University Continuing Education in Canada: An overview of Microcredentials and the Adult Learning Ecosystem in Canada's Universities
Prepared by Universities Canada and CAUCE (2021)
COVID-19 is causing significant shifts in the labour force. Some are new, brought
about by the unpredictable tides of the global pandemic. Others, such as job loss
to automation, were underway long before the pandemic, but have been
accelerated by the circumstances of the last year. The pandemic has forced
sectors to fundamentally reimagine their future. The “future of work,” characterized
by a transformation in the types of jobs available and the competencies required
to do them, has arrived.
Employment and Social Development Canada commissioned this report to provide
a snapshot of university continuing education and extension units (UCEEUs)
programming activities across Canada during this exceptional time. It comes as
interest in micro-credentials — seen as an emerging trend and potentially
disruptive to traditional post-secondary education — increases.
Although the term micro-credential has only been in use since approximately 2014,
the characteristics of micro-credentials have been developed and delivered by
UCEEUs in Canada for decades. Our institutions have long offered programs that
address skills gaps to Canadians. This report illustrates how UCEEUs have been
critical players in the history of adult and continuing education in Canada. The
expertise of UCEEUs is exemplified in the diverse range of courses and programs
offered, many of which are targeted to address societal priorities (e.g., Indigenous
community-based programs) or meet labour market needs in the form of just-in-
time upskilling or reskilling programs.
The adaptable nature of UCEEUs, as well as their extensive track record of
success, makes them an ideal vehicle to upskill and reskill Canadians in response
to labour market disruptions such as those experienced in the past year. During
this time of unprecedented disruption, UCEEUs have emerged as critical assets to
universities, provincial governments and industry.
In early 2021, Universities Canada and the Canadian Association for University
Continuing Education (CAUCE) partnered to conduct a comprehensive and
geographically diverse scan of the university continuing education ecosystem in
nearly 100 universities across Canada. This project provides an initial and
informative overview of the Canadian university continuing education/extension
landscape.