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Expanding Student Access and Flexible Pathways: Multi-directional Credit Transfer and Mobility in British Columbia

Dr. Rob FlemingExecutive Director and Co-chair

Association of Canadian Community Colleges Conference

June, 2013

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BC Transfer System: History + Context

Developed in 1960s as a binary Transfer System model

Now a multi-directional model High mobility in a complex degree-granting context All member institutions may send and receive credits

Institutions are autonomous

No common core curriculum, but a high level of

reciprocity among institutions

Development of a broad range of transfer mechanisms: Course to course, block transfer , and degree

partnership Province wide Associate Degrees and Flexible Pre-

Majorshttp://bccat.ca/system/history/ http://bccat.ca/system/policies/

Colleges&

Institutes

Research Universiti

esTransfer Students

Teaching Universiti

es

Colleges&

Institutes

Research Universiti

esTransfer Students

Transfer

Students

2013

3 Public Universi-ties

15 Public Colleges

4 Public Institutes

19894 Public RI Universities

7 Public TI Universities

11 Public Col-leges

3 Public Insti-tutes

6 Private Col-leges

4 Private Universities

1 Private Insti-tute

1 Non-BC Public University

1 Non-BC Public College

2013

3 of 22Baccalaureate

Degree Institutions

30 of 38 Baccalaureate

Degree Institutions

BCCAT facilitates admissions and transfer arrangements among institutions

25 BC public (ALL), 2 out of province, 11 private institution members

68 province-wide articulation committees

BC Transfer System Facts

• 2,100+ BC Transfer System institution programs

• Student advising and career resources

• One million unique visits in 2012

• 85,000+ course, 900+ block, 50+ dual admission agreements

• Automated online service

• One million unique visits in 2012

“BC has taken the California model and developed it into what is possibly the most extensive credit accumulation and transfer arrangement in the world.”

Bekhradnia, Higher Education Policy Institute, UK

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Well articulated transfer systems facilitate . . .• students studying near their home to enable transition, mitigate attrition, and

reduce costs

• intentional pathways students plan and unintentional pathways that students follow as a result of changes in circumstances

• accumulation of credits within a system, so they count toward relevant credentials if students change institutions and/or programs

BC Transfer System Perspective

“Our post-secondary system is one of the best in the world because it is indeed a system. The new reality is that today, the starting point on your educational journey is not likely to be your end point. And because BC’s post-secondary transfer system is so advanced, it’s relatively easy to move from institution to institution.”

Scott McAlpine, President of Douglas College, Letter to the Vancouver Sun

Transfer Student Success

BC transfer students . . . are just as successful at university as are direct entrants, and have the grades to prove it.

Lambert-Maberly, BC College Transfer Students Admitted to UBC

. . . transfer students are able to graduate with approximately the same number of credits as secondary school students . . . .

Pendleton, Credits to Graduation

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“The most common main reason for leaving [post-secondary] . . . was personal circumstances (e.g., health, family). Other reasons cited included a change in plans about the program or a job (22 percent), disappointment with the institution (22 percent), and financial issues (18 percent).”

Martell (2009), Without a Trace

Student Performance Reports

Transfer Satisfaction and Success

Admissions and Transfer Practices

Student Transitions Project (STP)http://www.bccat.bc.ca/publications/

“It seems unlikely . . . that another entity would have the credibility that BCCAT has enjoyed with the institutions. . . . It seems safe to conclude that . . . the issues . . . would not have been addressed had the Council not existed.”

Waterhouse, An Assessment of BCCAT Research

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BC Transfer System Research

Student Mobility Data• Provincial student mobility data tracks

movement (registration) using PENs.

• Transfer credit volume data limited but expanding.

• Consistent transfer / direct entry student success and experience data. (Survey of Movers)

http://www.aved.gov.bc.ca/student_transitions/

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Student Mobility Between Sectors inthe BC Public Post-Secondary System

Research-Intensive

Univ.(117,800)

B.C. College(74,800)

Institute(55,300)

Teaching-Intensive Univ.

(73,600)

19,700 New

4,400

17,800

New

24,000 New

28,100Same PSI

(51%)

20,000

New

44,800Same PSI

(61%)

84,500Same PSI

(72%)

41,300Same PSI

(55%)

4,40

0

5,00

0

5,800

4,900

4,2

00 6

,200

3,200

1,300

4,000 2,800

4,700 3,400

1,700

2,800

4,600

Mobile pathways include ‘moves’ to a new PSI and ‘returns’ to a previously attended PSI.

Includes direct mobility from the previous year (2009/10) and re-entering stop outs from earlier years.

55,900 unique headcount students (18% of 308,600 unique Academic Credit Course Registrants) followed a mobile pathway to their institution of registration in 2010/11:

• 36,000 moved to a new psi• 21,300 returned to a psi

they previously left

(Source: Student Transitions Project)8

Student Pathways for All TIUs (2009/10)

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Survey of Movers Main goal for enrolling at original institution

• Prepare to transfer (23%)

• Complete credential at institution (21%)

• Prepare for professional career (16%)

Reasons for leaving original institution • Changed mind about program (25%)

• Intended to leave all along (23%)

• Admitted to better institution (21%)

What would keep students from leaving • Offer the program they wanted (32%)• Wider course offerings (28%)

Complete a credential (certificate, diploma, or degree) at this institution

Prepare to transfer to another institution

Prepare for a professional career

Pursue a specific program you wanted

To enrol in courses you needed

0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40

35.7

3.8

26.8

15.8

2.9

18.5

26.6

14.1

14.5

8.9

14.2

30.3

11.4

11.3

6.5

Colleges and InstitutesTeaching UniversitiesResearch Universities

Most Important Goal for Enrolling at Original Institution

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Intended to leave all along

Completed all the credits you needed

Got admitted to a better institution

Changed your mind about your program

Could not cope with academic requirements

Personal circumstances

29%

29%

25%

20%

11%

11%

26%

18%

27%

23%

15%

14%

5%

7%

7%

38%

20%

19%

Reasons for Leaving Original Institution

Research UniversitiesTeaching UniverstiesColleges and Institutes

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Offer the program you want

Wider course offerings

Better quality instruction

Better reputation

Better academic support for students

Better student support

Better financial incentives

Friendlier campus atmosphere

Faculty and instructors more available to students

Better campus life options

More work opportunities on campus

34%

31%

12%

14%

9%

8%

8%

6%

5%

8%

4%

23%

20%

20%

3%

21%

18%

15%

14%

14%

5%

9%

What Would Keep Students from Leaving

Research Universities

Colleges, Institutes and Teaching Universities

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Experience of Transferring

Expectations• 90% of respondents transferring to Research Universities expected to transfer

credit.

• 60% of respondents moving to Teaching Universities expected to transfer credit.

• 43% of respondents moving to Colleges and Institutes expected to transfer credit.

Credit received• 94% of respondents were successful in transferring at least some of their credits

to their new institution.

• 73% received all or most credit completed at original institution.

• 74% applied all or most credit to new program.

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Questions and Discussion

bccat.ca bctransferguide.ca educationplanner.ca

“Not coincidentally, BC and Alberta have the most highly developed transfer systems in the country, and the British Columbia Council on Admissions and Transfer (BCCAT) could be a model for ONCAT.”

Trick et al., Academic Reform: Policy Options for . . . Education in Ontario