Conferences

About Worldviews

How do media cover higher education issues – locally and around the globe? How does coverage shape public perceptions? Does the academy look in media’s mirror to see itself? Can the academy help the press translate complex issues into accessible stories?

Let’s talk about it.

Given the crucial role of higher education and its explosive growth in some parts of the world, the stakes are high for the academy and ultimately the societies we serve.

In both higher education and media, much is in flux and many global trends are at play.

Let’s assemble thinkers – academics, editors, students, journalists, communications professionals and others – to chart where we are and forge new paths in a fast-changing landscape.

Worldviews is a very lively forum to advance mutual understanding of the relationships, challenges, and potential of the academy and media.

Governments in Canada and elsewhere have embraced “austerity” as a necessary public policy to eliminate budgetary deficits and ensure future prosperity.  How has this “austerity agenda” affected faculty, students, administrators and institutions in Ontario, in Canada, and globally?  Is “austerity” inevitable, or are there alternatives?   And what might universities do now, and in the future, [Read More…]

AGENDA Location What do we mean when we talk about student success? Are students, faculty, administrators and government talking about the same thing? How can we ensure that our students are getting the education they need to achieve their goals, succeed in the workforce, and be the citizens and leaders of tomorrow? The Ontario Confederation of University [Read More…]

OCUFA held a 1 ½ day conference on Friday, January 21 and Saturday, January 22, 2011 at the Sutton Place Hotel, Toronto, Ontario.

OCUFA held a 1 ½ day conference on Friday, January 22 and Saturday, January 23, 2010 at the Sutton Place Hotel, Toronto, Ontario. Titled “Financing Higher Education in the Current Economic Climate” the conference brought together speakers from universities, research institutes, government and the private sector in Canada and the United States. The conference was designed to reflect on the current recession’s impact on universities, examine trends in higher education financing, and consider implications for the future.

In order to explore the issues regarding accountability in higher education, the Ontario Confederation of University Faculty Associations (OCUFA) held a conference on January 8, 2009. Titled “Accounting or Accountability in Higher Education”, it brought together noted experts on accountability from around the world to assess how the drive towards accountability could best be managed [Read More…]

In January 2007, OCUFA hosted a conference entitled “Restructuring the Academy: Current Realities and Preferred Directions” as part of its biennial conference series. The conference was designed to reflect on the changing nature of academic work, the trends that underpin those changes, and the implications for faculty, students, and higher education in general. It brought [Read More…]

Topics included: Public concerns about possible directions for higher education in Ontario Coordination, collaboration and governance of the province’s higher education system Higher Education Reform in the UK Funding for the future: public and private responsibilities and benefits Affordability Ensuring quality