Post-secondary system – Data collection and research

Overview

Data collection and reporting keeps the post-secondary system accountable to:

• learners
• taxpayers
• government

This information helps:

• students make informed decisions about their learning options
• institutions continuously improve their programs and services
• ensure system accountability
• government make informed decisions

Financial data and accountability

What we collect

Government collects data about:

• institutional financial operations
• program costs
• tuition and fees

Publicly funded institutions also provide planning and reporting documents to government, including:

1. Comprehensive institutional plans

These 3-year plans include the institution’s:

• business goals and objectives
• access plan to create opportunities for learners to take part in post-secondary learning
• research plan for ongoing improvement
• financial projections for 3 years

Integrating these plans into one document provides a more complete look at the institution’s planned direction. You can find these plans on your post-secondary institution’s website.

2. Annual reports

Annual reports share an institution’s progress towards meeting the goals identified in their comprehensive institutional plan. These reports provide updates on several types of goals, such as:

• strategic
• program
• financial

Annual reports are submitted to the Minister of Advanced Education, as required by the Post-Secondary Learning Act. These reports also include the institution’s audited financial statements, and any other information required by the Minister.

Government also reviews accountability reports for Independent Academic Institutions.

Publicly funded post-secondary institution annual reports

Publicly funded institutions must post annual reports on their website:

• Alberta College of Art and Design
• Athabasca University
• The Banff Centre
• Bow Valley College
• Grande Prairie Regional College
• Grant MacEwan University
• Keyano College
• Lakeland College
• Lethbridge College
• Medicine Hat College
• Mount Royal University
• NorQuest College
• Northern Alberta Institute of Technology
• Northern Lakes College
• Olds College
• Portage College
• Red Deer College
• Southern Alberta Institute of Technology
• University of Alberta
• University of Calgary
• University of Lethbridge

What we do with it

Government uses this data to get a better understanding of institutions’ operations and oversee accountability and coordination within the system.

Student information

What we collect

Government collects data about:

• enrolment
• applications
• graduate and labour market outcomes
• graduate satisfaction with their post-secondary experience

What we do with it

Reports created to share information with institutions and Albertans include:

Apprenticeship surveys and statistics

Research about industry needs is used to help apprenticeship programs stay relevant.

• Apprenticeship and Industry Training Statistical Profiles
• Survey of 2016-2017 Graduates of Apprenticeship Programs (Spring 2018)
• 2017 Survey of Employer Satisfaction with Apprenticeship Training and Skilled Tradespersons (June 2017)
• Survey of 2014-2015 Graduates of Apprenticeship Programs (Spring 2016)

Campus Alberta Planning Resource (CAPR)

This yearly environmental scan supported system planning and priority setting until 2016. This information is now shared through the overview of Alberta’s public post-secondary system.

• Campus Alberta Planning Resource reports (2011 to 2016)

Overview of Alberta's public post-secondary system

This information helps us understand how many people are likely to attend post-secondary in the near future, how many are currently enrolled in the system and projected future enrolment:

• Publicly funded post-secondary enrolments – Full load equivalent (FLE)
• Publicly funded post-secondary enrolments – Unique learners
• Publicly funded post-secondary enrolments – Program completions
• Backward tracking post-secondary completion rates by credential type (2018-2013 cohorts)
• High School Enrolment by Post-Secondary Service Region
• High School Completion Rate by Post-Secondary Service Region
• High School to Post-Secondary Transition Rate by Post-Secondary Service Region
• Projected population growth by post-secondary attending age groups and service region
• Projected post-secondary enrolment growth (FLE) by service region

Graduate outcomes surveys

These surveys provide valuable information about post-secondary graduate outcomes by credential type and program of study.

• 2018 Graduate Outcomes Survey, Publicly Funded Post-Secondary Institutions Report
• 2018 Graduate Outcomes Survey, Private Vocational Training Institutions Report
• 2018 Graduate Outcomes Survey, Technical Report
• 2018 Employment Success Survey Infographic

Post-secondary labour force and industry information

• Labour Market Outcomes of Alberta's Apprenticeship and Industry Training System provides information about:
  • incomes of those certified through Alberta's apprenticeship and industry training system
  • their initial performance in the labour market
  • their long term earning potential
• Labour Market Outcomes of Graduates of Alberta Post-Secondary Institutions looks at the earnings of post-secondary graduates by credential and field of study

Student aid surveys and statistics

• Alberta Student Aid: Statistical Profiles 2016/17 contains statistics on Alberta Student Aid programming, including:
  • number of students funded
  • dollar amounts provided for loans, grants, scholarships and awards
  • funded student demographic profiles
  • debt and income of Alberta public-post secondary students

Contact

Connect with the Public Awareness Branch:

Hours: 8:15 am to 4:30 pm (open Monday to Friday, closed statutory holidays)
Phone: 780-643-6393
Toll free: 310-0000 before the phone number (in Alberta)
Email: [email protected]