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University Canada West

Coordinates: 48°26′14.61″N 123°21′34.66″W / 48.4373917°N 123.3596278°W / 48.4373917; -123.3596278
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48°26′14.61″N 123°21′34.66″W / 48.4373917°N 123.3596278°W / 48.4373917; -123.3596278

University Canada West (UCW)[1]
MottoLearning that Fits [2]
TypePrivate for-profit
Established2005
ChairmanAlfred Cosier Morris CBE DL[3]
ChancellorJohn Winter[4]
PresidentArthur Coren
Location
Vancouver
,
British Columbia
,
Canada
CampusUrban
ColorsRed   and White  [5]
AffiliationsAAC&U, IAU
Websitewww.ucanwest.ca

University Canada West (informally UCW) is a private, for-profit, educational institution[6] in British Columbia, Canada. The university was founded in 2005 by David F. Strong, the former president of the University of Victoria, purchased in 2008 by the Eminata Group, and is currently owned by Global University Systems.[7][8] The university is based in downtown Vancouver, and currently offers predominantly business and management related programs.[9][10][11]

History

University Canada West was founded in Victoria, British Columbia in 2005 by David Strong, the former president of the University of Victoria.[12] The establishment of the university marked the first time in British Columbia in which a for-profit institution had been authorized to use the designation "university," the result of the province's recently enacted, controverisal Degree Authorization Act.[13] In 2008 the school opened a second campus in Victoria.[12] That same year it was purchased by the Eminata Group.[8] At the time of the sale, it was reported the school was teetering on the edge of bankruptcy and struggling to attract students.[14]

Faced with declining enrollment at its Victoria campus, in February 2010 the university shuttered the second site, giving prior students the option of transferring to another college or to its other campus.[9][15] However, some students interviewed on CBC News said their preferred college was unwilling to transfer their units and they could not afford moving to the college's other campus.[9]

In October 2012, "over 30 students, graduates, faculty and former teachers and employees interviewed by Hindustan Times have alleged that it is a university only in name, and that many of them were duped." At the time of publication, the university denied the allegations saying that it had many students who secured positions in industry and government, both in Canada and abroad.[16]

In 2015, University Canada West was acquired by the Global University Systems group.[17]

Campus

Early sited on the floor of an office building in downtown Vancouver, British Columbia, in 2014 University Canada West relocated to Vancouver's London Building, where it currently occupies five floors.[16][18]

Governance

The governance structure of UCW is composed of an academic council and a board of governance, in line with the bicameral system in place at many other Canadian universities.[19][20] Under this structure, the board oversees the strategic direction of the university including fiduciary, legal and financial responsibility, while the academic council – which represents staff, faculty, students and alumni – presides over the university’s academic programs and policies.[21][22]

Although UCW doesn’t receive public funds, the British Columbia Ministry of Advanced Education requires the institution to file audited financial statements. [21] The institution also undergoes an annual quality review by the Degree Quality Assessment Board.[23][24]

In September 2015, Brad O’Hara was appointed as Vice-President of Academic and Students.[25] As of 2015, the board of governance is chaired by British academic Alfred Morris[26]

Academics

The University is accredited by the British Columbia Ministry of Advanced Education, and carries the Education Quality Assurance (EQA) accreditation under the 2003 Degree Authorization Act.[27][28] The University is also a member of the British Columbia Council on Admission & Transfer [29] and is a Candidate for Accreditation with the Accreditation Council for Business Schools and Programs (ACBSP).[30]

Thirty per-cent of UCW students defaulted on their government-backed loans in 2009, compared against a default rate of 3.7% at the University of British Columbia and 4.7% at the University of Victoria.[9] By 2010 that number had dropped to 20-percent, further improving to 16-percent by the end of 2012.[31]

Scholarships at UCW are available to Canadian and international applicants for both undergraduate and graduate courses.[32]

References

  1. ^ "UCW Abbreviation". University Canada West. Retrieved 1 April 2014.
  2. ^ "UCW Motto". University Canada West. Retrieved 1 April 2014.
  3. ^ "Interim Chair". ucanwest.ca. University Canada West. Retrieved 27 October 2015.
  4. ^ "First Chancellor Appointed at University Canada West" (PDF). University Canada West. Retrieved 2011-03-29.
  5. ^ "University Color Scheme". University Canada West. Retrieved 1 April 2014.
  6. ^ "Former UVic President Forms Private University". Ucan.ca. Retrieved 2011-03-29.
  7. ^ "Founder replaced at University Canada West". Canada.com. 2009-12-09. Retrieved 2011-03-29.
  8. ^ a b "B.C. university teetering on bankruptcy has been sold". Canada.com. 2008-11-23. Retrieved 2011-03-29.
  9. ^ a b c d "college information". educationplanner.
  10. ^ "Bachelor Degrees Vancouver, Canada | University Canada West". ucanwest.ca. Retrieved 2015-12-02.
  11. ^ "MBA Programs in Vancouver, Canada | University Canada West". ucanwest.ca. Retrieved 2015-12-02.
  12. ^ a b Leclaire, Ryan (3 March 2011). "University Canada West Closes Victoria Campus". Study Magazine. Retrieved 2 September 2015.
  13. ^ "B.C. Accepts Private University". CAUT Bulletin. Canadian Association of University Teachers. Retrieved 2 September 2015.
  14. ^ "Education tycoon buys University Canada West". Times Colonist. 24 November 2008. Retrieved 2 September 2015.
  15. ^ "Private university leaves students out". Macleans OnCampus. 2011-03-15. Retrieved 2011-03-29.
  16. ^ a b "Bogus varsities prey on Indian students". Hindustan Times. October 14, 2012. Retrieved 2012-10-17.
  17. ^ Baker, Amy (Jun 3, 2015). "Global University Systems acquires University of Law". The PIE News. Retrieved August 27, 2015.
  18. ^ "University Canada West" (PDF). ucanwest.ca. University Canada West. Retrieved 25 October 2015.
  19. ^ https://tspace.library.utoronto.ca/bitstream/1807/32382/1/2001%20-%20Jones%20Shanahan%20Goyan%20-%20University%20governane%20in%20CDN%20HE.pdf
  20. ^ http://research.ncku.edu.tw/re/commentary/e/20090327/2.pdf
  21. ^ a b https://ucanwest.ca/about-ucw/governance
  22. ^ https://ucanwest.ca/media/45316/ucw-bdman-25-may-2012.pdf
  23. ^ "Degree Authorization - Province of B.C. Advanced Education". Aved.gov.bc.ca. Retrieved 2015-12-25.
  24. ^ http://www.aved.gov.bc.ca/degree-authorization/board/documents/DQAB_Annual_Report_2011-12.pdf
  25. ^ https://ucanwest.ca/news/university-canada-west-announces-dr-brad-o-hara-as-vp-academic-and-students
  26. ^ https://ucanwest.ca/about-ucw/interim-chair
  27. ^ "B.C. Post-secondary Institutions - Private and non-B.C. public institutions". British Columbia Ministry of Advanced Education. Retrieved August 27, 2015.
  28. ^ "Private Post Secondary Education". British Columbia Ministry of Advanced Education. Retrieved August 27, 2015.
  29. ^ "BC Post Secondary System". BCCAT. Retrieved August 27, 2015.
  30. ^ "University Canada West". ACBSP. 12/2/2014. Retrieved August 27, 2015. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  31. ^ "B.C. student loan default rates". studentaidbc.ca. StudentAidBC. Retrieved 25 October 2015.
  32. ^ https://ucanwest.ca/admissions/awards-scholarships
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