A new report by the Council of Ontario Universities (COU) finds that Ontario’s higher education institutions make a huge contribution to communities across the province. In particular, the report finds that, “an average Ontario faculty member devotes about 20 per cent of their work hours to services, such as informing policy and using their skills and knowledge to enhance communities on local, national and global.”
Titled Change Agent – Ontario’s Universities: Transforming Communities, Transforming Lives also finds that universities inject billions of dollars into Ontario each year, and are powerful drivers of economic growth. In addition, the report highlights the many community contributions made by students and faculty, including “creating non-profit organizations, establishing outreach programs, and inventing innovative products that solve critical issues around the globe.”
In OCUFA’s recent pre-budget submission to the Government of Ontario, we argue for renewed investment in the province’s universities, as they deliver huge social and economic returns. This paper only strengthens the case to increase public funding for higher education in Ontario.