The differentiation of the Ontario university system: where are we now and where should we go?

For more than six years, the Higher Education Quality Council of Ontario (HEQCO) has conducted research on the differentiation of Ontario's public postsecondary system, where institutions build on and are accountable for their specific strengths, mandates and missions. This current report examines differences among Ontario universities on the following four dimensions: (1) equity of access: the enrolment of under-represented groups and those from lower socioeconomic backgrounds; (2) demand: student preference and university selection; (3) the learning journey: the learning environment, student experience and completion rates; and (4) graduate outcomes: resultant success on the job market and with the repayment of student loans. This comprehensive analysis, including data visualization, reinforces the existence of distinct clusters among Ontario's 20 universities. It also offers a deeper appreciation of how these clusters differ from one another and provides greater clarity on the distinctive nature and role played by those institutions previously classified by HEQCO as 'in-between' and now termed regional universities. This analysis suggests policies and practices within a differentiated system that would lead to more equitable access and success for all students, higher quality outcomes, and greater financial sustainability of the system and its institutions.

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