoing commitment by all colleges and universities to student success. Future growth will only be funded through negotiated changes to an institution’s funded enrolment corridor

• Through the SMA2 cycle, the ministry will continue to work closely with institutions to ensure all dimensions of the funding model are implemented.

• In a memo to colleges and universities dated March 7, 2017, the ministry committed to using the SMA2 (2017-20) process as a transitional phase to commence the collaborative and joint development of performance metrics and targets, tied to funding, for SMA3 (2020-23). The ministry reiterates this commitment and reaffirms that metrics and targets included in SMA2 are not tied to funding at this time and are a beginning point for further discussions with the sector prior to their application in SMA3. Colleges and universities will have the opportunity to reset and realign metrics prior to the application of metrics in SMA3. The ministry will also engage other stakeholders as part of discussions on a broad metrics strategy

• The ministry commits to establishing a joint working group with each of the sectors and to begin detailed discussions in fall 2017 on metrics/targets and to seek input on the performance measurement methodology for SMA3.

• Colleges, universities and the ministry all benefit from processes that are transparent and non-duplicative. The ministry commits to work with colleges and universities to continue to streamline processes and seek opportunities to further reduce red tape (in part through increased access to other tools), including reducing or eliminating duplicated reporting requirements.

• Through SMA2 discussions, the ministry has heard concerns about the challenges of delivering breadth in programming for Francophone and Francophile students, including the cost and funding of such delivery. Starting in fall 2017, the ministry commits to consulting institutions who have a formal mandate for bilingual and/or French-language delivery to review the delivery of French-Language programming and consider these concerns

• In 2016, an extension of the existing tuition policy framework was announced to support a major reform in OSAP. The ministry will engage with both the college and university sectors around the next tuition policy framework, including examining the issue of tuition anomalies in certain professional programs as a result of past changes to tuition policy, and, for colleges, examining tuition levels relative to competitive college tuition frameworks in Canada.

• In recent years and during the SMA process, there has been an increased interest in the creation of a new polytechnic designation in the Ontario postsecondary education system. Starting in fall 2017, the ministry commits to undertake a review that examines whether improved benefits for students and employers are sufficient to make such a change. The ministry commits to working collaboratively with institutions across the sectors on this review.

• The ministry acknowledges a request by Ontario’s colleges to explore how to support more flexible delivery of programming, including reviewing part-time funding levels. The ministry commits to working collaboratively with colleges to review this issue, including identifying implications for credentials.

• The ministry commits to continue to work collaboratively with colleges to review the eligibility criteria and allocation method for the Small, Northern and Rural Grant to help target funding to best meet sustainability challenges.

[1] The ministry acknowledges a request by Ontario’s colleges to explore how to support more flexible delivery of programming, including reviewing part-time funding levels. The ministry commits to working collaboratively with colleges to review this issue, including identifying implications for credentials.

[2] http://www.oce-ontario.org/docs/default-source/default-document-library/list-of-clas_new.pdf?sfvrsn=2

[3] Canada’s International Education Strategy: Harnessing our Knowledge Advantage to Drive Innovation and Prosperity, 2015 http://international.gc.ca/global-markets-marches-mondiaux/education/strategy-strategie.aspx?lang=eng

2014-17 Strategic Mandate Agreement: Centennial College of Applied Arts and Technology