Sudbury post-secondary schools sign pact, aim to boost student retention

4 Greater Sudbury post-secondary schools have signed a pact to collaborate, creating seamless education pathways to attract and retain students in the region.

Leaders from Laurentian University, NOSM University, Cambrian College and Collège Boréal gathered on Wednesday for the Greater Sudbury Chamber of Commerce’s ‘President Series’ luncheon.

The event saw a packed house of business owners and educators.

“I think it’s important for businesses in the community to know and be aware of what’s going on at the local post-secondary institutions,” said Greater Sudbury Chamber of Commerce Chair Zach Courtemanche

“We’re in a knowledge economy. The more education the workforce has, the better equipped they are to contribute to it.”

The four institutions have officially signed a memorandum of understanding, a commitment to work together rather than in competition. The goal is to create a “seamless” education experience within Greater Sudbury.

“If we can attract students to Sudbury and they can move between institutions, we’ll retain them,” said Cambrian College’s president Kristine Morrissey.

As an example, Morrissey said a student might start a degree at Laurentian and then move to Cambrian for a specialized graduate certificate.

Laurentian president Lynn Wells said the memorandum sends a clear message of collaboration.

“We have four institutions committed to working together, to creating new pathways for students, for teams providing research collaborations,” she said.

“Just generally creating an environment that’s supportive for all post-secondary students in the Sudbury and the region.”

Collège Boréal’s president, Daniel Giroux, told CTV News that retention starts long before graduation, pointing to the success of placements to help both students and the employers.

“It gives our students the opportunity to get that practical experience and actually meet employers,” he said.

“The employer has an opportunity to work with the student, not just in an interview process. They really get to know that individual, and a huge percentage of the time, those employers are hiring those students.”

Dr. Michael Green, NOSM’s president and CEO, said the university’s distributed model –which sends medical learners into various northern communities for extended stays – has proven highly effective.

“If people do both their medical degree and their residency training program with NOSM University, almost 90% of them remain and work in northern Ontario long term,” he said.

Despite the collaborative atmosphere at the luncheon, Laurentian’s faculty association is in a legal strike position as early as Monday, January 19.

“They’re still at the table,” said Wells.

“We are hopeful of a settlement, and we’re working hard to get there.”

Wells said the university is focused on communication during the impasse.

“We understand that this can be an anxious time for students,” he said.

“It’s really important that they watch the messaging coming from the university, where we can provide more guidance in the case that it is needed.”